From left, Jon Hennen, son-in-law; Jessica Collins, daughter-in-law; Andrew Collins, son; Dr. David Collins; Gwen Collins; Deanna Hurst, sister-in-law; and Fred Hurst, brother-in-law
Dr. David Collins recently retired after 38 years of solo practice as a gastroenterologist. Most of his employees have been with him for 20-30 years, and are retiring with him. David’s sister, Nancy Petty, initially worked as his nurse, but has served as his office manager for the past two decades. Nancy is not surprised at all about his employees staying with him so long.
“My brother was always thinking first of everyone else, from the patient to the employees to the doctors he covered calls with and their patients. As you can tell from this description of him, who wouldn’t want to work for him and stay as long as they did?” Nancy said, adding that it was a joy and a privilege to work for him.
The chief of medicine at Memorial Hospital and the chief of the GI lab at Memorial Hospital, David was honored with the Tennessee Medical Associations’ Distinguished Service Award for his work with Project Access. Hamilton County Project Access is a broad-based community charity created to provide access to health care for low-income, uninsured individuals in Hamilton County. It brings together doctors, hospitals, community clinics, and other partners to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Chattanooga and Hamilton County. In short, Project Access is a referral network that helps low-income uninsured Hamilton County residents receive medical care. If a patient doesn’t have a primary care home, Project Access will help find one. If a partner primary care physician or partner clinic decides a patient needs to see a specialist, get medical testing or hospital care, he/she will refer the patient to Project Access to see if they qualify for the program.
Both beloved and respected by his patients, on person wrote this about David, summing him up beautifully. “Dr. Collins is personable, understanding and is a very good communicator as to discuss my husband's condition. We trust him with any GI condition.”
His little sister, Nancy has this to say about her former boss: “He is a humble, kind, compassionate, generous human being and doctor. He is a Godly man who follows Christ’s example. His words are backed by his acts of service. He loved what he did until his last day at work.”
Well done, Dr. Collins.
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Ferris Robinson is the author of three children’s books, “The Queen Who Banished Bugs,” “The Queen Who Accidentally Banished Birds,” and “Call Me Arthropod” in her pollinator series. “Making Arrangements” is her first novel. “Dogs and Love - Stories of Fidelity” is a collection of true tales about man’s best friend. Her website is ferrisrobinson.com and you can download a FREE pollinator poster there. She is the editor of The Lookout Mountain Mirror and The Signal Mountain Mirror.