About

Rural Physicians Group

Saving Hospitals. Saving Lives. Saving Communities.

Rural Physicians Group is an expansive physician network of rural-focused hospitalists, surgicalists and APPs that are passionate about helping rural hospitals meet the needs of the communities they serve. We offer a true, permanent solution to the crisis facing more than 1,300 rural hospitals across the United States, and we are actively growing our network of exceptional providers to help us achieve this mission.

By working with Rural Physicians Group, our hospital partners receive full-time, dedicated providers on site, filling a critical void in care coverage and allowing for better patient outcomes. Better outcomes lead to expanded inpatient services. Expanded inpatient services revitalize the hospital. And a revitalized hospital improves the entire community. This is the way rural medicine should be. An extraordinary solution to a very complex problem.

Our Promise

Our Mission

To bring healthcare excellence to rural communities, save and enhance the lives we touch, and ensure people have the hospitals and care they both need and deserve.

Our Values

Alignment, Availability, Collaboration, Excellence, Communication, Compassion, Trust

Our Vision

To be the partner of choice for hospitalist and surgicalist services for critical access, long term acute care, and rural community hospitals across the United States.

Teams

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Dr. Sukhbir Pannu

Founder - Executive Chairman of the Board

Dr. Sukhbir Pannu is the CEO and Founder of Rural Physicians Group. With over 30 years of medical experience, Dr. Pannu enjoys combining his love for medicine with his passion for starting businesses. His current role allows him to serve rural communities and hospitals by affording him the opportunity to constantly seek improvements in both the quality and quantity of what RPG can provide. Dr. Pannu is motivated by RPG because he feels it accomplishes the synergistic mission of using best business practices as a foundation to support, enhance, and grow the healthcare industry. In his free time, Dr. Pannu enjoys spending time with his wife, kids, and dogs.

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Mike Patterson, FACHE

Chief Executive Officer

Mike is the Chief Executive Officer at Rural Physicians Group. He has 3 decades of business experience including being a Staff Accountant in the health insurance industry, a Controller in the park and recreation industry, Chief Financial Officer of a small rural hospital and Chief Executive Officer in rural hospital settings. Most recently, Mike was a Market President in Northwest Arizona and had responsibility over two rural hospitals. He has had the opportunity to work at hospitals in Wyoming, Colorado, and Arizona.

Mike earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting at the University of Utah and a Master’s in Business Administration from Utah State University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

Mike has been married for over 27 years and has 6 children. He likes to spend time with his family, doing anything outdoors, traveling, doing projects on his house, and going for drives in his car.

The mission of RPG is right in line with Mike’s passion. Bringing great healthcare to rural communities is what Mike has been focused on for almost 20 years. He understands the needs of rural communities and rural hospitals. He is excited to utilize his passion and skills to help rural hospitals throughout the U.S. thrive, and to help RPG realize its vision of being the partner of choice for hospitalist and surgicalist services for critical access, long term acute care, and rural community hospitals.

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Dr. Sandra Guidry

Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Guidry is the Chief Medical Officer of Rural Physicians Group. With 23 years of internal medicine experience, she is passionate about bringing medical care to underserved populations and ensuring that they receive high-quality healthcare. Joining RPG after working in a private practice setting was a natural transition for Dr. Guidry; she went to medical school in order to help others and feels that RPG’s noble mission accomplishes what she has dedicated her life to do. When she’s not at work, Dr. Guidry enjoys outdoor sports such as biking, hiking, and snowboarding, spending time with her family, and martial arts.

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Michele Howard, MBA, BSN/RN

Vice President – Hospital Solutions – Operations

Michele is the Vice President of Hospital Solutions and Operations at Rural Physicians Group. As a registered ED nurse for over 20 years, she developed critical-thinking skills and the ability to stay calm under pressure. As Michele’s career advanced, she moved into leadership roles that enhanced her knowledge of nursing as well as the business administrative side of healthcare, and she brings these valuable skills to her role at RPG. Michele is passionate about working for RPG because the company’s mission, vision and core values speak to her and she experiences them every day as part of RPG’s team. As a previous CNO in a critical access hospital, she also understands first-hand the structure of care that is necessary in rural medicine and the importance of having a 24/7 care model. When she’s not working, Michele enjoys spending time with family and friends and cheering on her four children at competitive cheerleading, football, basketball and baseball sporting events.

