Ferry County Health Medical Staff

Barry Bacon, MD

Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Hospitalist and Urgent Care

Location: Ferry County Memorial Hospital

For seventeen years Dr. Bacon has practiced family medicine, acute care, OB and other services at Mount Carmel in Colville. Besides Ferry County Health, he also provides services at Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee, North Valley Hospital in Tonasket and occasionally covers ER at St. Joseph’s in Chewelah. In addition to possessing all the various certifications needed to practice in our ER, Dr. Bacon is an Advance Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) instructor.

Dr. Bacon reached our area in a rather circuitous fashion. Following a childhood growing up in northern Minnesota, he attended Union College in Lincoln Nebraska receiving a BA in religion. He then graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Loma Linda, CA followed by internship and residency completion in 1987 at Hinsdale Hospital, which is just east of Chicago IL. Dr. Bacon then practiced medicine at the Blantyre Adventist Hospital in the southern region of Malawi (a landlocked country just west of Mozambique in the southeastern part of the African continent) until 1990, when he completed searching for a rural America location and chose Mount Carmel in Colville.

Kyle Rattray, MD

Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Hospitalist and Urgent Care

Location: Ferry County Memorial Hospital

Dr. Rattray is an eastern Washington native, growing up on his family’s farm in Sunnyside. He earned a B.S. in Neuroscience from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2006, an M.S. in Neuroscience from Colorado State University in 2010, and his M.D. with Honors from University of Washington School of Medicine in 2015. He will be finishing his residency with Providence Spokane Family Medicine – Rural Training Track in Colville this spring.

While completing all of the education for the above degrees, and taking advantage of Spanish fluency, Dr. Rattray somehow found time for a Peace Corp HIV/AIDS and Child Survival Project in Honduras for a couple years, consulted for Mexico’s Secretary of Health, created and hosted a “Health and Wellness” radio show on KZUU on the WAZZU (WSU) campus, and was a medical student volunteer in the “Children’s Surgical Centre” for a two-month rotation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

When not practicing medicine, he is an avid distance runner, cyclist, climber, skier, and cook. Dr. Rattray has also operated a nuclear lab at MIT as well as co-writing a couple of books and numerous journal articles.

Patricia Short, MD

Specialty: Internal Medicine

Location: Republic Medical Clinic

Dr. Patty Short originates from San Jose, CA. She is a graduate of San Jose State University and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD. She is a board-certified Internal Medicine Physician who specializes in the care of adults. She completed her residency training at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA.

Dr. Short was previously an Army physician and retired at the rank of Colonel in 2021. She served in numerous medical education leadership positions culminating as the Internal Medicine Residency Director at Madigan where she was responsible for the education and training of over 36 internal medicine residents annually.

Samuel Artzis, MD

Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Hospitalist and Urgent Care

Location: Ferry County Memorial Hospital

Dr. Artzis is currently working at Ferry County Health, specializing in ER and Urgent Care. He is sometimes seen in the Republic Medical Clinic on an as-needed basis only to accommodate overflow when patients have sudden, urgent needs.

Dr. Artzis received his BS from Carroll College in Helena Montana in 1987. He then went on to Creighton University where he received his MD in 1991. He is board certified with the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Artzis is also the Ferry County EMS Director.

When Dr. Artzis is not working he enjoys all activities involving the outdoors and spending time with his grandchildren.

Susan Bell, ARNP

Accepting new patients

Specialty: Family Medicine

Location: Republic Medical Clinic

Susan is a 1993 graduate of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and received her RN degree and then in 2015, graduated with an ARNP degree. Susan has previously worked in Orthopedics, Burn Care, Hormone Replacement and Coronary Care. She enjoys spending time with her 5 grown children, 2 grandchildren, hiking, boating, and writing.

Melissa Mitchell, ARNP

Specialty: Family Medicine and Primary Care

Accepting new patients

Location: Republic Medical Clinic

Melissa received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Washington. She is a board-certified in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care. As an RN, she specialized in Substance Use Disorder treatment and this remains an area of special interest.

Outside of the clinic she enjoys travel, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

Eric Aronsohn, PA-C

Specialty: Emergency Medicine

Location: Ferry County Health

Eric is a 1998 graduate of Brigham Young University and a 2002 graduate of the University of Utah-School of Medicine.

