FMH CEO, Katherine Bunting-Williams, Ph.D., stated today, “Fairfield Memorial Hospital is growing rapidly in not only new services, but also among our provider base. We have some new and familiar faces that have joined our organization to help us care for patients in the Urgent Care facility and Horizon Healthcare. Accessibility to care in any form is our number one goal, and these four amazing professionals will enhance accessibility. What is most exciting is the talent and knowledge among each new provider we have added to our professional care giving team.”
Urgent Care:
JAMES J. HOPPER, PA-C, MS
Physician Assistant, James J. Hopper, PA-C, MS, comes to Fairfield with over 25 years of experience in Urgent Care and is Board Certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. After practicing medicine in multiple settings including Orthopedics, Primary Care, Urgent Care, Emergency and Occupational Medicine, PA Hopper has seen a large array of patients with a variety of health challenges.
PA Hopper strives to ensure all of his patients are fully educated about their care plan and feel empowered to follow through with it to ensure optimal recovery. He is eager to begin caring for the community and treating everyone as if they were his own family members. James chose to come to the Fairfield community because he appreciates the small town atmosphere and the close relationships, as opposed to a larger city. Patients will be grateful for Mr. Hopper’s calm and caring demeanor and his ability to relate to their needs.
He is a member of the Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants and American Academy of Physician Assistants, along with being a former Delegate of these organizations. PA Hopper holds a Master’s Degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Saint Francis in Joliet, IL along with a Bachelor in Medical Science and Physician Assistant Certification from Saint Louis University. He has served in the military as a United States Air Force Security Policeman and was awarded the Commendation Award from the US Army, Fort Stewart, Georgia. He is active in his church, been a volunteer fireman, served as a speaker for several pharmaceutical companies and done expert witness work.
LISA FEATHER, RN, BSN, PA-C, MPAS, CLNC
Physician Assistant, Lisa Feather, RN, BSN, PA-C, MPAS, CLNC, comes to Fairfield Memorial Hospital’s Urgent care with 35 years of clinical experience in many areas of healthcare including the Hospital, Emergency Department, Nursing Management, Trauma Educator, EMS Coordinator, Family Practice, Cardiac Surgery, Electronic Health Record, Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine. She has twelve years of experience as a Registered Nurse and four years of experience in Nursing Administration.
PA Feather has blessed the surrounding area for many years with her clinical stills and is going to be serving in a perfect role as a provider in Urgent Care at Fairfield Memorial Hospital. Clinicians such as PA Feather are imperative to meeting the needs of our service area and in this role she will be accessible to not only to those patients she has cared for over the years, but also to those new patients she will meet in the Urgent Care setting. It is apparent that she is a stable provider who cares about her surrounding community due to her tenure in the area. Fairfield Memorial Hospital is fortunate to have her as part of the team of providers.
PA Feather is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants, and National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. She holds a Master’s Physician Assistant of Science from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX. PA Feather resides in Wayne City, Illinois and is excited to continue seeing familiar faces of the community and to be part of the elite team of providers at Fairfield Memorial Hospital.
Horizon Healthcare:
JOHN SNOWDEN, PA-C
John Snowden, PA-C comes to Fairfield with over 20 years of experience and will be seeing patients of all ages. PA Snowden received his Bachelor of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Saint Louis University School of Allied Health Professions. He joins the Horizon Healthcare team with extensive experience in multiple healthcare settings and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
For the past 19 years, PA Snowden and his wife, Brenda, have been passing through Fairfield on their way to visit family in the Mattoon/Charleston area and West Frankfort/Benton area. Each time they passed through Fairfield they would use the short cut – the Clay City blacktop. The thing that stuck out to them on these trips was the town was clean, neat, and seemed to be what a small town should be. Wal-Mart had not killed all of the downtown stores; all of Main Street was not a strip mall. The individuals they encountered were friendly and helpful.
When PA Snowden and his wife, Brenda, decided to move back to Illinois, they were looking for a small town in central/southern Illinois close to family. John has four brothers in Mattoon/Charleston area and four grandchildren there, and Brenda’s family (five brothers and sisters) in the West Frankfort/Benton area.
When PA Snowden discovered the opening at Horizon Healthcare, everything seemed to fall into place. Just one week following his interview and accepting the opening at Horizon Healthcare, the couple put a bid on a property in Fairfield. They closed on the house in September and PA John began his duties at Horizon Healthcare on October 10th.
During the tour of the Hospital when PA Snowden was being interviewed, he whispered to his wife, “Don’t pinch me. I don’t want to wake up from this beautiful dream.”
“I have always told my wife that before I ended my career I wanted to work at one ‘CLASSY’ place and I am very happy to say I think we have found it. We are very happy with the community of Fairfield, our home and the Hospital. DON’T PINCH ME,” said John Snowden, PA-C.
HEATHER CURTIS, MSN, FNP, NP-C
Nurse Practitioner, Heather Curtis, MSN, FNP, NP-C, comes to Fairfield with experience in multiple clinical areas of a hospital including medical-surgical, pediatrics, emergency department, women’s health, urgent care, and has cared for individuals of all ages. She is licensed by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
NP Curtis’ goal as a mid-level provider is to teach patients and caregivers, comfort them, and use her skills for the well-being of all who she is able to help. She has a heart-felt desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others through her practice. NP Curtis has received two faculty awards, “Blood, Sweat, and Tears” and “Compassion, Clinical Excellence and Client Advocacy,” and the award titles directly show her due diligence and true desire to provide exceptional care.
NP Curtis holds a Master’s of Science in Nursing, Primary Care Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Educator from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. Her and her husband, Benjamin Curtis who is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist for Fairfield Memorial Hospital on an as needed basis, reside in Olney, Illinois with their five children. She will begin practicing at Horizon Healthcare in November.
Fairfield Memorial Hospital is still in the midst of recruitment of future medical providers and is dedicated to finding only the best to serve the local community.
“We want to remain strong in our mission to positively improve the health of those we serve and in doing so, we vow to continue to recruit and hire the absolute best candidates for our community,” stated Katherine Bunting-Williams, Ph.D., FMH CEO.
