About Us

Staff photo of Custer County Clinic staff ©2019 Greg Smith; imediaSmith.com

Custer County Medical Center

Custer County Medical Center is a service of the West Custer County Hospital District, which is a Colorado special district funded by property taxes, charitable donations, patient fees, and reimbursements from private and public insurance providers.

Our growing team provides outpatient primary care for all ages, limited emergency care, referrals, basic x-rays, laboratory services, on-site physical therapy and visiting specialists. Our Medical Center – often called our “clinic” – is open five days each week, with extended hours on three of those days. We host a pharmacy dispensing machine to provide selected drugs prescribed by our medical providers. Learn more about our services here.

Our goal is always to avoid or minimize chronic physical and mental conditions. And beyond diagnosing health issues and helping patients recover, we work to prevent disease throughout our community and help our neighbors reach their healthy potentials.

While we remain part of an independent hospital district, overseen by an elected board of directors, we are steadily increasing our cooperation with Salida’s Heart of the Rockies Medical Center. Already this includes regular visits by an HRMC-affiliated orthopedic practice, as well as a long list of affordable, patient-paid direct-access laboratory services. Look for more services and specialties to become available in Westcliffe as our relationship with HRMC grows.

In 1988, the voters of Custer County approved the formation of the West Custer County Hospital District, which incorporates and funds both our Medical Center and Custer County Emergency Medical Services. The full board comprises five directors who oversee separate budgets and policies for the Medical Center and EMS. Learn more about our special district structure and history here.

We focus on patient-centered care, and our team of providers and staff makes that possible. Learn more about them below.

Our Medical Providers

Dr. Erika Gelgand, Medical Director

Erika Gelgand, M.D., is a board-certified internal medicine physician. She provides hospitalist coverage at Heart of the Rockies Medical Center in Salida and serves as medical director for the Custer County Medical Center in Westcliffe. Dr. Gelgand graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of New Mexico Hospital.

Maria Duran-Shy, Nurse Practitioner

Maria Duran-Shy is a nurse practitioner, certified in family and acute care. Maria started her career as a radiologic technologist and then studied nursing. She worked in many disciplines of nursing before pursuing an advanced practice nursing degree. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced education and clinical training. Maria holds an associate degree in applied science in radiologic technology and an associate degree in nursing, both from Amarillo (TX) College. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing at Colorado State University in Pueblo.

Charlotte Stark, Nurse Practitioner

Charlotte Stark’s medical career started in high school in Oklahoma with a job as a medical assistant. Charlotte enjoyed working for five pediatricians and a nurse practitioner and knew she wanted to learn more. Next, she trained as a licensed practical nurse in Tulsa. While Charlotte worked as an LPN in labor and delivery, she attended classes at the local community college to complete her associate degree in nursing. She worked in intensive care for many years before pursuing her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Metropolitan State College in Denver and her master’s degree at the University of Wyoming. She has worked the past 18 years in family practice. She’s lived and worked in Custer County for 12 years.

Rosi Blaesius, Physical Therapist

Rosi Blaesius, a native of Germany, has been a physical therapist for 30 years and an employee of the clinic for the past four years. Rosi specializes in the treatment of orthopedic problems, surgical and non-surgical, with a focus on shoulders, knees and back. She uses hands-on manual therapy techniques, exercise instruction and education, as well as pain management, to restore patients to their normal activities and full potential. When not working, she enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking and riding horses.

Dr. Sean Claflin, Optometrist

Sean Claflin, principal at Claflin Eye Care in Cañon City, visits our Westcliffe monthly, serving patients of all ages. Dr. Claflin is recognized as one of our area’s leading eye-care providers, with diverse clinical experience and a commitment to lifelong learning. With a bachelor of arts degree in Zoology from the University of Northern Colorado, he received his Doctor of Optometry from South California College of Optometry in 1992 and in 1993 completed a residency in Ocular Disease at NSU Oklahoma’s College of Optometry. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a trustee of the Colorado Optometric Association, a diplomate of the American Board of Optometry, and he is licensed in both Colorado and Oklahoma.

Our Medical Center Leaders

Theresa Kennedy, Finance Manager

Theresa Kennedy holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Regis University. Theresa discovered her love for numbers while working in administrative support with a CPA firm. In her finance career, she has enjoyed working in several different industries but finds health care the most challenging. She is enjoying that challenge. Theresa loves being in the mountains but likes being outdoors anywhere. Her spare time fills with family and grandchildren.

Yvonne Rafferty, Charge Nurse

Yvonne Rafferty began her career as a certified nursing assistant. In 2014, Yvonne graduated from the registered nurse program at Pueblo Community College. She has worked in geriatrics, pediatrics, home health and medical surgical nursing. Yvonne has been the charge nurse at the clinic since November 2017. When you see Yvonne, you’ll also see Titan, her service dog. Yvonne and Titan enjoy hiking, camping, jogging, off-roading, mudding and spending time with their family.