About

Rural Physicians Group

Saving Hospitals. Saving Lives. Saving Communities.

Rural Physicians Group is an expansive physician network of high-quality hospitalists and surgicalists 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 healthcare providers across the United States, and we are actively looking for exceptional physicians, hospitalists, and surgicalists to help us achieve this mission.

By working with Rural Physicians Group, these hospitals receive full-time, dedicated hospitalists and surgicalists on site, filling a critical void in healthcare. 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

Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Rural Physicians Group

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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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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Ben Dunford

President of Rural Physicians Group

Ben is the President of Rural Physicians Group. Since joining RPG, Ben has focused on improving service to patients, hospitals, and partner physicians, growing the internal team and developing new programs across the country. Ben is motivated by a desire to help underserved populations who need care, and with past experience of serving as the CFO of a small independent hospital, Ben appreciates the challenges rural hospitals face. In his free time, Ben enjoys spending time with his family, exploring Colorado, skiing, and reading.

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Cindy Johnson MHA FACHE

Senior Vice President of Business Development

Cindy is the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Rural Physicians Group. Over the past 25+ years she has built and maintained a reputation for strong leadership within the rural healthcare environment. She was part of the founding team of RPG alongside Founder/CEO Dr. Subkhir Pannu, and has a Masters in Health Care Administration. Cindy believes that RPG helps to enhance lives and strengthen communities by ensuring those living in rural areas get the critical care they deserve. Free time for Cindy means family time with her husband, sons, and a plethora of “critters” ranging from dogs to horses to cattle in rural NV.

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Silvia N. Hodlewsky, CPA, CGMA

Chief Financial Officer

Silvia N. Hodlewsky has great passion for delivering quality health in rural communities throughout the United States. She has more than 15 years of healthcare leadership experience helping organizations design strong accounting and financial systems as well a concise roadmap of their financial future. Silvia joined RPG in 2016, and she has been instrumental in developing a clear vision of the RPG value proposition for rural hospitals.

Her experience includes serving in numerous leadership roles at Excelsior Youth Center, Catholic Health Initiatives, LivaNova (Cyberonics), and Harley-Davidson.

Silvia is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Financial Executive Institute (FEI). She earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Mathematics from Mount Mary University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Alex Schildt

Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Alex is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Rural Physicians Group. He is an accomplished sales executive with over 15 years of experience in sales management and operations, most recently working as the VP of Sales for Health eCareers. Since joining RPG in March 2018, Alex has been focused on growing critical access hospital partnerships and expanding the company’s branding and marketing efforts. Spending most of his life in Colorado, Idaho, and West Virginia, Alex is motivated by RPG’s mission to support the sustainability of healthcare access in rural communities. When he’s not at work, Alex enjoys all things West Virginia University, spending time with his two children, and being outdoors rock climbing, fishing, and hunting.

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Jessica Austin

Director of Physician Recruitment

jaustin@ruralphysiciansgroup.com303-390-1942

Jessica is the Director of Physician Recruitment at Rural Physicians Group. With 18 years of recruiting experience, she has exceptional abilities in talent management and relationship development. After joining RPG in April 2018, Jessica has helped expand the recruiting department and worked to streamline the recruitment process. As a goal-oriented and highly motivated businesswoman, Jessica is especially driven by RPG’s challenge of providing sustainable, long-term healthcare solutions to rural populations. In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband, friends and family, and her horses and dogs.

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Kerianne Wright

Senior Physician Recruiter

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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Cody Patten

Senior Physician Recruiter

cpatten@ruralphysiciansgroup.com303-390-1922

Cody is a Senior Physician Recruiter at Rural Physicians Group. With a background in healthcare staffing and recruitment, Cody is passionate about bridging the gap between patients and healthcare providers. RPG’s continuity of care model is compelling for Cody, as he believes in the power and importance of the patient-provider relationship. In his free time, Cody enjoys skiing and exploring the outdoors with his dog.

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Dr. Janelle Weyer

Regional Medical Director

Dr. Janelle Weyer is the Regional Medical Director (AZ) at Rural Physicians Group. Dr. Weyer has spent the majority of her career working in large, urban hospitals, but loves the sense of community she has come to know while working at rural hospitals. For her, developing relationships with the rural hospitals and communities has been like having a second family – she enjoys walking into the hospital and being able to greet everyone by name. Dr. Weyer is a single mother to a 17 year old son, so when she is not working, she is chasing off teenage girls, paying outrageous insurance premiums, and enjoying every minute she gets to spend with him before he leaves for college.

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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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Tawni Willetts

Director of Scheduling

Tawni is the Director of Scheduling at Rural Physicians Group. She has extensive experience in sales and account management, and enjoys working with people in a collaborative environment. During her past five years at RPG, Tawni has most enjoyed getting to work directly with the physicians and getting to know them, as well as forming lifelong connections. After growing up in a small town, Tawni is inspired by RPG’s mission to bring life-changing health services to rural communities. When she is not working, Tawni enjoys traveling as well as spending time with her husband and three small children.

