Change has been the only constant recently in the Reno gynecology community. A number of Reno's independent gynecologists have recently retired or limited their practice, leaving many women having to face a change in their most personal health provider. At the same time, the hospitals are developing their own women's health services, giving rise to large group hospital-based Ob/Gyn practices, which doesn't appeal to all women.
While there is a general trend in medicine today for doctors to move away from private practice and into hospital and large group practices, many women in the Reno community are used to the personal care they receive in a small independent gynecology office that can attend to their needs more promptly and personally. Large Ob/Gyn practice physicians are often distracted by the urgencies of delivering babies.
Our community is saddened by the recent retirement of several long-term gynecology providers including Dr. Marty Naughton, Dr. Tracy Delaplain, Dr. Stan Allen, Dr. Terry McGaw and Dr. Chris Richards in Truckee. Dr. Naughton has been a pillar of the gynecology community in Reno for many years and has been relied upon by patients and colleagues as an innovative and extremely competent gynecologic surgeon, specializing in pelvic floor reconstruction, urogynecology and endometriosis. He was also one of the few Reno gynecologists expertly performing large numbers of robotic surgeries. He is greatly loved and will be missed by his former patients and colleagues. We truly wish him well in his retirement. Our own nurse practitioner Laurie Smith has a long history with Dr. Naughton’s practice in previous years, and many of his patients know her.
Dr. Delaplain has also been in the Reno gynecology community for many years and, though she has not performed surgeries in recent years, she has a large following of patients that are now looking for a new gynecologist. She has located her records with St. Mary's new Women’s Health Center, which focuses largely on obstetrics. If you are one of Dr. Delaplain’s patients and don't wish to go to St. Mary's or if your insurance doesn't cover you there, you can obtain your records there for transfer elsewhere.
Dr. Stan Allen, one of the founders and directors of Ob/Gyn Associates, a large private Ob/Gyn practice, also retired from his gyn-only practice after a very long career in Reno. He is much loved and had many patients who had been with him for over 30 years, through childbearing and beyond. Dr. Terry McGaw retired about two years ago from doing gynecology only, and his partner Dr. Craig Klose has now joined St. Mary’s Women’s Health Center.
Another recent development in the Reno gynecology community was the transition of Dr. Pamela Netuschil’s practice to concierge medicine, which means you pay a yearly fee up front out of pocket for services which may not be covered by your insurance. Though many patients would like to continue to see Dr. Netuschil, most women depend on insurance to pay for their gyn care and will need to find a new provider.
Women's Wellness Center is still dedicated to providing gynecologic care to Reno’s women in a small, personal, caring and responsive environment. Dr. Mary Wellhoner and our nurse practitioners Laurie Smith and Sherri Aikin are accepting new patients and most insurances, including Medicare. We can help you obtain your records, and we welcome you to join our practice.