A steadfast presence: Arvind Kamath, M.D., reflects on half a century of serving Chambers County

Having a doctor you can trust through each chapter of life is a key part of managing your health. For many families in Chambers County, Arvind Kamath, M.D., has been a familiar and trusted presence for more than 50 years.

Kamath, a physician at Valley Area Primary Care, has helped two and sometimes, three generations of families manage their health, treat chronic conditions and achieve their medical goals.

When he came to Valley in 1976, he was not sure the move would be permanent.

Originally from India, he had completed postgraduate medical training in New York and expected he might eventually return home. Instead, he said the people of Valley made him and his family feel welcomed almost immediately.

"They are very loving and receptive, and they accepted me and my family," Kamath said. "They made us very comfortable, and they made sure that we were not homesick. I was going to go back actually, but then this place locked me down."

Over the decades, Kamath's relationship with the community has grown well beyond routine office visits.

"It's like a big family," Kamath said. "Some people come to me just to talk. I now see the adults who used to come as children with their grandparents or their mother."

That connection has shaped the way he practices medicine. Kamath said he has tried to meet patients where they are, listen carefully and make sure they feel comfortable sharing what they are experiencing.

"I basically have tried to listen to (my patient's) problems and see if I could help them," Kamath said.

That willingness to meet patients where they are has remained part of his practice for decades. Even today, Kamath still occasionally makes home visits for patients who have difficulty reaching the office.

Kamath's dedication has also helped expand access to care in the Valley area beyond primary care.

When he arrived in the 70s, local endoscopy services were not yet available in Chambers County. Because he was trained in endoscopy, he worked with hospital leadership at George H. Lanier Memorial Hospital-which is now EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital-to begin offering the service locally, helping patients receive care closer to home.

In the years since, he has continued to provide primary care at Valley Area Primary Care while also performing endoscopic procedures at the Ambulatory Surgery Center located at EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital.

For Kamath, the heart of patient care has remained the same even as medicine has changed. Technology, documentation and efficiency have become larger parts of the profession, but he said the most important part of being a physician is still taking time to listen.

"Through the years, I've been more a listener," Kamath said. "I think the measure of success for any physician is the ability to listen and not be in a rush."

About East Alabama Health

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, East Alabama Medical Center North in Opelika, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 316-bed regional referral hospital. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 4,100 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University.