{"id":8324,"date":"2025-07-16T11:44:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T17:44:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthfund.org\/a\/?p=8324"},"modified":"2025-07-18T11:25:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T17:25:16","slug":"pih-dr-beth-oller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthfund.org\/a\/pih-dr-beth-oller\/","title":{"rendered":"Podcast episode 28: Dr. Beth Oller"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast<\/a>. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In episode 28, we interview Dr. Beth Oller. She is a family medicine physician at Rooks County Health Center in Plainville, Kansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She graduated from Wesley Family Medicine Residency in Wichita and has clinical interests in maternal and child care, quality improvement, and rural medicine\/access to care.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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In this episode, Dr. Oller discusses how a love of science turned into a career in health care. Her journey began in nursing before deciding she wanted to go to medical school after working alongside physicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I saw how many patients were ending up in the hospital or in the ER because they didn’t have a medical home. They didn’t have a primary provider who was keeping track of the specialists they were going to and the medications they were on or preventive care was getting missed or dropped,” she said. “So I really had an interest in what could I do to become that kind of provider.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working full-time, she returned to school to complete physics and organic chemistry before taking the MCAT. She decided if she got accepted into medical school, then she would go for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I got into the University of Kansas for medical school, and knew from the time I started that primary care would be my direction,” she said. “But I did not expect rural primary care.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She didn’t grow up in a rural area and had never been exposed to rural life. However, she loved the opportunity rural health provided to serve patients in a broader way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, she has become a prominent voice and advocate for rural health care in Kansas and even nationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It is an honor and a privilege to be able to serve the patients I serve \u2014 to have their trust,” she said, “but also to advocate for them on both a state and national platform, so that those who don’t feel like they have a voice can know that there are those of us who will continue to speak for them.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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She also discusses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Her passion for family medicine and rural health<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The role family physicians play in maternal health care in rural areas<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Ideas on how to address maternity care deserts<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How she became involved with advocacy and her advocacy efforts in a variety of areas<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Challenges facing rural health care providers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How cuts in Medicaid will impact rural health care and the cost of health care in general<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Why reimbursement dollars are important and what they cover<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Why many physicians pursue specialties instead of primary care<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How building an expanded care team is especially important in rural communities<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • What gives her hope right now<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

     And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Dr. Oller has been an innovative leader in health care in Kansas.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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    Listen now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Listen below or on any of your favorite podcast services. Like and subscribe to stay up-to-date with each new episode!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>