The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) is pleased to announce that Jeff Bachtel, MD, FAAFP, will receive its 2019 the Family Physician of the Year Award.
The OAFP annually presents the Family Physician of the Year Award to an individual who meets and exceeds the criteria of being an outstanding family physician. Other criteria includes maintaining high professional standards and service orientations; providing high quality and family-centered, continuing health care; and being active in their community.
Dr. Bachtel has been practicing family medicine for over 34 years in his hometown of Tallmadge, OH. He was selected for the 1981 BS/MD Charter Class at the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and completed his residency at Akron General, now known as the Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center. He then opened his own practice in Tallmadge alongside his wife, Anne Bachtel, who serves as the practice manager.
“My first practice location was in a little white house converted into an office space by my Anne and I over many nights a weekends,” said Dr. Bachtel. “Fifteen patients came to see me on my first day in practice—I knew I made the right decision by staying home!”
“Their efforts have built it into one of the premier practices in our area, now one of the pillars of Summa Health Medical Group,” said John A. DiSabato, MD, FAAFP, chair of the Department of Family Medicine and associate director at Summa Health.
“While I hope that caring about your patients and listening to your patients are mentioned more than once in medical school, I am not so certain that caring and listening are able to be taught,” said long-time patient, Janice Appel. “To me, these are innate abilities and Dr. Bachtel displays them so well every time I see him.”
He has further served his community over the past 35 years by volunteering as the team physician for Tallmadge High School. His role allows him to work with student athletes and offer mentorship opportunities to those who express interest in a medical career.
“I’ve lost count of how many [students] have gone on to become physicians,” said Dr. Bachtel, “but four are now family physicians.”
Dr. Bachtel is a past president of the OAFP and has also served on the OAFP Board of Directors for the past 25 years. He refers to the organization as his second family.
Dr. Bachtel has been honored with many awards in the past including the Top Doctors of Cleveland award, the 2014 Ohio High School Athletic Association Team Physician of the Year, and Summa Health’s 2018 Family Physician of the Year.
“From a very early age, I knew I wanted to be a physician,” said Dr. Bachtel. “I never really thought of being anything else.”
Dr. Bachtel will be honored during the Academy Awards Dinner on Friday, August 2, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. as a part of the Family Medicine Celebration at The Grand Event Center in Columbus, OH. Registration to attend the dinner is $50 per person. Reservations can be made through the OAFP website or by calling 800.742.7327.