PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS
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Mark Kal, MD
Medical Director Family Medicine Gualala Clinic Dr. Mark Kal graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois with a degree in Biology and Environmental Science. He went on to earn his MD degree from the University of Health Sciences / Chicago Medical School. Dr. Kal completed a residency in Family Practice at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine as well as the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine. Dr. Kal has served on the teaching staffs of Rush Medical College and UC Davis Medical School. He is an avid student of Mindfulness Meditation, Mind Body Medicine as well as the effect of consciousness on healing. Dr. Kal practiced Family Medicine for over twenty years in El Dorado County (Placerville, CA). He most recently was on the Medical Staff at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, California. When the opportunity came up to practice on the Mendonoma Coast, he and his wife wasted no time in relocating here, fulfilling a nearly twenty year dream to live and practice in the Gualala area. To say that they are thrilled to be here and part of the community would be an understatement. Dr. Kal sees patients at the Gualala medical center. |
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Tom Bertolli, MD
Family Practice Gualala & Point Arena Clinics Dr. Bertolli has over 30 years' experience as a Family Practice Physician and has been with RCMS since 1977. A native of California, Dr. Bertolli graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with BS and MS degrees in Psychology, and Epidemiology & Biostatistics. He received his MD degree from George Washington University, Washington, D.C. Dr. Bertolli is a lead medical provider for the RCMS Diabetes Management Program, and see patients at the Gualala medical center. An avid outdoorsman, tennis player and golfer, Dr. Bertolli is also an amateur winemaker and has received numerous awards for wine made from grapes from his Dry Creek Valley vineyard in Healdsburg, California. As a medical student, Tom Bertolli wrote a paper on the benefits of operating a community healthcare clinic, similar to RCMS, never dreaming that he would play such a large part in the history and development of our clinics in Gualala and Point Arena. |
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Afsoon Foorohar, DO
Family Practice Gualala & Point Arena Clinics Dr. Foorohar joined RCMS in January 2019. She attended Western University of Health Sciences and completed her residency at the Sutter Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency program. Dr. Foorohar enjoys building relationships with patients and their families over the course of a lifetime. When asked why this community she responded "a small rural town is really best suited for this. The smaller a community, the closer the human interactions, and the relationships are more like those that occur with friends and family. You get to know your local grocer, baker, neighbor... your community. As a family medicine doctor, I am naturally drawn to a treating patients, their families, and their community." In her own words "the most enriching and humbling part about patient care is developing lasting relationships. The joy comes when we get to bear witness to the impact we can have on a patient’s life. As a family medicine doctor, we get to develop that connection with each individual within a family, which can deepen our perspective of their lives, and in turn, our own." |
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Lois Falk, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Family Practice & Women's Health Gualala & Point Arena Clinics Lois Falk joined RCMS in 1977. A native of Northern California, Lois is committed to this community, the health of its residents, and has been caring for its coastal families for three generations. Ms. Falk received her BSN degree from Sonoma State University and completed their Family Nurse Practitioner program in 1979. Through a satellite program at Stanford University, she completed the Certified Nursing Midwifery program in 1984, and in 2005, she received her MD from the University of Health Sciences in Antigua. Ms. Falk specializes in women's health and sees patients in both RCMS clinics. She is also clinical coordinator of the RCMS Visiting Nurse and Hospice Programs, as well as director of the Teen Clinic locate in the Point Arena High School. |
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Jesse Ewing, Physician Assistant (PA)
Family Practice/Urgent Care Gualala Clinic Jesse brings a wealth of medical experience that began in the United States Air Force and has taught Family Medicine at UC Davis School of Medicine. A retired Captain, Jesse has most recently been working in the geriatric and palliative care arena. His extensive experience with seniors will be apparent to his patients as well as his extensive experience in Urgent Care. |
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Clement Binnings, MD
