Contributing Writer, Delta Business Journal
(Dr. Venus Jones)
When Dr. Venus Jones began to look toward retirement from the Air Force
she did not look for a position in a large city. In fact, she looked for
a place where there was a need for additional qualified physicians and
a place that others might not have chosen. And, though she had never even
traveled in Mississippi, except for a brief visit to Hattiesburg, she found
herself settling in Clarksdale in July of 1998, in the Delta, where the
recruiting of physicians can be difficult, but the need is pronounced.
"I never considered coming to Mississippi," Dr. Jones said, "but have found it to be very nice. The people are kind and have been very welcoming."
She has also found the physicians in the Delta to take a very personal interest in their patients.
"There are good physicians here who care for their patients. They know their patients and know their histories and develop a very personal relationship with them. They don't just know who the person is, but they also know their families. Treating the patients this way insures that people are treated as individuals, as neighbors."
Dr. Jones has been stationed with the military throughout the United States and also in Germany, spending a large part of her career at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. She has found there to be many differences between practicing medicine in the military and as a civilian.
"When practicing as a civilian, you must deal with insurance companies and billing and with people who can't afford their medicines. These things were not encountered in the military," she said.
Also, Jones has found that her civilian patients are often unable to give an accurate medical history and are many times uneducated in regard to their diseases and how those diseases have been treated.
"The demographics of the patient population is different as well in that the population is older and has more medical problems," she explained.
Dr. Jones' skills as a neurologist are especially needed in Mississippi due to the state being one of the highest in the nation in regards to the occurrence of stroke.
"The University of Mississippi Medical Center has launched a good program that gets the word out about stroke and its symptoms and that program needs to be furthered. We need a strong educational program launched to make people aware of symptoms and how to take action on those symptoms."
Jones can already see that the Delta is making progress in regard to health care. She also realizes the challenges that are faced due to the low rate of reimbursement from the federal government.
"If the Delta can hang on to the doctors it has, that would be wonderful. Many doctors come with a desire to practice medicine outside of the big-city setting and outside of managed care. Some are in areas, however, that cannot support specialists due to low reimbursement level."
"Another problem in the retention of doctors is the feeling on behalf of many patients that they need to go to a larger city to receive quality care, but they can receive good specialty care right here in the Delta.
"Our patients are beginning to realize that they can receive good care here with a personal touch that they appreciate."