The Doctors

In 2008, the Telluride region’s population has returned to 19th century levels. With this renewed growth, Telluride has cultivated quality medicine with a team of local providers whose caliber outshines that of other communities of similar size and remoteness.  Practicing medicine in a small community, 65 miles from any hospital, is one of the most obvious challenges faced by providers in Telluride. But there are others.  There are moments of overwhelming joy with the unexpected delivery of a healthy baby but also moments of tragedy that personally affect our entire staff and community.

Taking care of neighbors and loved ones elicits a unique level of compassion from our local providers. Here in Telluride we try to practice medicine as it was meant to be practiced.  Our Primary Care docs often go above and beyond standard medical care; making house calls, visiting patients in hospital, volunteering their time to health fairs and other community events.  Rather than merely handing over diagnoses and leaving patients to navigate an often overwhelming and confusing health care system, our providers actively seek out solutions to patients’ problems by coordinating care.

Primary and emergency services are the fundamental backbone of any community’s medical culture.  In Telluride, primary care services are covered by the Telluride Medical Center’s Dr Sharon Grundy, Dr Kent Gaylord, Eric Johnson, FNP and Laura Cattell, PA., Dr David Homer of Telluride Family Practice, San Miguel County Nursing, along with visiting specialists who complete the array of services available in town.

Telluride’s three primary care physicians migrated here from across the country, like many, attracted to the ruggedness and majesty of the San Juan Mountains.  Dr Homer, who at one point was the Center’s Medical Director, went into private practice in 1992, and is known as the “Town Doc”.  Dr Homer is married to Laura, a physical therapist in town. Reminiscent of Telluride’s history of medical challenges, last year he found himself delivering his own baby on the top of Dallas Divide stuck during a winter storm.  Or, as he likes to say, “I just assisted.  She did most of the work”.

Dr Kent Gaylord, board certified Family Practitioner, established in Telluride in 1995.  Known for his quirky humor and even-keeled nature, Dr Gaylord is beloved by his co-workers and patients alike, providing an air of calm in an otherwise bustling environment.  His demeanor is especially appreciated in a room with an anxious child anticipating the dreaded poke of a routine vaccination.

Dr Sharon Grundy, Internist, has been visiting Telluride since 1979 as a child with her Kiwi parents.  After finishing her residency in 2001 at LSU in New Orleans, Dr Grundy returned to her roots here and ultimately became Medical Director of the Primary Care practice at TMC.  Energetic and enthusiastic, she is intent upon improving health care services in the region, championing the planning of a new medical facility with a focus on wellness.  5’ 9” with a fiery personality to equal her stature, Dr Grundy’s bedside manner is personable, witty and supremely compassionate.

Integral to Telluride Medical Center’s Primary Care practice are Laura Cattell, PA and Eric Johnson, FNP, who help manage the ebb and flow of patients streaming through the clinic. With Eric having over 20 years of experience in the medical field and Laura more than10, they complement the ER and primary care physicians and are valued community members.

The Medical Center’s Emergency Department, designated as a Level V Trauma Center, is headed up by Dr. Peter Hackett.  Beginning his career in Chicago, Dr Hackett went on to spend six years in Nepal at the base, and eventually the summit, of Mt Everest, researching the effects of altitude on the body.  Considered one of the world’s foremost specialists in altitude medicine, the Medical Center was able to capture his attention in 2001, where he has recruited a stellar team of Emergency Room physicians who live in the community and are committed to maintaining its health and safety.  Dr Hackett has also worked as supervisor of Emergency Services to create a solid emergency service plan for the community.  His latest accomplishment is the founding IFAM, The Institute for Altitude Medicine in 2007.

Dr Hackett’s full-time ER team consists of Dr. Dan Hehir, and Drs. Diana and Paul Koelliker.  These three accomplished young docs have infused Telluride’s ER services with energy and a wealth of up to date knowledge in the field.  As all staff members at the Medical Center, these docs perform multiple duties, with Dr Hehir in the role of Chief Medical Officer and Diana Koelliker taking over EMS supervision duties as Dr Hackett shifts his focus to IFAM.

History: Frontier Medicine and the Evolution of Doctoring

Staff