Family Practice Gualala Clinic Dr. Binnings relocated from Virginia in 2016 to be closer to his family. He has served as the co-founder and Vice-President of Primary Care Associates, a family medicine, urgent care and specialty services practice with four suburban and rural offices located in Virginia. He served as the Medical Director for Roanoke College Student Health Services and two skilled rehabilitation centers. He was an assistant professor in Primary Care for the University of Virginia Medical School and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Virginia Tech. Presently, he serves as a medical volunteer on the Sea Ranch Disaster Preparedness Committee. While his work in the medical field keeps him busy, Dr. Binnings is also a writer of metaphysical fiction and has won multiple awards for his novel, Angel Through the Storms. Dr. Binnings is working at the Gualala clinic two days a week, seeing patients of all ages. |
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Carolyn Hand, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
Family Practice Gualala Clinic Carolyn Hand, a women’s health provider for over 25 years, graduated with her BSN from San Francisco State in 1981, her OB-GYN NP from San Jose State in 1991 and a MSN in education from Holy Names University, in 2013. She has worked in labor and delivery as a RN, (one of her first jobs was at Mendocino Coast Hospital!) and community health and FQHC clinics as a WHNP. She created and coordinated a NP Residency program in her prior job at Lifelong Medical Care, and loves teaching. She also has a deep fondness for teenagers. |
URGENT CARE PROVIDERS
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Barbara Brittell, Physician Assistant (PA)
Urgent Care Gualala Clinic Barb Brittell has practiced as a rural family practice and emergency medicine Physician Assistant (PA) for over 20 years. She earned her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University and her PA Master's in Health Sciences and a Masters in Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Prior to practicing medicine, Barb worked in international development with the Peace Corps and the United Nations Development Programme in the fields of health, women's development and education. After finishing her medical education, she worked and volunteered in the US and abroad, serving communities in remote sites like Antarctica, Alaska, Afghanistan, Haiti and Nepal, as well as Yellowstone and Denali National Park before coming to Gualala. Her international medical work soon revealed the unique challenge of tropical infections and poverty-induced medical illnesses -- prompting a return to school to earn a Diploma in Tropical and Travel Medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans. "I have learned that wherever you go in the world, there is a need for intelligent and compassionate medical care; the more remote you are, the more challenging that care can become. Whether working out of a field camp in a disaster situation or a well supplied and staffed clinic like RCMS, I hope to provide thoughtful, intelligent and compassionate care to my patients -- and the reassurance that I understand the unique medical challenges we face, particularly in emergencies, in our remote coastal community in Gualala. |
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Leon Koenck, Physician Assistant (PA)
Urgent Care Gualala Clinic Updated bio coming soon! |
DENTAL PROVIDERS
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Roberta Rams, Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
Family Dentistry Point Arena Dental Clinic "As a nurse, my mom inspired me to go into the healthcare profession. Intrigued and nurtured by my dental office visits, I studied the sciences and majored in Chemistry at California State University at Northridge with the intention of entering dental school. I graduated in 1992 and spent a year in Germany in a private practice before moving to Sonoma County. I worked for various clinics and private practices in the area before moving to this heavenly place in 1998. I am passionate about healthy living. I believe that caring for your teeth is one of the most important factors in promoting good health. Everyone should take a proactive role in their own health and well-being by paying attention to diet and living a holistic lifestyle. What we ingest on a daily basis, be it food, beverages, medicines and other drugs, undoubtedly has an impact on our health. All of the RCMS dental staff are committed to being friendly, compassionate, caring and genuine in our services. We love our community!" |
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Lowell Thomas, Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD)
Family Dentistry Point Arena Dental Clinic "The practice of Dentistry has taught me that all my patients must be treated from the perspective of 'whole complex individuals.' No two individuals are alike and each requires careful attention. Countless systemic problems effect the mouth. Conditions like diabetes, vascular disease, autoimmune diseases, and medications taken for these and many other diseases affect the mouth, and our success at treating dental disease. Since graduating from Tufts University in 1985, I've realized how important one's overall health is and its impacts on oral disease. I've taken extensive training in occlusion and nutrition and use these to help my patients enjoy a healthy mouth. It is a privilege to work with all the professionals at RCMS and look forward to helping our community attain the best health they can." |
Honoring the Life and Service of Dr. Jefferson Nerney
We are deeply saddened by the unexpected and untimely passing of Dr. Jefferson Nerney, Psy.D. on Wednesday November 21, 2018. He will forever be remembered at RCMS for his charisma, infectious positivity, and ability to brighten peoples day. We were honored to have known and worked side-by-side with Jeff.
