September 20 – Napa, CA – OLE Health announced today that Gabriela Bermudez, MD, has returned to its network of nonprofit community health centers after taking a sabbatical to pursue a master’s degree in Health Economics, Policy and Management. Bermudez will see patients at both the OLE Health Calistoga health center and the St. Helena health center as well.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Dr. Bermudez back home,” said Dr. Teresa Shinder, Chief Medical Officer for OLE Health. “For 16 years, she worked tirelessly to serve our Calistoga patients, and her commitment and dedication to her patients is second to none. Her return will not only thrill the families she cared for, but it will increase access for patients in Calistoga and St. Helena to critical primary care services.”
Gabriela Bermudez first started at OLE Health in 2006 and served as Medical Director for its Up Valley sites from 2019 through 2022 when she made the decision to pause clinical practice and pursue additional education. She enrolled in a health economics, policy, and management master’s Program in Oslo, Norway where she has been living for the last year as she pursued her studies.
“Calistoga and St. Helena are very special to me, and I am so glad to be back at OLE Health and caring for many of the same families I saw for 16 years,” said Bermudez. “Continuing my education and being abroad was incredible, and it’s been wonderful to be able to come back and rejoin this tight-knit community.”
Napa County is designated as a health professional shortage area by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, meaning there are not enough primary care providers in medical, dental, and behavioral health disciplines to adequately serve the population. Up Valley, access can be even more difficult, even for individuals with private insurance.
OLE Health has been in Calistoga since 1999, providing medical, dental, behavioral health, nutrition, and care coordination services. Approximately 1 in 3 Calistogans receive care at OLE Health, and it is the only provider that accepts Medi-Cal or Denti-Cal in the community. As a recognized Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, OLE Health patients receive whole-person care from a dedicated team, led by a primary care provider (PCP). Prior to her sabbatical, Dr. Bermudez carried a panel of nearly 2000 unique patients, making her one of OLE Health’s busiest and most in-demand PCPs.
About OLE Health
Since 1972, OLE Health has provided comprehensive care to all individuals regardless of insurance or ability to pay. OLE Health offers primary care, dental, optometry, and behavioral health services and embraces a model of care that puts the patient at the center of a dedicated team of medical providers. By emphasizing care coordination across departments, as well as referral and enrollment services, OLE Health ensures the patients’ complete health and well-being needs are met. OLE Health has seven clinics across Napa and Solano County and is the only nonprofit community health center in Napa County. OLE serves 40,000 patients annually and is the second largest provider of primary care in Napa Valley. Visit olehealth.org to learn more.