Richard Garcia, DO

Chief of Medicine/Chief of Staff

Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Hospitalist and Urgent Care

Location: Ferry County Memorial Hospital

Dr. Garcia is currently working at Ferry County Memorial Hospital, specializing in ER and Urgent Care. He is sometimes seen in the Republic Medical Clinic on an as-needed basis only, to accommodate overflow when patients have sudden, urgent needs.

He earned his BA & MA at Michigan State University in East Lansing. He went on to earn his DO (Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine) at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, and is currently a Captain in the Army National Guard.

Dr. Garcia enjoys various outdoor opportunities in his spare time, such as camping, hiking, kayaking, skiing, hunting, etc.

Matthew Short, MD

Specialty: Family Medicine

Location: Republic Medical Clinic

Dr. Matt Short is a graduate of Republic High School, Gonzaga University, and the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is a board-certified Family Physician who completed his Family Medicine Residency and additional training in gastrointestinal endoscopy at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA.

Dr. Short was previously an Army physician who deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and retired from the Army at the rank of Colonel in 2021. He served in numerous medical education leadership positions culminating as the Director of Medical Education at Madigan where he was responsible for the oversight and accreditation of 30 graduate health programs and over 300 trainees annually.

Matthew Johnson, ARNP

Accepting new patients

Specialty: Family Medicine

Location: Republic Medical Clinic

Matthew is a graduate of Seattle University, with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Matthew is also a Combat Medic with the Washington Army National Guard.

Mari Hunter, ARNP

Specialty: Family Medicine and Primary Care

Location: Republic Medical Clinic

Mari is known by many people in the community and is working as a Family Practice and Primary Care Provider at Republic Medical Clinic.

Mari earned her Associates in Nursing (RN) in 1990, but then decided to pursue further. She earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in nursing from Regents College in 1997. She went on to earn her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree from Western University of Health Sciences in 1999 and completed her doctorate in 2008 from rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Since 2003 she has been certified through American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Mari enjoys sheep farming and has had her flock for many years. She likes to spin and weave the wool from her sheep, and also enjoys the craft of crocheting.

Joseph (Jodi) Petersen, ARNP

Specialty: Family Medicine and Primary Care

Location: Republic Medical Clinic

Jodi works as a Family Practice and Primary Care Provider at Republic Medical Clinic. He has always worked in Rural Healthcare and enjoys that setting.

Jodi earned his nursing degree before moving on to complete his ARNP studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He then finished his family practice requirements at NE Washington Health Programs Association and began working there fulltime. He worked for over 8 years at the Selkirk Community Health Center in Ione, WA, before moving his family to Republic.

When Jodi is not at the Clinic, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids. They enjoy hiking and outdoor sports.

James Maeda, MD

Specialty: Family Medicine

Location: Republic Medical Clinic

Received his MD from Loma Linda University

A special teacher during his medical school training taught a class entitled: "Whole Person Care." (each individual consists of several facets: a spiritual, physical, and mental)-- what you see in a patient in one encounter does not provide a complete picture of that individual. Only over time (and visit added upon visit) do you truly come to know that patient and, the patient come to know their provider! What a special privilege!

In his free time he enjoys hiking, bird watching, mountain biking, reading , friendships, and watching his wife and children, evolve.

Silas Wiefelspuett, MD

Specialty: Emergency Medicine

Location: Ferry County Health

Dr. Wiefelspuett is a 2019 graduate of Saint James School of Medicine, Park Ridge, IL, with degree of Doctor of Medicine. Dr. Wiefelspuett has an interest in Sports Medicine and was previously with the BC Wildfire Service as a Wildfire Crew Leader and Forest Firefighter who assisted with helicopter emergency medical evacuations. He enjoys playing in the outdoors - from running in the mountains, to skiing powder or surfing in the waves; but also any team sport from soccer to volleyball. He and his family love to travel, exploring locally or travelling to the far away corners and foreign countries. Originally from Germany, he tries to get back to Europe every few years. He loves living back in this area and the mountains after spending the last eight years in Chicago and Arizona.