Gabriel Anders, DO, pulmonologist and board-certified sleep specialist, joined the Bothwell Regional Health Center medical team July 1. Anders joins Dr. Dan Woolery at Bothwell Pulmonary Specialists and Dr. William Woolery at Bothwell Internal Medicine Specialists as the community’s third pulmonologist. He will see patients with various types of lung diseases, breathing problems and sleep disorders.
Pulmonologists treat diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract ranging from asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), inflammatory diseases, infections and lung cancer.
Originally from Independence, Missouri, Anders received his Doctor of Osteopathic medical degree from A.T. Still University in Kirksville in May 2014 and completed three years of internal medicine residency at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
During residency rotations for intensive care, pulmonary and sleep medicine, Anders found his calling in pulmonology and sleep medicine. This prompted a fellowship in sleep medicine for one year at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, followed by a three-year fellowship in pulmonary/critical care medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Anders said his interest in pulmonology and sleep disorders was founded from working in intensive care taking care of very sick patients with lung disease.
“Lung disease can be very treatable,” he said. “And knowing I can make a difference and help patients breathe and sleep better makes it very rewarding.”
Anders is familiar with Bothwell and Sedalia as he did rotations here as a medical student in 2013 with Dr. Valtos in cardiology and Dr. Kuhlmann in sleep. He was drawn to practice in Sedalia because of its proximity to family and Bothwell’s diverse medical services, including progressive lung cancer services.
“With pulmonology, oncology and radiation services here, there is the good workings of a lung cancer team,” Anders said. “These are all great specialties to collaborate on patient care.”
Anders and his wife Joy, who is from Knob Noster, have three children, Derek, 8, Lexi, 5, and Ava, 4 and live in Sedalia. They enjoy spending time together as a family and hanging out at Hubbard Park and Liberty Park pool.
“Sedalia is the ideal spot for us. It’s not the ‘big city’ and we are close to our families,” he said. “We are looking forward to the new community center, and we’re also excited to attend the Missouri State Fair.”
In addition to being the right community for his family, Anders noted that Bothwell has progressive medical services and a reputation for personal care.
“Dr. Bill Woolery has created an incredible legacy of care here,” he said. “My hope is to continue taking care of people and their lung disorders just as he has done. Everything I have seen and heard from talking with leadership, Bothwell is making a conscious effort to hire providers and staff and provide evidence-based treatments so people don’t need to travel for their medical care. For a town of this size it’s rare to have three pulmonologists, and I’m looking forward to meeting patients and treating their lung and sleep ailments.”