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Cameron Byers, PA-C

Vice President of Clinical Services

Cameron is the Vice President of Clinical Services at Rural Physicians Group. With almost two decades of patient care experience, Cameron is focused on blending the world of business with the ever-changing world of medicine, and believes our responsibilities lie first and foremost in caring for people, but doing so with an eye toward resource management. Growing up and practicing in a rural setting has shaped Cameron’s passion for revitalizing inpatient and surgical services in rural communities across the U.S. Cameron believes that by expanding both access and services, and truly aligning with rural facilities in quality, community, and financial partnership, RPG makes that difference for thousands of patients across the U.S. every day. Cameron is driven by the opportunity to help reshape the standards of quality and accountability for critical access communities and enjoys working with hospitals to grow their services. In his free time, he enjoys motorcycle riding, traveling, photography, and mountaineering.

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Jessica Steinat

Vice President – Physician Solutions – Operations

Jessica is the Vice President of Physician Solutions and Operations at RPG. With a background in physician practice management, billing and revenue cycle, and physician contracting, Jessica brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the RPG team. One reason she is passionate about the service RPG provides to rural communities is because she has a direct tie to one of our partner hospitals. She was born at Richland Hospital in Richland Center, Wisconsin and all of her extended family still lives in the area. Jessica values the RPG mission and being part of an organization that prides itself on serving those in need. In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband, three children and two dogs. She likes to have dinner as a family, talk about their days and laugh together. She believes in family, laughing a lot, being loyal, trusting herself, exhausting her limits and protecting her health. She prides herself on team inclusion and treating others as you want to be treated.

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Christopher Dick

Vice President – Finance

Chris is the Vice President of Finance at Rural Physicians Group. Chris enjoys working for a company that brings high-quality healthcare to communities that might otherwise not receive it, and feels it is rewarding to know his work is helping to support a mission that has an impact in others’ lives across the United States. Before joining the RPG team, Chris earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Wichita State University and worked at Enterprise Holdings for nine years, five of which were spent in the accounting department. During his free time, Chris enjoys adventuring in the Rocky Mountains with his wife, hiking, camping, backpacking, slow-pitch softball, and Denver sports.

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Christopher Anderson

Physician Recruiter

Christopher is a Physician Recruiter at Rural Physicians Group with 5 years of recruitment and candidate sourcing experience. He enjoys the challenge of finding candidates uniquely suited to the mission of RPG and making a direct, positive impact in small communities that are often woefully underserved when it comes to local medical care options. Christopher currently resides in Nashville and loves to travel, spend time with family and friends, take in a good concert when not getting in a workout, or check out the newest restaurant opening in town.

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Kevin Nicholls

PHYSICIAN RECRUITER

Kevin is a Pennsylvania native with a wide-range of physician recruiting experience, having spent 20 years working with providers ranging in specialties from Internal Medicine to Radiology.

Kevin is a long-time resident of Florida and a self-proclaimed VERY high handicap golfer. Kevin states that when he is not frightening trees and other golfers, he enjoys time with his wife and kids and three dogs.

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Meg Pollock

Physician Recruiter

Meg has her certification in human resources (PHR) and brings over 13 years of experience in full cycle talent acquisition and human resources from the Healthcare and Finance industries. She has recruited top talent; including executives, physicians, providers, and clinicians.  She finds matching the right candidate with the perfect position the most rewarding and challenging part of her career and is proud to recruit for the dedicated network of physicians who provide medical care to the rural communities across the country RPG partners with!

Meg resides North of Baltimore, MD and when not working you’ll often find her on the search for the world’s best sprinkled donut, enjoying her family and cavapoo pup, playing tennis, & refinishing furniture.

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Amber Safi

Physician Recruiter

ASafi@ruralphysiciansgroup.com916-317-0221

Amber brings with her 25 years of experience in the Healthcare Industry, 15 having been in Recruiting. Amber’s passion falls in Recruiting and she describes the reward of finding and placing the right provider in a medical community worth all of the challenges. A strength of Amber’s is her experience recruiting across several service lines, giving her an understanding the bigger picture within Hospital Operations.

On a personal note, Amber is a mom to two kiddos, Noah and Miah. In her spare time she enjoys hosting dinners for friends and family as well as traveling. Not only is Amber well-traveled, but she was born in Afghanistan, lived in India, as well as Chicago before settling in Sacramento.

