New physician joins Family Medicine team in Huntington

Area residents seeking to build an ongoing relationship with a healthcare provider have gotten some new options recently as the Parkview Physicians Group (PPG) – Family Medicine team has expanded with a new nurse practitioner and a physician assistant. Now a new physician, Todd Duerfeldt, DO, will be joining the team in early November.

Dr. Duerfeldt comes to Huntington from Marion General Hospital’s Gas City clinic. Prior to that he was in family practice in Vincennes, Indiana, for 12 years, following four years in private practice and four years with an urgent care center in Marysville, Ohio. He is now seeing patients at the PPG – Family Medicine office in the John B. Kay Medical Office Building adjoining Parkview Huntington Hospital (PHH) and at the PPG office in Warren.

“We’re so pleased to have a physician with Dr. Duerfeldt’s long and varied experience joining the PPG – Family Medicine team here on campus,” said Doug Selig, president, Parkview Huntington Hospital. “He will surely put patients at ease and help them with the knowledge and motivation to make good choices in managing their health.”

Duerfeldt is a board-certified osteopath. He completed his internship and residency at Millcreek Community Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania, and received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens, Ohio. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology and graduating with honors.

Duerfeldt holds memberships in the American Osteopathic Association, the American Board of Osteopathic Family Practitioners and the Indiana Osteopathic Association. He has been an active medical review officer for Knox County, Indiana, since 2010 and an active member of the American Association of Medical Review Officers. As a medical review officer, he is specially trained in reviewing drug screening results of urine, hair and blood samples for the U.S. Department of Transportation and private employers.

“My father, a retired DO family physician, was a big influence on my decision to pursue osteopathic medicine versus a traditional MD degree,” said Duerfeldt. “Through him, I learned that osteopathic medicine is a holistic approach to the patient, emphasizing attention to a person’s mental and spiritual well-being as well as to their physical needs. Osteopathic training also generally places more emphasis on primary care, so although osteopathic physicians can become board certified in any medical specialty, most become family physicians.”

Duerfeldt has been a family practitioner for 23 years and has a special interest in the older patient population.

“I’ve always enjoyed the scope of varied medical problems and decision-making that family practice involves,” he said, “as well as caring for patients from childhood through the end of life. I also love the teaching aspect of medicine, and I greatly enjoy taking the time with patients to fully explain their own unique medical diagnosis or situation, in a way that is, hopefully, easy to understand and empowers them with more knowledge about their condition. The word ‘doctor’ literally means ‘teacher.’”

Outside the office, Duerfeldt – who celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary with his wife, Carrie, this year enjoys reading, travel and computers. The couple lives in Grant County. They are active in their local church, enjoy cycling and love spending time with family in Fort Wayne and Muncie. They participate in animal rescue and have adopted into their family three dogs and two cats, all rescues. Duerfeldt is also a steam train enthusiast.

Dr. Duerfeldt is now welcoming new patients: PPG – Family Medicine office in Huntington, 2003 Stults Road, Suite 100, on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call (260) 356-5424. PPG – Family Medicine office in Warren, 470 Bennett Drive on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call (260) 375-3670.