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The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians selected
Richard Wehseler, M.D., of New London/Spicer, as its 2010 Family
Physician of the Year.
View 2010 Family Physician of the Year
News Release
View video honoring Dr.
Wehseler (.wmv)
Full Name: Richard Wehseler, M.D.
Practice: Affiliated Community Medical
Centers - New London
Years in Practice: 12
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Residency Program: Mayo Clinic -
Rochester
Family Life: Married to Nancy Wehseler. The couple has
three children.
Volunteer Experience and Community Involvement (in
last five years): Dr. Wehseler is Chief of
Staff at Rice Memorial Hospital. He is also the
Assistant County Coroner for Kandiyohi County.
Dr. Wehseler preforms skin checks for wrestlers and
helps with many other community activities as needed.
He is an active volunteer at his church. The
Wehseler family spends many hours helping to care for
the parish cemetery. Dr. Wehseler is
currently involved in adding an area honoring children
that have passed away.
Hobbies: Spending time with family,
attending sporting events, fishing, boating, canoeing,
and gardening.
Excerpts from an interview with Dr. Wehseler:
Why do you enjoy most about family medicine?
Richard Wehseler, M.D.: "I think for me it’s a good fit for me. You get a
chance to be with patients of all ages. I have
somebody in hospice right now that I saw this morning
and I delivered a baby last night at eleven o’clock.
It’s the breadth of life and it’s very refreshing."
What is your goal as a family physician?
Richard Wehseler, M.D.: "Creating an environment where are patients are
comfortable. Comfortable to be themselves so that they
can bring themselves in here and be who they are.
That allows us to get a real impression of them and see
what they need help with."
How does teamwork play a role in your success as a
physician?
Richard Wehseler, M.D.: "Our
time with the patient is just this little block in the
middle. Things have to go well before I go in to
see them and after I seem them. Whether it’s
simple things like coming in the door and being greeted
warmly, having a good conversation on the phone, having
tests that are followed up on, having studies that are
schedule accurately or timely. All of those go into
what people feel about their medical home. And if
you don’t have a tremendous group of people that work
hard every day to make sure that that happens, then
everything falls apart."
What would you like to say to your patients?
Richard Wehseler, M.D.: "We get a lot of positive feedback all the time, but to
have people take the time out of their busy schedule to
acknowledge that is really nice and very humbling.
I would really just like to thank them for being a part
of our clinic, of our medical home and allowing all of
us to be a part of their life.”
What patients, community members and colleagues have to say:
Amber Vick, M.D./Family Physician: “He does OB
and he does ER and he’s in administration and he does
hospital and he does clinic and he does it all.”
April Dorry/Patient: “He really is able to give
of himself personally, but in a professional manner, but
we see his vulnerability too and that’s just… it’s a
blessing.”
Bunny Iverson/Patient: “We know he’s busy, but he
doesn’t, you don’t feel like he is when he’s in the room
with you. We feel just like we got all the time in the
world you know.”
Claudia Rote/Patient: “He’s a good human being.
He’s a nice man.”
Diane Paffrath/Patient: “He is so visible in the
community. He’s out at basketball games, sporting
events. Of course I see him at church all the time.”
Terry Peterson, M.D./Family Physician: “He’s
extremely bright and cares a great deal about his
patients and is just incredibly hard-working.”
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