Hospital introduces new doctor

by barbara anne greeneHe fell in love with Wyoming as a teenager when he worked on a ranch west of Cody. He bought his first adult pair of cowboy boots from Wayne’s Boots. He had dreams of returning to Wyoming to run his own ranch.The ranch dream never came true but the one of returning did. Dr. David Fairbanks is the new director of Emergency Medicine for South Big Horn County Hospital. He started in November.Fairbanks grew up in Bethesda, Md., the oldest of four boys born to David N.F. and Sylvia Fairbanks. His father is an ear, nose and throat surgeon and his mother is a teacher. His grandfather Avard T. Fairbanks is a sculptor of international renown.He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. His trauma surgical internship was done at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. While serving in the United States Air Force he was deployed for four tours as a flight surgeon during Operation Desert Storm. He was named 7th Wing’s Flight Surgeon of the year.He completed his family medicine residency at Southern Illinois University. Then started a solo family practice in rural Virginia. Later he served as the Regional Medical Director of the Intermountain Region for Humana.As the director he will be working in the ER two weekends a month. He will also work the Mondays immediately following those weekends to do training. Fairbanks is planning to train the staff on advance cardiac life support and advanced pediatric life support.With the new hospital planned he is hoping to add some additional services to patients that aren’t currently available locally. “If you build it … they will come is my way of thinking. The new hospital should attract more patients and we have to meet the demands of an increased patient load.” He said.He and his wife Carol are already looking for a home with acreage in the area. They are moving here from Spanish Fork, Utah. With all their children grown it will be just the two of them although they hope to have some four legged ones when they find a place.  They are both in to costuming, cosplay and civil war re-enactments.“I’m excited to join an already great staff.”You can meet the Fairbanks, December 13 from 3 – 5 p.m. at an open house at Midway Clinic.