Kenny Bakkum’s recent appointment with Maclane Bever, CNP, wasn’t just a check-up, it was a visit among neighbors. Their conversation started with a laugh about Kenny’s cows getting out and Mac and her kids’ recent visit to see the cows.
“I heard your cows got out again,” Mac joked.
Kenny waved it off with a smile. “Just a latch that needed fixing. No big deal.”
The two chatted like old friends, because in a place like Rushford, your provider isn’t just someone you see when you’re sick. They’re part of your life.
“I’ve been coming here all my life,” Kenny noted. “We only had Doc Peterson for about 60 years. It’s always convenient, friendly and I’ve always gotten along well here — and you get good care. What more could you want?”
Kenny shares why he trusts and and enjoys seeing Mac, his provider:
“She’s just a happy-go-lucky gal. Easy to get along with. She knows plenty, and if she doesn’t, she’ll get you where you need to go. We’re lucky to have her in Rushford. We’re lucky to have someone like her in town.”
And Mac? She lights up when she talks about the place she now calls home. “Rushford is a dream,” she says. “We’re living the dream here.”
Although she’s officially off on Tuesdays, Mac often finds herself back at the clinic with her kids, Mae and Loren, in tow. “Everyone knows them now,” she laughs. “Patients have knitted and crocheted blankets and hats for my children. One time, an 80-year-old patient knew my daughter Mae wasn’t feeling well and showed up at our house at 8 p.m., in her nightgown, with a little pink blanket. We don’t have family in town, but it feels like my kids have about a million grandmas and grandpas. We feel so lucky. I feel like I know every single person in town.”
For Mac, it all started with her student clinical rotation. “I remember my very first day in Rushford—I knew immediately that this was where I wanted to be. It was the people. They just made me feel like I was at home. I went home that night and told my husband, ‘Rushford feels like a Hallmark movie.’”
When a spot opened up in the clinic, it was the opportunity she had been dreaming about. “When Holly Engler transferred to the Surgery Department at Winona Health Surgery Center and suddenly this position was open — it was a dream come true, making eight hard years of school all worth it.”
That same spirit of care was on full display the day of our interview. A Winona Health caregiver brought in a box of Bloedow’s donuts, and Mac shared a sweet story that captured the heart of the clinic:
“One of my patients lives in a nursing home and he just loves Bloedow’s. I went up to Winona on his birthday to surprise him with a box, but they had closed early. I’ll ask his loved one if they can bring him one from this box. It’ll mean the world to him.”
And Michele Ekern, who has been the welcoming voice and smiling face of Rushford Clinic for over 20 years, puts it best:
“Expect to be recognized as a person. Expect a friendly atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable being themselves. We take extra care of our patients, and if you need to be seen quickly, we’ll do our best to get you in, often the same day.”
If you’d like to schedule an appointment with a provider at Rushford Clinic, please call 507.864.7726 or visit your My Winona Health Portal.
Kenny Bakkum and Maclane Bever, CNP, Rushford Clinic, chat like old friends during a recent appointment.
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