Ray and Pam Smith pass other dermatology offices during their every-two-to-three month drive from their Lake of the Ozarks, MO, home to the office of Blessing Health dermatologist Elise Scoggin, DO, in Quincy.

“I could drive less than two miles from my home to see a dermatologist,” Ray said. “It’s a three-and-a-half-hour drive for us to get to Quincy. But it is worth every second because I know I am going to get great care and service.”

How the Smiths found Quincy

A fair-skinned person, the 75-year-old has a long-history of skin cancer, and extensive experience with dermatologists.

“I’ve been to numerous dermatologists – probably as many as 30 – throughout my lifetime,” Ray said. “Too many of them want to put you in a spa and rub cream on you, and nothing ever happens. The same thing you went in with you still have next time, only more of it.”

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and worldwide. One in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70 and more than two people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour of every day. Having five or more sunburns doubles a person’s risk for melanoma, the most aggressive of the three forms of skin cancer. When detected early, however, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 99 percent.

One day several years ago, Ray saw an ad for a new dermatologist in the Lake of the Ozarks, a man who had relocated his practice from Quincy, Dr. Louis Quintero. Ray made an appointment and found the type of provider he had been looking for.

After several years at the Lake, Dr. Quintero and his wife decided to move back to Quincy to be close to their children and grandchildren. Dr. Quintero joined Blessing Health and Ray Smith remained his patient, beginning Ray and Pam’s connection to Quincy.

After several more years, Dr. Quintero retired and Ray faced his original challenge – finding a dermatologist with the skill to treat a person with a history of skin cancer.

He tried providers at the Lake of the Ozarks as well as Springfield, Columbia and Jefferson City, MO, and says he could not find a doctor he trusted to provide the care he needed.

“I was at a place where I had some real bad cancers that needed to be taken care of, but these people were doing me no good,” he said.

That’s when Ray and Pam received a phone call from Beth Bringer, RN, Dr, Quintero’s former nurse, telling them about Blessing’s new dermatologist, Dr. Scoggin.

“She said we have dynamite doctor,” Ray recalled of the phone call. “She is everything you could ever want in a dermatologist.”

That’s all Ray and Pam needed to hear.

The Smiths return to Quincy

“Dr. Scoggin was everything Beth said and more,” Ray continued. “The lady is incredibly intelligent. She doesn’t just come in and start prescribing stuff and trying to sell you cream and going to a spa. Dr. Scoggin listens to everything you have to say and actually cares what your problem is. She gives you a thorough exam and takes care of stuff.”

Dr. Scoggin is certified by the American Board of Dermatology in dermatology and micrographic dermatologic surgery, more commonly known as Mohs surgery. Mohs surgery is a precise surgical technique used to treat skin cancer. During this office-based procedure, thin layers of cancer-containing skin are removed progressively and examined immediately until only cancer-free tissue remains.

Dr. Scoggin has removed a number of skin cancers for Ray over the past four years, including a very large spot on the top of his head using Mohs surgery.

“Mohs surgery allows me to remove as much skin cancer as possible, while doing minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue,” said Dr. Scoggin.  “In addition, this technique delivers real-time verification that all cancer cells have been removed before the patient leaves my office.  That increases the chance of a cure and reduces the need for additional treatments.” 

Now that’s trust!

“If she told me horses laid eggs, I would go build a nest,” Ray said of his trust in Dr. Scoggin.

In fact, he has referred a friend from Havana, IL – a community nearly 90 miles northeast of Quincy – to see her.

In addition to Dr. Scoggin, Susan Meidl, MD, a board-certified Blessing Health dermatologist practices at Hannibal Clinic, and a third dermatologist has been recruited and will soon join Blessing. To learn more about Blessing’s dermatology services, click here.