Three New Physicians Join Spencer Medical Community

posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 in General

Two new radiologists and a new hospitalist have joined the Spencer medical community.

Radiologists Dr. Tim Hurst and Dr. Louis Roemhildt have joined Dr. Nate Rohling of Midwest Radiology & Imaging, serving Spencer Hospital as well as other hospitals in northwest Iowa. Dr. Craig Simons has joined Spencer Hospital as a hospitalist, filling the vacancy due to Dr. Brian Dvorak’s retirement in September.

All three physicians have Midwest roots. Dr. Hurst is a Spencer native who graduated from Iowa State University with a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering and also bachelor’s degrees in engineering and Spanish. He earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and completed his residency in radiology with University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.

“I married my high school sweetheart, Bethany Wheeler, and we are excited to return to Spencer where we had our beginnings after being away for almost 20 years,” Dr. Hurst said. Not only are he and Bethany looking forward to settling into Spencer, so are their eight sons who range in age from 15 to 3 years old.

“Moving back home means both sides of our families are close and our kids get the priceless gift of grandparents, aunts and uncles and so many cousins, just as my wife and I had growing up,” he commented. Dr. Hurst is enjoying do-it-yourself house projects, building Lego structures with his boys and playing board games as a family, as well as electronics, mechanical watches, classic novels and volunteering at church.

Dr. Roemhildt and his wife Julie also enjoy family time. They have 13 children, 11 of whom were adopted from other countries, including eight children who were originally from Ethiopia and three who were born in China. Dr. Roemhildt enjoys fishing, water sports and gardening.

Most recently, the Roemhildts resided in South Carolina, where Dr. Roemhildt served as a radiologist with Prestwood Radiology and worked at Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center in Hartsville, SC. However, they are originally from Nebraska. Dr. Roemhildt earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska and attended the University of Nebraska Medical School and also served as chief resident in radiology for the university.

Dr. Simons, the new hospitalist, is also a northwest Iowa native. He was born in Cherokee and was raised in the Laurens area before his family relocated to Missouri when he was 14. He and his wife Sandy have five daughters and 13 grandchildren.

“In addition to being from the area, I still have family in the region,” Dr. Simons said. “I’m looking forward to being back in the Midwest.” He added that he was drawn to Spencer Hospital as the size of the facility provides a great opportunity to provide patient care with a personalized touch. 

Dr. Simons received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph, MO, and earned his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from the University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Kansas City, MO. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.

After starting his own medical clinic and serving as a primary care provider for several years before transitioning to working as a hospitalist and emergency department physician, in Missouri, Iowa and Arizona. Most recently Dr. Simons worked for Banner Health System Plus in Glendale, AZ.