Beyond the walls of the office
In the July-August 2020 edition of Alberta Doctors' Digest, the AMA proudly Shines A Light on Dr. Joni McNeely.
When a patient comes to Gleichen, Alberta family physician Dr. Joni McNeely with a health concern, she knows that there’s a backstory to most, if not all, matters of physical and mental health. As much as possible, Dr. McNeely strives to “make that connection between a person’s health, their circumstances and their community.”
“Often, doctors try to support patients to build capacity on a personal health level,” says Dr. McNeely. “I think it’s important to go beyond the walls of the office, to the community and other systems that affect people’s health. Healthy communities create healthy people.”
Judging by her nomination by a patient for recognition by the AMA’s Shine A Light program, it’s evident that the people of Gleichen and the surrounding southeastern Alberta communities feel justifiably grateful to have a physician like Dr. McNeely. In the nomination, one of her long-time patients says, “She has been a jewel in this locality as a solitary practitioner, serving both the surrounding rural farming communities and the Siksika Indigenous nation in a very caring, competent and capable manner.”
Describing how Dr. McNeely “acted quickly and decisively” to oversee diagnosis and treatment of “an aggressive and rare form of cancer 20 years ago,” the patient adds,” My family and I have always been grateful for Dr. McNeely’s exceptional care, which she has provided to us with love and attention. She is a remarkable woman!”
Continue reading Dr. McNeely's Shine A Light profile (Alberta Doctors' Digest, July-August 2020)