Alexander Blitch, M.D., said he is thrilled to be a part of the Yuma community.
“Ultimately, I think I chose Yuma because of the excellent hospital and excellent community,” he said late last week.
Dr. Blitch has been a primary care provider at Yuma District Hospital and Clinics since September, seeing patients in the clinic and working in the ER. He and his girlfriend Hannah Wiser have purchased a house in Yuma and are integrating themselves into the community.
He first came to Yuma while doing a rural rotation during his residency at Poudre Valley in Fort Collins. He said he went to Old Threshers Days during that time, met some people in the community, and ended up staying in Yuma the whole month even on his off days.
“I really got to know the people and loved it,” Dr. Blitch said. “I also love working the excellent staff they have here; that and the community itself. Great patients and great co-workers.”
He brought a U-Haul full of possessions to Yuma in August. He said it took him three days to load it, but it took the Yuma High School girls wrestling team only 20 minutes to unload. The good doctor said he really enjoyed his interaction with the Yuma teens.
Dr. Blitch’s enthusiasm for Yuma extends beyond him. His parents came here for Thanksgiving and have extended their stay because they are enjoying it so much.
The irony is Dr. Blitch has spent his life living all over the world.
His father, who is half-American, half-Spanish, was in the U.S. Navy stationed near the small beach town of Rota, Spain, when he met his future wife. To this marriage came Alejandro Blitch. (He goes by Alexander because it is the English version of Alejandro, he said.)
Dr. Blitch’s father retired from the Navy, but still moved all over due to his new job in the financial world. Dr. Blitch said grew up living in Argentina, Venezuela, California, Utah, Oregon, back to Spain, and then to Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.
He earned his degree in biomedical engineering at the University of Utah.
“I always liked human physiology and biomechanics,” Dr. Blitch said. “I did not start out wanting to be a doctor.”
However, he started volunteering at the Hope Clinic in south Salt Lake, and started to realize he liked the interaction.
“I always loved biology, but I also love people so I had to shift,” he said.
He enrolled into the University of Utah School of Medicine. It was during that time his enthusiasm for practicing in small towns started to blossom as he did rural rotations in small communities throughout Utah.
He knew Yuma was the place he wanted to be by the time he graduated from medical school and completed his residency.
Now Dr. Blitch is serving the community, winning new patients along the way.
“The way I practice medicine is (the patient) should be the smartest person in the room,” he said. “They know themselves better than I do. I am a big advocate for patient autonomy. I like to break down the wall and let them make informed decisions about themselves.
“I give recommendations based on what’s good for the patient, what’s good for you.”
Being bilingual also helps him connect to a significant sector YDHC’s customers.
“I really like the opportunity to provide care in the language you speak, wither it be Spanish or English,” Dr. Blitch.
Dr. Todd McLaughlin and Dr. Daniel Edmondson also are bilingual, as well as ER Dr. Michelle Disher. Nurse Practitioner Melissa Kriley, who starts at YDHC on January 6, is bilingual. YDHC also employs a full-time interpreter to support patients, and many of the support staff also is bilingual.
“I think it’s a differentiator for our services,” CEO Anne Kreutzer said.
Dr. Blitch works full time each week, either in the clinic or in the ER. He was asked about the purpose of patients having a primary care provider. He said he was glad he was asked.
“You want someone who knows and advocates for you if you do get sick,” he said, explaining the importance of having regular check-ups with your doctor. “It’s someone to have on your side.”
One can make an appointment with Dr. Blitch, or any other of the family medicine providers at YDHC, by calling 848-5405.
Oh, and if you want to have a little bit of a snicker about the good doctor’s surname, go right ahead, he does not mind.
After all, as he pointed out, all the men in his family are a son of a Blitch.