BY JOY PRUDEK

St. Luke’s Wood River is welcoming three new primary care providers as the New Year breaks: Dr. Abigail Allman, Alisa Barnes, PA -C, and Erin Hess, PA – C.

DR. ABIGAIL ALLMAN is a fullspectrum family medicine physician with advanced training in obstetrics. She brings a warm, relationshipcentered approach to primary care—one that emphasizes listening deeply, honoring each patient’s story, and supporting health at every stage of life.

Inspired early on by her mother’s example as an optometrist, Allman saw firsthand the power of longterm relationships in medicine. She carries that lesson into her own practice today.

“I view each patientphysician relationship as sacred and approach the space with vulnerability,” she says. “My job is not to impress people with my knowledge, but to distill complex medical information so I can help them make decisions for their health and wellbeing individually and as a family.”

Allman attended the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed her family medicine residency at Full Circle Health in Boise, where she served as Chief Resident. She later pursued an Advanced Obstetrics Fellowship at Swedish First Hill in Seattle, gaining extensive experience in highrisk pregnancies, advanced reproductive care, and cesarean sections.

Her clinical interests extend to lifestyle medicine, breastfeeding and lactation medicine—where she is pursuing additional board certification.

Drawn to the Wood River Valley’s welcoming spirit and strong culture of patientcentered care, Allman is excited to return to Idaho.

“I love that I am able to practice fullspectrum family medicine within a system that values my role as a rural primary care physician,” she says. “I am so happy to be joining this place as a new member of the team caring for this community.”

Dr. Allman, her husband, and their new baby daughter—born at St. Luke’s Wood River in September—are thrilled to make this valley their home. Outside of medicine, she enjoys hiking, mountain biking, alpine skiing and baking intricate desserts, alongside a voracious love of reading.

ERIN HESS, PA-C, is joining the Family Medicine clinic, where she will primarily support Dr. John Hatzenbuehler and Dr. Steven M. Greenberg.

Hess has a strong background in community health and hospital medicine, along with clinical experience in primary care, behavioral health, addiction medicine, pediatrics and rural health.

Her roots give her a steady, adaptable style—and her Spanish proficiency helps her build strong relationships with the valley’s Spanishspeaking community.

“I grew up in Montana and Alaska and went to graduate school in Utah, so the Mountain West is very much home,” she says.

With more than three years of handson experience prior to her Physician Assistant schooling, Hess developed a deep appreciation for how meaningful patient relationships can shape outcomes.

“I love family medicine because you can build relationships with patients over time,” she says.

Her graduate clinical rotations, which include primary care, psychiatry, pediatrics, general surgery and international work in Guatemala, further strengthened her ability to care for individuals and families with diverse needs.

Hess describes her approach as empowering, collaborative, and wholeperson focused: “I really enjoy empowering patients to build their healthcare and lifestyle goals. I am here to provide evidencebased information and help patients navigate decisionmaking with the right information.”

“Above all, I want to build trust and be a safe space for patients to talk about what might be holding them back from being their healthiest, happiest selves,” she says.

She is thrilled to join the St. Luke’s Wood River team: “There is a lot of support within and across specialties within St. Luke's and we have a great team here in the Wood River Valley.”

Although Hess moved to the valley recently, she has visited for many years and has long been drawn to its smalltown warmth and exceptional access to the outdoors.

Outside the clinic, Hess enjoys skiing, biking, and reading. She also has a strong history of community involvement, including serving as a youth mountain bike coach and volunteering in adaptive sports programs.

ALISA BARNES, PA-C, is also joining St. Luke’s Wood River’s Family Medicine Clinic in Hailey.

She will primarily support Drs. Amy Drumm, J.P.E. Prouty and Cortney Vandenburgh. With experience across Idaho, Utah and California, Barnes brings broad clinical expertise and a passion for supporting healthy families in the communities she serves.

“Adding these three exceptional providers enhances access to highquality family medicine for our patients,” said Karen Hawkes, the Practice director at St. Luke’s Wood River. “Their skill, compassion and dedication to forming meaningful connections will support the longterm relationships that are so important to wellness in our community.”

Appointments for St. Luke’s Clinic – Family Medicine at 1450 Aviation Drive in Hailey can be made by calling 208-788-3434 or visiting https://stlukesonline.org/en.