Our perfect catch
Before joining Good Samaritan, Rachel Niemet, MD, our new chair for Women’s and Children’s, owned her practice in Pueblo and served as the chair of W&C for her local hospital.
But she spent her childhood in northern Colorado. So as Kaiser transitioned out and opportunities opened to provide care in her old backyard, we cast a line in her direction.
It was our values that hooked her.
“I felt excited to work for a system that elevates patient-centered and collaborative care,” she said. “In addition to that, your integrated model offers centralized recommendations for evidence-based medicine, which I really appreciate. That system guidance allows me to focus more on my patients.”
Niemet joined us in August of last year and, fast not-too-far forward, she now has stepped into the role our W&C chair.
“That’s all about timing. We have a full complement of five exceptional physicians, but at the time I joined no one was in the lead position. Because I have that experience, I stepped into the vacuum created by Kaiser’s transition out,” she said.
It’s a natural fit for someone who enjoys the tasks that are tied to leadership.
“I have a really strong attention to detail and, I know this sounds silly, but I love making the call schedule! It’s like a puzzle. I find it deeply satisfying to sink into the order, logic and structure that leading a department well require.”
Let’s back up a second. It’s interesting she gives partial credit for her current position to timing, as she seems to enjoy flexing both the pace and perspective of time, inside the hospital and out.
During her off days, she and her husband, David, enjoy the long, peaceful stretch of days on the water. On this day, one fish, two fish, they caught so many red fish they threw some back.
And now, join them for a jump back in time, as Niemet and her husband are both active players in Creative Anachronism – the detailed research of life in the Middle Ages and gathering for special events to recreate the clothing, battles and daily activities of the time.
“I do a lot of fiber art – tablet weaving on a portable lap loom, which actually can be traced back to before the Middle Ages, to eighth-century Scandinavia,” she said. “And 20 years ago, I was attending a sword fighting tournament when a man I had just met asked me to practice fencing, and then to be his second at an upcoming match.” She and David have been jousting together ever since. In the photo below at right, they stand with their son, Elias.
Jump back to the present. And why not? According to Niemet, “We are in an exciting time. Good Samaritan has dedicated leadership, excellent comprehensive care and exciting plans to grow our department.”
She continued, “We have excellent collaboration across the board for women, with anesthesia, midwifery, maternal-fetal medicine, pediatrics and NICU all working together so effectively. We meet young women as teens and we walk with them, supporting them, caring for them, for their entire lives. The transition time for our program is over. Our future here will be filled with success.”
Now we’re hooked, too! Physicians interested in reaching out to Niemet can contact her via email at Rachel.niemet@gmail.com.