Camden town leaders worked to find a suitable replacement for the doctor who provided health care to many community members until his sudden death just one year ago. Dr. Tom Anderson was affiliated with Unity Health Care in Lafayette and occupied a building owned by the Town of Camden.

According to town council president Pete Wagoner, the town was unable to negotiate a suitable agreement with Unity for another doctor to provide services in the community.

“We felt we needed medical services here,” Wagoner said at the ribbon cutting ceremony last Wednesday. “We were fortunate and are very happy to be able to work things out with Logansport Memorial Hospital.”

The community relationship has already become beneficial to Camden Early Education Center students. The hospital purchased free-standing hand sanitizer units and the solution for them. According to principal Carol Coon, a partnership for future involvement is expected. Coon said the nurse practitioner is also willing to provide services to students in the absence of the corporation school nurse.

“This is really a good thing for the community,” Coon said.

According to Coon, every baby born at Logansport Memorial is given a book a month for the first five years. She said many Camden students were born in Logansport and thereby benefit directly from the facility’s generosity.

Flora physician Mark Meyer, who is already affiliated with Logansport Memorial, serves as the medical director for the new clinic. Meyer graduated from Carroll High School and from Indiana University Medical School. He will supervise the nurse practitioners who provide direct patient service.

“This center is good for Camden,” Meyer said. “They needed to secure medical care for this community.”

Certified nurse practitioner Linda Stapleton serves as the clinic director. She said she has been a nurse practitioner for 12 years and was a registered nurse prior to the advanced training. Stapleton lives in Sheridan and was recruited by Logansport Memorial for the leadership position in the Camden clinic. In addition to patient duties, Stapleton said she is available for public speaking in the community about health issues. She said she currently provides a program at the Camden Senior Citizens Center. She is also working with Carroll County Emergency Management Agency Director Dave McDowell to establish an H1N1 Flu Clinic satellite clinic in Camden if needed.

Although the Camden clinic opened in September, expanded services will begin in December. Goble Heal Chiropractic will begin offering services in December. Headed by Dr. Cherie Goble and Dr. Mark Heal, practitioners will provide a full range of Gonstead chiropractic services.