The nameplate for Georgiana Health and Rehabilitation’s medical director has changed, though it’s a face that many will find familiar.

Dr. Charles Tompkins has been named Georgiana Health and Rehabilitation’s new medical director in the wake of Dr. McLendon’s retirement.

Tompkins, whose primary office is located in Luverne, has operated out of Crenshaw County for 27 years.

Despite stepping over county lines, however, Tompkins has settled in Georgiana far easier than he anticipated.

“I actually know a number of the nurses here,” Tompkins said.

“I know many, many nurses here because some of them previously worked in Luverne at the nursing home there, and, frankly, from my old OB (obstetrics) days.

“I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Butler County over the years, and it’s almost like I’m at home here in Georgiana.  I know it may sound odd for some people to hear that, but everywhere I’ve walked this morning, I’ve met someone I knew back from the days when I did obstetrics.  It’s just amazing the connections that I have because of that, honestly.”

The new job comes with a few challenges, however, though Tompkins is uniquely qualified for his new position thanks to past experience.

“The title of medical director means overseeing all of the care in the nursing home,” Tompkins said.

“Of course, I will personally take care of a lot of the patients myself, plus overseeing what the nursing home does in general.  I’ve been involved with the nursing home in Luverne since 1989, so I’ve spent a lot of time in nursing homes.  And besides being board-certified in family practice, I’m also board-certified in hospice and palliative care.  And of course a lot of what we do in the nursing home is indeed hospice and palliative care for the people at that point in their lives, so I feel like it’s a good fit for me.”

There are a few immediate goals for Tompkins and Georgiana Health and Rehab, though some will take time to realize.

“The doctor that preceded me, Dr.  McLendon, was very popular with a lot of the patients, and he’d been here for a long time.  But he’s just at that point in his life where he had to retire,” Tompkins said.

“And of course, they’d developed a relationship with him, and I think it’s incumbent upon me to go in and try to build those new relationships.  A lot of the folks aren’t here for short-term rehab, but they’re here for the long term.  And so I’ve got to start building those kinds of relationship with them—that’s really important.

“I hope it’s a fairly seamless transition from the previous medical director to myself.  If folks say that, then I think I’ve accomplished what I want to accomplish—that people can feel as comfortable with me as the previous doctor they were seeing here.   And I think it’s really important that we work closely with the doctors at the Georgiana hospital, as well.  Those are all names that I know, but I want to strengthen those relationships, as well.”