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Mary Pat Elsen

Director of Community Relations

St. Clare Hospital

608 356-1551

608 356-1367 fax

Mary_Pat_Elsen@ssmhc.com

Baraboo. . . Dr. T. Rex Flygt, a Baraboo Internal Medicine physician and member of the St. Clare Hospital Medical Staff, has been named a 2007 recipient of the Rural Health Ambassador Award sponsored by the Rural Wisconsin Hospital Cooperative (RWHC). The RWHC created the award in 2004 to recognize employees and physicians at member hospitals who have made significant contributions to rural health care. 

Dr. Flygt’s award was based on a nomination from St. Clare Hospital that described his many contributions to rural health care since coming to Baraboo in 1982.   

“The ability to provide critical care in the Baraboo area expanded greatly when Dr. Flygt established his practice here,” said Dr. Danny Sessler, Baraboo Internal Medicine partner and friend.  “When he saw a need for increased endoscopy service in our community,” said Dr. Sessler, “he completed the training so that area residents could have gastroscopy and colonoscopy available locally every day rather than once a week.”  He also noted that Dr. Flygt acquired additional knowledge and training in GI (gastrointestinal) issues so he could provide expert consultation as well as the diagnostic endoscopy studies.

Dr. Flygt earned advanced training in Geriatrics from the American College of Physicians and today applies that learning as medical director of St. Clare Meadows Care Center, Baraboo and Beverly Living Center in Wisconsin Dells. 

Ron Schaetzl, Meadows administrator, says that Dr. Flygt’s influence is most evident in the quality of care residents receive at the Meadows.  “Many of the care standards Dr. Flygt has in place at the Meadows are used as best practices in nursing home care by Wisconsin’s Department of Health and Family Services,” he said. 

Currently Dr. Flygt is pursuing a Masters Degree in Medical Ethics from the Medical College of Wisconsin and shares his learning as a member of the St. Clare Ethics Committee and the RWHC medical ethics roundtable. 

In October 2006, Dr. Flygt received St. Clare Hospital’s St. Luke the Physician award recognizing his compassion for his patients and his willingness to share his vast knowledge with others.  Dr. Flygt joins St. Clare Foundation Director Keri Olson, Dr. Jim Damos, family practitioner with Medical Associates and Lois Luethy, retired St. Clare Hospital GoldenCare Advisor, as Rural Health Ambassador Awardees from St. Clare.