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Kerianne Wright

Director of Physician Recruiting

kwright@ruralphysiciansgroup.com952-807-3792

Kerianne is a Senior Physician Recruiter at Rural Physicians Group. She has six years of direct physician recruitment experience and has enjoyed utilizing her master’s studies in management practice to connect the dots between adequate staffing structure and performance management. Furthermore, the mission of Rural Physicians Group is a reality for Kerianne – she currently resides in a small Kentucky town of only 800 people, and understands firsthand the struggles of finding adequate healthcare in such a rural community. When she’s not working, Kerianne enjoys hiking with her pet boxers, riding her horses, gardening, and fixing up her and her husband’s small farm.

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Dr. Cassandra Bresnahan

Regional Medical Director

Dr. Cassandra Bresnahan is the Regional Medical Director (CO/WY) at Rural Physicians Group. Dr. Bresnahan trained at the University of Colorado as an internal medicine physician and has been practicing for 15 years. As a hospitalist in rural facilities, Dr. Bresnahan feels that she is truly able to give back and become a part of the community that she is working in. Dr. Bresnahan enjoys being able to practice medicine to the fullest extent of her skills while maintaining a strong work/life balance. When she’s not working, Dr. Bresnahan loves spending time with her husband and children. Together, they enjoy traveling, skiing, mountain biking, scuba diving, and being around friends and family.

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Dr. David Gonzales

Regional Medical Director

Dr. David Gonzales is a Regional Medical Director (WA, OR, ID) at Rural Physicians Group. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona from middle school all the way through medical school which included Arizona State University and Midwestern University. Dr. Gonzales moved to Southern California for his residency and has continued to practice in California ever since. He has worked in a wide variety of hospitals from large county hospitals to small community hospitals. Dr. Gonzales loves working in rural hospitals because of the relationships that can be built by truly becoming a part of the community. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife Shannon and his two sons, Max and Major. His hobbies include going to Disneyland, playing soccer, training jiu-jitsu, running, cooking, and supporting the LA Galaxy and Denver Broncos.

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Dr. Madhuresh Kumar

Regional Medical Director

Dr. Madhuresh Kumar is the Regional Medical Director for the Midwest and Eastern regions (KS, MO, IN, PA, WV, GA, FL). He attended medical school and completed his internal medicine residency at Louisiana State University Health Center Shreveport. Prior to joining RPG, Dr. Kumar practiced hospital medicine and administration in southern Florida for 20 years. He and his wife have 2 daughters who keep them on their toes! His hobbies include cooking, travel, underwater photography, and gardening. Dr. Kumar appreciates his role providing personalized support of his patients, colleagues and communities in the rural inpatient setting and is passionate about advocating for access to modern healthcare in these underserved areas.

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Dr. Faraaz Osmani

Regional Medical Director

Dr. Faraaz Osmani is a Regional Medical Director (CA) at Rural Physicians Group. Dr. Osmani grew up in Chicago and went on to complete his residency at Mercy Hospital in Detroit followed by a fellowship in nephrology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Hollywood. Dr. Osmani is passionate about working for RPG because he enjoys the autonomy he has over patient care as well as cherishes the opportunity to provide medical care to an underserved community. In his free time, Dr. Osmani likes to travel, read, work out, and play soccer and volleyball.

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Dr. Matt Pappy

Regional Medical Director

Dr. Matt Pappy is a Regional Medical Director (NV, WI, MN, MI, AZ) at Rural Physicians Group.

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Corine Borbon

Licensing & Credentialing Coordinator

Corine is the Licensing & Credentialing Coordinator at Rural Physicians Group. As an experienced licensing specialist, Corine helps provide licensing services for RPG physicians across the United States and is an invaluable asset to the RPG team. Corine is passionate about working at RPG because she loves the teammates and physicians that she works with. When she’s not working, Corine enjoys hiking, softball, and family time.

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Jayme Ciampa, BSN/RN

Regional Program Director

Jayme is a Regional Program Director at Rural Physicians Group. Jayme is a registered nurse and a board certified medical-surgical nurse who started her career in the Army Nurse Corps and served close to 7 years on active duty caring for soldiers, families, and retirees. She spent several years in the clinical setting before transitioning into administrative roles, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her position at RPG. Jayme is drawn towards serving others and believes that everyone deserves to have access to exceptional medical care. Because of this, Jayme is especially inspired by the mission of RPG to bring healthcare to the rural setting as it allows her to combine her love of healthcare with her passion for service. In Jayme’s free time, she enjoys CrossFit, cycling, and hiking with her husband, daughter, and 2 dogs.

