Riverside Medical to join forces with War Memorial Hospital

Sault Sainte Marie, MI – September 2021 will bring a change for the 30+ year old medical practice of Riverside Medical Associates, P.C. (“Riverside Medical”).

The founding and long-standing owners of Riverside Medical, Drs. Ockenfels, Mackie, and Tetzlaff, announce that an agreement has been reached with War Memorial Hospital, Inc. (“War Memorial”) for the providers and staff of Riverside Medical to operate as part of “WMH Primary Care” effective September 1, 2021. 

Both entities report that this new arrangement evolved out of a long-standing positive relationship between the two organizations and their mutual commitment to assuring adequate access to primary care providers and services throughout the eastern upper peninsula well into the future.

Dr. Tim Tetzlaff, managing partner of Riverside Medical stated, “we want to make sure that misinformation doesn’t circulate and to assure the community that Dr. John Ockenfels, Dr. Rob Mackie, and I are not retiring. We will still be here at our offices at 560 Osborn Blvd. to serve our patients. We will continue to provide care to hospitalized patients at War Memorial and Drs. Ockenfels and Mackie will carry on with obstetrics services. 

“War Memorial is committed to primary care across the eastern UP, including locations beyond Sault Ste. Marie such as Cedarville, Kinross and Drummond Island. To have the Riverside Medical team join War Memorial is in keeping with our goal to keep high quality primary care services available within the region and to retain experienced providers for inpatient and obstetrics services,” added War Memorial CEO David Jahn.

“As well, under this agreement, we may have the opportunity to provide services in the WMH Primary Care offices outside of Sault Ste. Marie in the coming years,” announced Tetzlaff.

On a more personal note, Tetzlaff remarked, “this community is very important to us, personally and professionally. We raised our families here and have developed many friendships while being able to practice medicine. We are very appreciative of this community, our colleagues in this medical community, and the trust placed in us by all of our past, current, and future patients.”

“While there may be some noticeable changes such as signage and logos given this change, what hasn’t changed is our commitment to our patients and this community,” Tetzlaff assured.

Patients can still make appointments at the familiar number of 906-632-1800.