David Johnson

Johnson joins Rural Health Network

BY RALPH MORROW

MANAGING EDITOR

With Dr. John Calleja retiring from Southern Medical in the Professional Building, nurse practitioner David Johnson has joined the Rural Health Network of Monroe County, which also goes by Lower Keys Community Health Center.

Johnson will be located at the Rural Health office at 3706G N. Roosevelt Blvd. (the old Perry Plaza). Rural Health is also at the DePoo Hospital on Kennedy Drive and will soon have an office in Big Pine, according to CEO Daniel Smith.

Rural Health consists of a staff of 40, including two medical and three dental offices in the Keys. Dr. Jerome Covington is the medical director.

“We’re a patient-centered medical home,” explained Smith. “We have continuity of care. For instance, David, as a nurse practitioner, could be the first person here to see a patient. He’ll continue to care for that patient, but will call in particular doctors or staff to take care of specific needs. We’ll see patients from birth to death.

Johnson, born on Long Island 44 years ago, has been in the Keys for 13 years. He started as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) in an emergency room in the 1990s, while studying at Penn State.

“I enjoyed working in EMT, but wanted to go further,” he said. “I liked the nursing model; the holistic approach to patient care. I treat your medical condition, but I also know what’s going on in your life as a person.”

So, after getting his Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, he headed to Barry University in Miami, adding a Masters of Science degree in nursing.

He was with Dr. Calleja 3 ½ years.

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