New ob-gyn doc serves critical role

As Anthony and Pam Kosinski dined last summer at Graffiti restaurant, overlooking the Petaluma River, they came to a realization.

“We kind of looked at each other, and said, ‘This is the kind of city we’re looking for,’” Anthony Kosinski said.

The married couple had come to Petaluma because he was interviewing for the position of obstetrics and gynecology physician at Petaluma Women’s Health on Professional Drive. Kosinski had been serving at Northshore Associates in Gynecology and Obstetrics in Evanston, Ill., 31 miles north of Chicago, but he and his wife decided they needed a change of scene.

“The oldest of our three boys still is in grade school, so we thought, if we are going to make a move, this is the right time to do it,” he said. “As we began looking, we knew we didn’t want to be in another major metropolitan area. The Chicago area is great, but it’s not known for its natural beauty. My wife grew up on the East Coast, near oceans and mountains.

“We were missing out on outdoor activity, and thought, ‘Why not look for something warmer?’ Petaluma had the right combination of what we were looking for. Petaluma has its own identity and character: It has a lot to offer.”

The close proximity to San Francisco also attracted Kosinski.

“It would have been much harder to move to a very rural community, because I’ve always been in and around a big city,” he said.

The family moved to a home on the west side of Petaluma in August, and he began working at Petaluma Women’s Health in September, joining Dr. Julie Clark and nurse midwife Paula Duran.

“So far, everything is going great,” he said.

His role is much different than it was in Evanston.

“There were four ob-gyns on the block (in Evanston), and the hospital there had about 40 sub-specialists. I felt as if I was providing services, but not practicing the whole scope of what I have been trained to do,” he said.

In Petaluma, on the other hand, Kosinski is playing a highly critical role in the health-care scene, which was impacted in October of 2008 when longtime ob-gyn physician Helene Spivak ended her practice at Petaluma Valley Hospital and her Rohnert Park office, and joined Kaiser Perman-ente’s Petaluma clinic.

Kosinski enjoys the balance between surgical and primary care that his practice offers, as well as being able to provide different types of care in a personal, private setting.

“I prefer this type of setting, because it offers more flexibility and freedom. I can spend as much time with patients as they need, and there are fewer barriers between them and me,” he said.

As patients are getting to know Kosinski, they often ask one particular question.

“They want to know how long I’m going to be here,” he said. “My plan is to be here for a long time.”

(Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@arguscourier. com)