Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers welcomes new family physician

Dr. Stephanie Whitmer, a board-certified family medicine physician, has joined the medical staff at Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers. She is seeing patients at office locations in Morris and Mazon.

A native of Oswego, Whitmer comes to Morris Hospital after spending the past four years practicing in Powderly, Kentucky. She said she is excited to be back home in Illinois continuing her passion for family medicine with an emphasis on preventive medicine, immunizations and women’s health.

As a family medicine physician, Whitmer provides primary care for children ages 2 and older, adolescents, adults and seniors. In addition to diagnosing and treating illness, she provides a wide range of services, including preventive care, routine checkups, health risk assessments, immunizations, screening tests and personalized counseling for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She is board certified by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

“I love taking care of families and truly enjoy getting to know my patients,” Whitmer said. “I strive to make patients feel comfortable and build relationships on a foundation of trust, strengthened by compassion and empathy.”

Whitmer’s interest in women’s health stems specifically from a family history of ovarian and breast cancer. She is an advocate for preventive well-woman exams, including mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, annual female exams and overall health maintenance.

“Ideally, disease prevention with counseling and education are my goals as a provider,” Whitmer says. “I truly enjoy providing my patients with great care and the education they need to be successful in managing their health.”

A graduate of the American University of Antigua College of Medicine, Whitmer completed her three-year family medicine residency at Baptist Health residency program in Madisonville, Kentucky. She trained during medical school with Dr. Raja Saleem, who also is a family medicine physician with Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers. Prior to medical school, she graduated locally from Oswego High School and Benedictine University in Lisle with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition.

Whitmer and her husband, Justin, have two children, Haley and Hannah. Her father, Otto, has owned and operated the family business, The Exhaust Works, in Montgomery for 36 years.

“My family is my heart and soul and help keep me focused on the important things in life,” Whitmer said.

In Morris, Whitmer is seeing patients at the Morris Healthcare Center of Morris Hospital, 1345 Edwards St., Suite 2. The Mazon office is located at the Mazon Healthcare Center of Morris Hospital, 522 Depot St.

To schedule an appointment or a free meet-and-greet with Whitmer, call 815-942-1421 (Morris) or 815-448-2423 (Mazon).