Contact: Susan Barber Lindquist
715-838-3012
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. –– Directors Margaret Bates Higley and Melody Dodge have been named as clinical directors of primary care at Luther Midelfort. Both are registered nurses.
They work in partnership with Jerome Garrett, who is director of operations for primary care at Luther Midelfort.
Margaret Bates Higley
Bates Higley works with Urgent Care and Family Medicine departments at Luther Midelfort’s Clairemont Campus and with Express Care at the South Point and West Ridge locations.
Dodge works with Family Medicine, Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease departments as well as the International Travel Clinic, all at Luther Midelfort’s Luther Campus. Dodge also oversees the Internal Medicine and Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine departments at the Clairemont and Luther campuses and the Rheumatology Department at the Clairemont campus.
Bates Higley earned associate degrees in nursing at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire and in claims from the Insurance Institute of America in Malvern, Pa. She has served Luther Midelfort since 1994. She has been director of Luther Midelfort’s Internal Medicine Department, where she also was a nurse. She had been director of Healthcare Informatics, where she managed implementation of the electronic medical record. Most recently, she has been Luther Midelfort’s Family Medicine and Express Care director. Before joining Luther Midelfort, Bates Higley was a field claims specialist at General Casualty Company.
“It is an exciting time to be involved in primary care,” Bates Higley says. “We are working toward an integrated primary care model to enhance the patient care experience and increase job satisfaction for our dedicated staff.”
Melody Dodge
Dodge earned an associate degree in nursing at Chippewa Valley Technical College. She has served Luther Midelfort since 1993, starting as a staff nurse. She has been director of the Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease and Rheumatology departments.
“I’m very committed to supporting Luther Midelfort in the best that healthcare has to offer,” Dodge says. “I’m proud of the organization’s mission dedicated to promoting health and meeting the healthcare needs of patients. As a director, my interests include promoting prevention, wellness, chronic disease management, patient IV services and a commitment to excellent customer service.”
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In partnership with Mayo Clinic, Luther Midelfort offers a full range of quality medical services, including cardiac and orthopedic surgery, cancer and trauma care programs. Through a network of community-based healthcare providers in west-central Wisconsin, Luther Midelfort provides access to experts close to home.
