Top-notch medical care is often equated with the nation's urban centers, and it is undoubtedly true that some of the finest healthcare and research facilities in the world are located in America's cities. What is also true is that some of the best hospitals can be found in rural America. Here's a story about Brian, Molly and Jack.

Brian, Molly and Jack

In March, when the coronavirus pandemic began to hit New York City hard, Molly, her husband Brian, and their 15-month-old son Jack temporarily moved to Door County to stay with Molly's Parents. Molly and Brian relate the story of their first few weeks in Door County:

“Our son Jack was 15 months old. We had been in Door County for a number of weeks, and he was tugging at his ears, and we thought he had an ear infection. Our pediatrician in Brooklyn said, ‘Give it a few weeks,' but it wasn't getting better, so we finally said, ‘We have to go to a local care provider.' It turns out Dr. Megan Norris was in our network, thank goodness. Everyone at Door County Medical Center was phenomenal in helping us triple-check our insurance, since we're out of state, and in helping us set up the appointment - it was a huge relief”

“I think with everything that is going on—with COVID-19,” Brian adds, “the connotation of going to a hospital, can be scary. Especially coming from New York, where hospitals were overrun with COVID-19 cases, we were thinking, ‘Is this a safe place to be?' So, there was hesitancy, because we wanted to make sure our family was protected—our son was protected. But going to Door County Medical Center was a wonderful experience. Everyone was taking the situation seriously, greeting you right at the doorway with masks, and making sure you got where you had to go.”

 “And, we received the same great medical advice that we would have received in New York City,” Molly says, “But, I think it's all of the other services that really shined for me—as a mom, it was the support services.” She continues, “The minute we pulled up to the curb, a valet came out and said, ‘How are you doing? Can I help you? Can I take the car?' That doesn't happen where we live. Then walking in, being greeted, and asked where you're going, and someone who just happens to be on their way somewhere else says, ‘Oh, you know what? I'm walking in that direction, let me show you where to go.' Those are the small things that, for me as a mom, really helped, because I have a diaper bag, a 15-month-old who is not cooperating, we're wearing masks, and I haven't been here for years so I'm not familiar with the hospital layout—all of the help, from the minute we walked in, really stood out.”

One thing Brian noticed about Door County Medical Center was the intimate, personal care they received. “New York is busier and faster paced,” Brian remarks, “and when you go to a medical provider there, you're generally going to a small doctor's office that's a 10-minute walk from home. So, unless it's serious, you're not going to a hospital. The fact that, in Door County, you can go to a bigger facility and still get the one-on-one care and extra attention that directly addresses your needs, from the doctor down to the support staff, was a reassuring and relieving experience.” Molly adds, “Yes, to be able to get that kind of expert care 10 to 15 minutes away—it helped to bring a little bit of normalcy to our lives, which have been completely uprooted by COVID-19.”