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Lebanon
Mercy Hospital Lebanon welcomed a new team member and a new clinic in December. Cherie Sommer is a family nurse practitioner who now leads Mercy’s occupational medicine clinic, which assists patients with common work-related physicals, pre-employment screenings and injury recovery plans for minor issues such as strains, sprains and fractures.
Mercy opened the new clinic to meet patient demand in Lebanon, which has seen growth in manufacturing, transportation and education – industries that frequently rely on occupational medicine specialists to help employees with pre-employment requirements and post-injury care to ensure they return to work safely.
In her new role, Sommer will work with patients and employers to support the Lebanon community where she was raised. “I moved here in first grade, and I’ve worked as a lifeguard, a U-Haul provider, a nurse in the ICU, and then I eventually got my master’s to become a nurse practitioner and worked in surgery for almost eight years,” she said. “All that time in surgery gave me great experience suturing, which actually helps a lot in my new role where I care for patients who have minor injuries.”
At Mercy’s occupational medicine clinic, Sommer sees a range of professions, which is part of what she enjoys about the job. “The patients I care for change all the time,” she said. “Some days, I get to treat electrical linemen and sanitation workers, and other days I’m working with teachers and truck drivers. I love talking with people and learning what they do. One patient told me all about how his job was to drive in front of those oversized loads on the highway. His role was to make sure those trucks would fit under wires and bridges. I find it all fascinating.”
Because of Lebanon’s location along I-44, the new clinic often welcomes truck drivers who need to complete a physical while they’re on the road. Sommers also sees traveling heath care workers who need a new physical for every work contract, in some cases as often as every three months.
Growing up, Sommer’s mom worked in health care, and her dad worked as a firefighter, EMT and eventually at a local factory. When her dad was injured on the job and ran into roadblocks trying to get back to work, Sommer decided she wanted to help others avoid the same issues her dad experienced.
“It’s important to me that I take care of people the best way I can,” she said. “My goal is to help people get back to work safely. Their jobs are their livelihood, and I know that if I can help someone get back on the job, that will help them pay their bills.”
The clinic is located at 120 Hospital Drive, Lebanon, and is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Patients can call 417-533-6450 to learn more or schedule an appointment.
