Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Rhodes.
Hi Dawn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Rhodes Creek Health & Wellness was not created in a single moment. It was formed quietly, over years—shaped by thousands of patient encounters, long shifts in trauma units, rural clinics, and specialty practices, and the growing realization that something essential was missing from modern healthcare: a human connection that truly supports long-term wellness.
I started my career like many nurses do—driven by a desire to help and a belief that healthcare should feel like a partnership. Over time, as I advanced from bedside nursing to becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner, I began to see patterns in the system that troubled me. Appointments were rushed. Patients felt unheard. Preventable illnesses were growing. Access, especially across Missouri and Kansas, varied dramatically depending on zip code, insurance status, or transportation. And so many people simply needed someone who would slow down and listen.
The more I worked, the more convinced I became that primary care should be personal, accessible, and rooted in trust—not paperwork or productivity metrics.
Rhodes Creek Health & Wellness began as a vision:
A place where patients could receive evidence-based medicine with the warmth, respect, and time they deserve.
A place where telehealth wasn’t a convenience—it was a bridge.
A place where people finally felt seen.
The name “Rhodes Creek” reflects more than my family name. A creek is living, adaptive, and shaped by the environment around it—just like our health. A creek carves its own path, often in quiet, powerful ways. And that’s what I wanted my practice to represent: a space where small, steady changes create lasting impact.
I created Rhodes Creek Health & Wellness for the patient who has been dismissed.
For the working parent who doesn’t have time to sit in a waiting room.
For the individual managing chronic conditions who wants a provider who truly follows their journey.
For the person ready to take control of their wellness but unsure where to start.
My practice is built on the belief that healthcare doesn’t have to feel complicated, intimidating, or rushed. It can be compassionate. It can be accessible. It can be empowering. And yes—it can be delivered through a screen with the same level of care, professionalism, and connection as an in-person visit.
Today, Rhodes Creek Health & Wellness offers concierge-style primary care, weight management, medication-assisted therapy, chronic disease support, mental-health collaboration, and preventive education—always centered on patient empowerment. My goal is simple:
To close the gap between your health and your healthcare.
This practice represents the culmination of my career, my values, and my belief that high-quality care should meet patients where they are—literally and figuratively. Whether from a device at home, on a lunch break, or after the kids are asleep, every visit is a reminder that people deserve care that fits into their lives, not the other way around.
Rhodes Creek Health & Wellness came to be because I believed that patients deserved better. And everyday wirh every patient I strive to deliver exactly that.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Building Rhodes Creek Health & Wellness was one of the most meaningful decisions of my career — but it wasn’t without challenges. In fact, the journey was shaped just as much by the struggles as the successes.
1. The Weight of Healthcare Burnout
Before starting my own practice, I worked in demanding environments. Like many in healthcare, I felt the emotional and physical toll of overbooked schedules, short appointment windows, and the constant pressure to “do more with less.”
I knew the system needed something different — but stepping away from a stable position to create it was terrifying.
2. Learning the Business Side — Overnight
Medical training teaches you how to save lives, diagnose illnesses, and guide patients — not how to start and run a company.
The transition from clinician to business owner meant learning:
credentialing
insurance contracting
legal structures
tax obligations
compliance
EMR systems
business licensing
branding and marketing
Every decision was my responsibility, and every mistake was mine to fix. It was empowering — and overwhelming.
3. Navigating Credentialing & Insurance Barriers
One of the biggest challenges was navigating the maze of payer credentialing and enrollment.
The process is slow, inconsistent, and has little room for error. Missing one document can set you back weeks. Waiting for approvals while trying to plan a launch created stress that only other providers truly understand.
4. The Financial Leap of Faith
Starting a practice requires upfront investment — before a single patient is ever seen.
Licensing, insurance, legal fees, technology platforms, secure telehealth systems, website development, supplies, and EMR access all add up quickly.
There is no guaranteed paycheck in the beginning. You build the plane and fly it at the same time.
5. Balancing Family, Career, and a Vision
Running a practice while having a full time job and being present for family responsibilities meant long nights, early mornings, and learning how to set boundaries that didn’t always come naturally.
Entrepreneurship is rarely glamorous behind the scenes — but it’s fueled by purpose.
6. Doubt and Imposter Syndrome
Even with years of experience, advanced training, and patient trust behind me, there were moments of doubt:
Can I really do this on my own?
Will patients follow me?
What if I fail?
Yet every time a patient expressed gratitude, trust, or relief after being heard — it reminded me why this work matters.
7. Creating a New Kind of Care in an Old System
One of the most persistent struggles was simply choosing to do things differently.
Offering compassionate, unhurried, patient-centered care in a system built for volume over value requires resilience. You have to explain your model, justify it, and stand firm in your mission — especially when “the old way” would be easier.
🌱 Overcoming the Struggles
Every struggle has shaped and will continue to shape Rhodes Creek, but the mission remains the same:
to be a practice built with intention, resilience, and a deep commitment to the kind of care patients deserve.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My career in medicine began in 2005 when I graduated from Missouri Southern State University with my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. I have worn many hats throughout my career which has broadened my experience across several specialties, from labor and delivery, oncology, rural health, critical care and emergency medicine,
In 2022, I graduated from Graceland University with my Master’s of Science in Nursing, specialized in Family Practice . I am certified in Diabetic Care and Management, Functional Medicine and offer medication assisted treatment for substance abuse. I am also a contracted provider with Genesight, offering genetic testing for psychotropic medications.
Booking an appt is easy, convenient and fast. You can have a prescription at the pharmacy in less time then it would take you to drive to your doctor’s office. All this can be done without you having to get out of bed! Appointments are paid at time of service and a super bill is provided for you to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. We are locally owned and operated, allowing us to work with your local care team and your local pharmacy.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me—both personally and professionally—is making people feel seen, heard, and genuinely cared for. At the core of every patient encounter, every service I provide, and every decision I’ve made in building Rhodes Creek Health & Wellness is the belief that healthcare should honor the humanity of the person in front of you.
Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed the difference it makes when a provider slows down long enough to really listen. Patients open up. They ask the questions they were too afraid to ask before. They feel safe enough to be honest about their symptoms, their struggles, and their fears. And often, that single moment of connection becomes the turning point in their health.
That connection—that trust—is what matters most to me.
I care deeply about empowering people with knowledge. Too many patients leave appointments confused, overwhelmed, or unsure of what to do next. To me, the most meaningful part of being a provider is not just treating illness, but giving patients the confidence to take ownership of their health.
I also value accessibility in a world where healthcare can feel detached, expensive, or out of reach. This is why I built a telehealth-forward practice. I’ve seen how a simple virtual visit can break down barriers for a parent juggling work and childcare, someone living in a rural community, or a patient managing chronic conditions who struggles to make it to in-person appointments. Making care available—without judgment, without obstacles—is something that matters deeply to me.
And finally, what matters most is integrity in the way I practice. I believe in treating people with respect, delivering evidence-based medicine, and doing the right thing even when it isn’t the easy thing. I want my patients to trust that I am always on their side, always advocating for them, and always working to bridge the gap between their health and their healthcare.
In every role I’ve held and every patient I’ve served, one truth has remained constant:
It’s the human connection that makes medicine meaningful.
That is what guides my work today, and it’s the foundation on which Rhodes Creek Health & Wellness was built.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rhodescreek.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhodes_creek/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580033707708
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rhodes-creek-liberty?osq=Weight+Loss+Centers
