This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio we’re talking about community-based pulmonary rehabilitation. We’re having the conversation with Dr. Dan Doyle, Senior Physician in Family Medicine at New River Health Association, Physician and Consultant at Cabin Creek Health Center, and Medical Director at New River Breathing Center, a Black Lung Clinic.

“To deliver the things we want to deliver to the people, everybody has to have access to care, and that includes healthcare coverage.”

~Dr. Dan Doyle

Dr. Doyle grew up in Northern Indiana and attended the University of Notre Dame as a Liberal Arts major. After deciding to go to medical school in 1968, he went to Harvard Medical School, took two years off in the middle to work as a community organizer and health educator in an inner-city neighborhood of Boston, and finished medical school in 1974. In October of 1977, Dr. Doyle came to New River Health and has been there for 39 years!

 “We have to spread out from our traditional, narrow focus on prescribing tests and drugs to prescribing rehabilitation and providing primary prevention to our youth.”

~Dr. Dan Doyle

Dr. Doyle has also worked as the Medical Director of the Grace Anne Dorney Pulmonary Rehabilitation project of West Virginia since 2013, a collaborative effort of Cabin Creek Health System FQHC, New River Health Association FQHC, Southern West Virginia Health System FQHC, West Caldwell County FQHC in North Carolina, Boone Memorial Hospital, and Jackson General Hospital. Through this collaboration, community-based pulmonary rehabilitation services have been offered and provided.