SITKA, Nov. 9, 2012 — The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) announced that Dr. Kristen Widmer, MD, has joined the medical staff at the SEARHC S’áxt’ Hít Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital in Sitka. In addition to providing care for families in Sitka, Dr. Widmer will provide itinerant care for SEARHC patients living in Hoonah.

“We are very happy to welcome Dr. Widmer to the SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital and Community Health Care Services medical staff,” S’áxt’ Hít Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital Administrator/Medical Director Dr. Marty Grasmeder said. “Dr. Widmer brings a wide range of intercultural and international experiences with her as part of her family practice training. She is a very welcome addition to the health care community of Southeast Alaska.”

Dr. Widmer earned her Medical Doctorate degree from the Medical School for International Health (a collaboration between the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva, Israel). She also completed a residency in family medicine at the University of New Mexico. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Prior to moving to Sitka, Dr. Widmer served as a community health aide trainer with the Norton Sound Health Corp. in Nome. Dr. Widmer is accredited as a family physician by the American Board of Family Medicine.

“I’m very excited to be back in Southeast Alaska and joining both the SEARCH and Sitka communities,” Dr. Widmer said. “I’m happy to be offering care for the entire family including obstetrics. I feel so welcome already. Sitka already feels like home.”

Dr. Widmer’s medical interests include women’s health and family planning, preventive health and palliative care. She also enjoys anything outdoors with her dogs, cross-country and back-country skiing, hiking, biking everywhere, gardening, and she hopes to start sea kayaking.