After 24 years, a Fairbury doctor is saying farewell to local patients.
The OSF Fairbury office held an open house in honor of Dr. Heather Schweizer last Thursday, who will join a family medicine practice in Port Charlotte, Florida.
“The best part of coming home to Fairbury to practice has been watching all of my families grow,” said Schweizer.
Schweizer has come to the point where she has four generation families in her practice. She has celebrated births and grieved the loss of patients with families.
“It just has been the greatest blessing being able to be a part of people’s lives,” Schweizer recalled.
Like anything, the medical field has seen several changes in the 24 years Schweizer has been involved.
“We started with paper charts and now we are on a computerized medical record.”
Visits over the phone and on the computer during the COVID pandemic are things Schweizer never dreamed of when she started out several years ago.
At the family medical practice in Florida, Schweizer will be one of 10 doctors and nurse practitioners in the office. It will be a bigger office than Fairbury and Schweizer will take care of more older patients.
Port Charlotte is part of the Punta Gorda, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area and the population was listed at 54,392 during the 2010 census. The area was named one of the 10 best places to retire in the United States for 2012 by U.S. News & World Report.