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Bree Duncan

Credentialing Specialist

Bree is a Credentialing Specialist at Rural Physicians Group. As part of the credentialing team at RPG, Bree prides herself on the accuracy and detail of the research that the team does. Bree loves working with the strong, passionate, and charismatic people on her team at RPG and feels it is a blessing to be able to work with people who have similar goals. Originally from Hawaii, Bree enjoys anything outdoors including water sports like paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, adventuring with her family, and finding new places to explore.

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Karlita Hall

Operations Coordinator

Karlita is an Operations Coordinator at Rural Physicians Group. As a former veteran, 13 year military spouse, and former service industry leader, Karlita has learned the importance of teamwork, good communication, and maintaining a strong workflow. She is always interested in working on ways to improve processes and increase efficiency. Coming from a small town in southern Alabama where the population relied heavily on one hospital to provide all healthcare needs, Karlita experienced the disadvantages of an overworked healthcare system firsthand. With this experience she is able to bring a unique insight to her role at RPG and enjoys working with her team to make sure the hospitals and physicians that we work with are thriving. In her free time, she enjoys fishing, hiking, spending time with her family and watching college football.

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Martha Kintzler

Director of Credentialing

Martha is the Director of Credentialing at Rural Physicians Group. With over 30 years of experience in medical staffing services, credentialing, and management, Martha’s expertise is invaluable to the RPG team. Martha enjoys building collaborative relationships with RPG staff, physicians, and hospital partners, and is especially passionate about process improvement. In her free time, Martha enjoys taking adventures with her husband, riding their Harleys together, and cuddling with their fur babies.

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Abby Krone

Regional Program Director

Abby is a Regional Program Director at Rural Physicians Group. Abby has her Masters in Healthcare Administration with an undergrad in Psychology. Abby is also a certified life and health coach with four years of coaching experience in healthcare settings. Abby has experience working in project management, organizational change management, population health and chronic disease management. Abby has spent several years working in the mental health field and healthcare settings providing services for pediatric and adults patients. Abby has a passion for working with providers, care teams and patients to promote efficient coordination and continuity of care for quality healthcare. In Abby’s free time, she enjoys hiking, paddleboarding and spending time at the dog park with her two dogs.

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Vanessa Madrid

Medical Billing Specialist

Vanessa is a highly accomplished health care professional with over 14 years of experience in Medical billing, Accounts Receivable and Coding. She holds a certified professional coding certificate with AAPC. Vanessa worked previously with large medical companies in the Denver Metro area. Vanessa is very family oriented and enjoys spending her free time with family and friends. She enjoys the outdoors and loves to read and learn new experiences.

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Dani New

HR Coordinator & Admin Support

Dani is the HR Coordinator and Admin Support at Rural Physicians Group. Dani is excited to work at RPG because she loves that the company brings high-quality healthcare to communities that otherwise might not receive it. It is rewarding to know her work is helping to support a mission that has an impact in others’ lives across the United States. Dani has her Bachelors in Business Management. When she isn’t working, Dani enjoys spending time with her husband and three cats, volunteering at local animal rescues, and going on long road trips around Colorado.

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Evan Weber

Staff Accountant

Evan is a Staff Accountant at Rural Physicians Group. After originally studying Economics at Bradley University, he switched to an Accounting major because the concepts of accounting come naturally to him and he enjoys the structure and foundation of the field. Evan is excited to work at RPG because after growing up in a rural town, he understands firsthand what it is like to have healthcare that is lacking in capabilities and resources. By joining RPG, Evan believes he can help similar communities get the resources that his small town did not have. In his free time, Evan enjoys playing video games to unwind and stay in touch with friends, watching and playing sports, and cheering on the Chicago Bears!

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Shelly Westerman

Revenue Cycle Specialist

Shelly is a Revenue Cycle Specialist at RPG. After completing a bachelor’s degree in business management, Shelly went on to accumulate five years of medical billing experience and brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to her role at RPG. Coming from a background in corporate healthcare, Shelly is passionate about working at RPG because of its smaller team size and direct healthcare impact on rural communities. In her free time, Shelly enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, and hanging out with her dog.

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Career Opportunities

If you have considered practicing rural hospital medicine, Rural Physicians Group is an attractive career path.

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