Jeff was born in 1949 in San Francisco, a city which he loved dearly. Growing up he was a great athlete but his passion for music led him down the path of becoming a musical producer in the 1960’s. Through that experience Jeff developed close friendships that he would forever cherish. Jeff received his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree from the Wright Institute in 2002.
He worked in several areas in the field of mental/behavioral health including forensic assessment for the Board of Parole. He joined the RCMS family in July of 2012 and was instrumental in implementing the integration of Behavioral Health services into Primary Care services.
Jeff loved our coastal community and was so happy to be settled on the coast, making a home with his Sweetie Pie… his beloved cat, Charlie the spaniel, and the love of his life, Jacqueline Lappe.
Jeff embraced life, adored his friendships, and approached humanity with a generous open heart. We will always remember him singing in the halls of RCMS, bringing rays of light and smiles.
We would like to acknowledge the tremendous loss to our community and our patients. While we are in the process of reaching out to individual patients we would also like to provide a list of other behavioral health providers on the coast as a courtesy to anyone in need of immediate services. This list does not constitute an endorsement by RCMS and individuals are encouraged to do more research on anyone they may contact.
In addition, residents of Mendocino County can utilize Redwood Community Crisis Center – 1-855-838-0404 – 24/7 Crisis line – they have a multi-disciplinary team of staff who provide emergency mental health assessments to Mendocino County Consumers.
1-800-555-5906 – 24/7 Access Line – Assisting Consumers in linking to appropriate services, provide information on grievance and fair hearing procedures and more.
Locations:
350 E Gobbi St. Suite B, Ukiah, CA 95482
544 S Main St. Suite B, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Thank you for your patience during this difficult time.
Jeff was born in 1949 in San Francisco, a city which he loved dearly. Growing up he was a great athlete but his passion for music led him down the path of becoming a musical producer in the 1960’s. Through that experience Jeff developed close friendships that he would forever cherish. Jeff received his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree from the Wright Institute in 2002.
He worked in several areas in the field of mental/behavioral health including forensic assessment for the Board of Parole. He joined the RCMS family in July of 2012 and was instrumental in implementing the integration of Behavioral Health services into Primary Care services.
Jeff loved our coastal community and was so happy to be settled on the coast, making a home with his Sweetie Pie… his beloved cat, Charlie the spaniel, and the love of his life, Jacqueline Lappe.
Jeff embraced life, adored his friendships, and approached humanity with a generous open heart. We will always remember him singing in the halls of RCMS, bringing rays of light and smiles.
We would like to acknowledge the tremendous loss to our community and our patients. While we are in the process of reaching out to individual patients we would also like to provide a list of other behavioral health providers on the coast as a courtesy to anyone in need of immediate services. This list does not constitute an endorsement by RCMS and individuals are encouraged to do more research on anyone they may contact.
In addition, residents of Mendocino County can utilize Redwood Community Crisis Center – 1-855-838-0404 – 24/7 Crisis line – they have a multi-disciplinary team of staff who provide emergency mental health assessments to Mendocino County Consumers.
1-800-555-5906 – 24/7 Access Line – Assisting Consumers in linking to appropriate services, provide information on grievance and fair hearing procedures and more.
Locations:
350 E Gobbi St. Suite B, Ukiah, CA 95482
544 S Main St. Suite B, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Thank you for your patience during this difficult time.
| Mendo Coast Behavioral Health Providers.prf |