The incoming rheumatologist will join an established outpatient practice that currently operates as a one-physician group within Pella Regional Health Center. The broader medical staff at Pella Regional includes 126 primary care and specialty providers plus 284 affiliated providers, with senior leadership focused on physician partnership and clinical quality. Day-to-day clinic operations are supported by a trained rheumatology nursing team, an infusion team, and integrated hospital lab and imaging.
| Provider | Role | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby Dames, MD | Rheumatologist | MD, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (2001); Internal Medicine residency, University of Utah Health (2001-2004); Rheumatology fellowship, University of Utah Health (2004-2006); Board certified, American Board of Internal Medicine |
Shelby Dames, MD, has practiced at Pella Regional since 2019. Prior to relocating to Iowa, she chaired the Rheumatology Development Team for Intermountain Healthcare in Utah, where she helped coordinate rheumatology services across 23 hospitals. She is fellowship trained in rheumatology, experienced in bone health management, and has built the Pella Regional rheumatology practice from the ground up. She practices at the Pella Regional Rheumatology Clinic and provides outreach services at the Pella Regional Medical Clinic in Ottumwa.
The practice operates on the principles of high-quality longitudinal care, protocol-driven safety, and selective referral acceptance.
The incoming rheumatologist will benefit from established infrastructure, allowing a shorter ramp-up period than would be typical for a new practice.
The rheumatology clinic operates with an experienced support team that includes registered nurses, an infusion team, lab technicians, schedulers, and administrative staff. Pella Regional also operates an in-house infusion service that handles rheumatology biologic infusions in collaboration with the rheumatology team and pharmacy staff.
The incoming rheumatologist will report through Pella Regional Health Center administration and work most closely with the clinic manager and the chief operating officer.
| Leader | Title |
|---|---|
| Bob Kroese | Chief Executive Officer |
| Bruce Heifner | Chief Financial Officer and Chief Information Officer |
| Lezlie Morris, RN, MPA, FACHE | Chief Operating Officer |
| Craig Wittenberg, MD | Chief Medical Officer |
| Jody Van Veen, MSN, RN | Chief Nursing Officer |
Pella Regional Health Center supports a broad medical staff covering both primary care and specialty services. Specialties with an in-house permanent presence relevant to rheumatology collaboration include:
Visiting specialty services include allergy and immunology, audiology, cardiology, dermatology, ENT, ophthalmology, and vascular care. Endocrinology and gastroenterology are not represented in the local medical staff, and rheumatology patients requiring those subspecialties are typically referred to Des Moines or Iowa City.
The Pella Regional primary care network includes 25 physicians and 10 to 12 advanced practice providers. The top referring providers in the system include internal medicine, family medicine, nephrology, and orthopedic surgery. Top referrers identified through Pella Regional’s most recent claims data include Stewart Kanis (Internal Medicine), Mark Belz (Nephrology), Nathan Nicholson (Orthopedic Surgery), Robin Vande (Internal Medicine), and Craig Wittenberg, MD (Family Practice and Chief Medical Officer).
Pella Regional is governed by a community-based board of directors led by Board President Randy Stravers. The board includes physician directors Stephen Barnes, DO, Doug Kanis, DO, and Craig Wittenberg, MD, providing direct clinician input into governance.