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Cameron Byers, PA-C

Director of Clinical Services

Cameron is the Director 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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Dyana Williams

Revenue Cycle Director

Dyana is the Revenue Cycle Director at Rural Physicians Group. She is a passionate change-management leader with over 20 years of data and revenue management experience, and enjoys finding and implementing efficiencies while improving outcomes for her organization, providers, associates, and teammates. Raised in a rural community that has filled her with love for the people and traditions that strengthen rural America, Dyana joined RPG for the opportunity to help rural facilities find a more comfortable balance between maintaining their bottom line and sustaining well-matched, well-qualified physician access. In her free time, Dyana enjoys reading about anthropology, archaeology, neurology, and DNA as well as singing along to music with clever lyrics or complex meters and rhythmic structures.

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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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Trevor Tompkins

Account Executive

ttompkins@ruralphysiciansgroup.com443-975-9146

Trevor is an Account Executive at Rural Physicians Group. He is an experienced sales executive with a professional focus on scaling new services and products to meet new market segments and market demands. RPG’s mission motivates Trevor to do his part in bringing excellent healthcare to rural communities, as he has seen firsthand how challenging it can be to receive quality healthcare in underserved rural areas. Outside of work, he enjoys CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting, hunting, and the outdoors.

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Grant Mills

Account Executive

gmills@ruralphysiciansgroup.com502.330.5390

Grant is an Account Executive at Rural Physicians Group. He is a native Kentuckian and a co-founder of RuralUp!, a nonprofit focused on educating middle and high school students in Eastern Kentucky on how to code. Grant is motivated by RPG’s mission to bring excellent healthcare to rural communities across the country. Since joining RPG, his focus has been on expanding RPG’s hospital partnerships. Outside of work, Grant enjoys spending time with his family and rooting on the UK Wildcats.

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Kelley Hudson

Senior Partner Success Manager

Kelley is the Senior Partner Success Manager of Rural Physicians Group. With over 24 years of nursing experience, Kelley has a background as a Director of Perioperative Services as well as many years serving in Administrator and CNO roles. Having lived in rural communities for most of her life, Kelley has seen firsthand how important it is to be able to receive care in the community in which you live. She feels that the opportunity to work with RPG is very rewarding because it allows her to build and support connections with facility partners. In her free time, Kelley enjoys traveling and hiking with her kids and golden retriever puppy in beautiful Colorado!

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Suzanne Timms

Partner Success Manager

Suzanne is a Partner Success Manager at Rural Physicians Group. Originally starting on the administrative side of a hospital, Suzanne decided to pursue a nursing degree after realizing the difference that healthcare providers can make in their patients’ lives. With a background in nursing, Suzanne’s first experience with RPG was when the rural hospital she worked at decided to transition to the RPG model. Suzanne is truly passionate about quality healthcare and feels that her position with RPG allows her to make a difference in many lives by encouraging and guiding others in a very rewarding way. In her free time, Suzanne enjoys snowboarding, kayaking, and camping.

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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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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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Deanna Warntjes

Credentialing Specialist

Deanna is a Credentialing Specialist at Rural Physicians Group. With over eight years of physician credentialing experience, Deanna has a background in processing time-sensitive applications and enjoys cultivating credentialing relationships with physicians and hospitals. Deanna is passionate about working in credentialing at RPG because she feels the credentialing team is always working to provide optimal efficiency and quality not only to physicians but also to contracted hospital locations and other internal departments. In her free time, Deanna enjoys raising livestock with her husband and son on their ranch, traveling to competitive livestock shows, exercising, being outdoors, and being in the barn with all of her various animals.

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Jackie Decker

Executive Administrative Assistant

Jackie is an Executive Administrative Assistant at Rural Physicians Group. Since joining RPG in 2011, Jackie’s role has been one of diversity and flexibility as the company has expanded and grown. Jackie is passionate about working at RPG because the programs are beneficial for the communities they affect and she feels it is exciting to be a part of something so impactful. In her free time, Jackie enjoys camping, meeting new people, seeing new places, walking, hiking, and biking.

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Christopher Dick

Senior Accountant

Chris is a Senior Accountant 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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Kelli Nixon

Operations Manager

Kelli is an Operations Manager at Rural Physicians Group. With over 20 years of experience in human resources, data, and systems, Kelli’s project management skills and process focus help RPG to constantly develop, implement, and improve its infrastructure to support and sustain its continued growth. Kelli is passionate about working to support the efforts of RPG providers and facilities because they are filling a huge need in rural communities. In her free time, Kelli enjoys cooking, biking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

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Jessie Trudell

Operations Analyst & Marketing Coordinator

jtrudell@ruralphysiciansgroup.com

Jessie is an Operations Analyst & Marketing Coordinator at Rural Physicians Group. With a focus on recruiting operations and marketing development, Jessie is passionate about growing and supporting the RPG brand and strategy. In her free time, Jessie enjoys cooking, exercising, being outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.

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Sasha Joines

Revenue Cycle Liaison

Sasha is a Revenue Cycle Liaison at Rural Physicians Group. With over 20 years of experience in medical coding, billing, and insurance, Sasha is well-versed in not only coding and billing aspects but also in credentialing customer service. Sasha enjoys the variety in the work she does at RPG, including finding solutions for challenges that arise. In her free time, Sasha likes to travel, do new things, work on her house, and cook because she was a trained chef in Russia.

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