Five years ago, Dr. Bill Davis left the world of corporate medicine, as he could no longer practice in a system that he felt put profits ahead of people. As a physician practicing in a rural area, Dr. Davis witnessed first hand the inequities of our nation’s medical system. His patients included the very young, the very old, the poor, and the homebound. Many of his patients spoke solely Spanish. Dr. Davis struggled for fourteen years to balance the needs of his patients against the financial interests of insurance companies, managed care companies, and medical groups. As the managed care system began to consume the health care dollar at the expense of patient, Dr. Davis quit the medical profession in protest. When the community of Winters learned of this, they called a town hall meeting. Patients overflowed the tiny historic building to convince Dr. Davis to continue practicing medicine. The town agreed upon creating a health center that would enable Dr. Davis to provide comprehensive patient care over commercial considerations. In 2000, The Winters Healthcare Foundation, Inc. took up residence in a remodeled 19th century building, from which Dr. Davis began providing comprehensive medical care to an underserved community.
“Doc Davis” did not draw a salary for the first two years of the Foundation’s existence. He still does not earn a physician’s salary. But under his leadership, the Winters Healthcare Foundation now provides Winters with the comprehensive medical care it deserves. The Foundation has a Board of Directors committed to delivering community-based health care that puts people first. The Board has largely succeeded. The clinic has a physician’s assistant, a nurse practitioner, a clinical psychologist and health educator, two medical assistants, and a dedicated administration staff. Dr. Davis works 70-80 hours a week as a physician and still makes regular house calls. He continues as the staff physician at local high school football games, oversees a practice “without walls,"and provides the leadership and vision for a care center that includes general health education and cooking and exercise classes for diabetic and high blood pressure patients. Additionally, a behavioral health specialist helps patients overcome cigarette addiction, and assists patients with anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. Dr. Davis believes that the elderly have the right to live out their lives at home, and directs their care to help ensure this fundamental patient right
Dr. Davis’s family shares in his commitments–––and sacrifices. When his patients could only pay him in tamales, vegetables, nuts, fruits, cookies, deer meat, and fish, his wife provided the sole financial support for their family. His four sons agreed to forego their college monies and work their way through school. The entire family pitched in to help Dr. Davis provide medical care to all of Winters’ patients, especially the poor and disadvantaged.
Dr. Davis would be an angel if he weren’t a doctor. He doesn't practice medicine to get rich, and he does whatever it takes to help his patients, even making house calls on his bicycle. He views each patient as a person, and treats him or her with dignity, sensitivity, and care. Dr. Davis has helped create a shared legacy of community-based, affordable healthcare. Now anyone can obtain medical care in Winters, even those who have neither money nor health insurance. I can attest to Dr. Davis’s dedication. As a healer, he has gone above and beyond the call of duty , whether pulling Play-Doh out of my daughter's ears on the weekend, or lying next to a dying patient to comfort him or her in their last moments. Dr. Davis’s care, skills, and humanity impacts each and every one of our lives, and his dedication has helped define Winters as a community that truly cares for and values all of its citizens.
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