Medical

Services

*Easy access to care featuring both same-day and pre-scheduled appointments

General, ongoing health care needs including diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, adult, geriatric, women’s health, pediatric and obstetric care.
Physicals – sports, pre-employment, firefighter, men and women, boys and girls, well child exams in the first year of life.
Family Planning – including vasectomies, IUD’s, Depo-Provera
Minor skin procedures, biopsies, wart removals, some toe nail care, circumcisions
Spirometry/Audiometry
Lab/X-ray/Breathing Treatments
PharmacyCounseling appointments or on urgent basis
Urgent Care problems will be evaluated, treated if possible or referral to area specialists if needed or to appointment services.

Staff

The Medical Team consists of four Board-Certified Family Physicians, one Physician’s Assistant, and two Family Nurse Practitioners. The goal of our medical team is to provide high quality medical care to each patient of the Benewah Medical Center.

Soraya Aragundi, MD

I was born and raised in Ecuador, one of 10 siblings, I was granted a full scholarship to attend Medical School in Havana, Cuba, where I was not only fortunate to receive my Doctor of Medicine degree with a strong emphasis on preventative medicine, but I also was blessed with meeting and marrying Dr. Julian Gonzalez, my husband and colleague of 30 years. After Medical School my husband and I worked for one year as Medical volunteers in Sudan, taking care of Ethiopian Refugees and the local Sudanese population. Upon returning to the USA and while preparing to take my Medical Board exam, I continued to volunteer at a migrant works health clinic in California, then moved to New York to attend and complete a Residency training in the specialty of Family Medicine at the state University of New York in Brooklyn. Our next home was in Alaska where we lived for 18 years. We worked with the Inuit population of Kotzebue and Barrow, providing a full spectrum of services in Family Medicine, from Newborn to Geriatrics, acute and emergency care as well as prenatal care and deliveries. The past 18 months I worked in Anchorage at the Primary care Native Center with South Central Foundation in the outpatient department. My husband and I are committed to provide care for the whole family and firmly believe in preventative care, the promotion of a healthy life style and to provide guidance to our patients to achieve the health status that they desire. Personally, I enjoy swimming, running, bicycling and hiking. It give me pleasure to learn about different cultures and to travel both nationally and internationally. I look forward to being a part of the Northing Idaho community and to work with you and your families.

College- Colegio National Guayaquil, Guayaquil Ecuador- Chemistry and Biology; Universidad Vicente Rocafuerte, Guayaquil Ecuador- School of Economic Science.

Medical School- Instituto Superior de Ciencias Medicas de Havana- School of Medicine

Residency- State University of New York, Brooklyn- Family Medicine Residency Program

Specialty-Family Practice with an emphasis in women health and also studied Medical Acupuncture

Julian Gonzalez, MD

Born in New York, first generation Cuban American, raised in Florida. Served active duty in the military from 1968 to 1971 at Navy Seabees and SEAL TEAM base in Coronado, California. Tour of duty in Vietnam 1971 to 1972. This experience opened up the path to practice medicine in community health because of work as a hospital corpsman flying medevacs, Medical Civilian Action Programs (MEDCAPS) as volunteer duty with the Army 57^th Dust Off Unit and Army Psychological Operations in the Mekong Delta. Also volunteered care at local orphanages. Active reserves with Inshore Undersea Warfare Group (IUWG) San Diego, California from 1972 to 1976. Attended Southwestern College and University of California in San Diego in Biology after returning from Vietnam. Worked as Physician Assistant for one year after University, working with Migrant Mexican Workers; involved in pesticide issues with United Farm Workers Union. Received scholarship to Medical School at the University of Havana in Cuba, where the emphasis was on community medicine. In medical school I met Soraya Aragundi and wisely married her. Now married 30 years and have worked together as colleagues since that time. After medical school went to Sudan, Africa with Dr. Aragundi as volunteers to help in the Ethiopian famine crisis in the late eighties with American Refugee Committee. Served as Chief Health Coordinator for 60 bed hospital and feeding program in the desert. Attended State University of New York, Brooklyn Family Medicine Residency in Brooklyn, New York after work in Sudan. After residency training went to Alaska and has been there since working the native villages of the Inuit. While in Alaska completed the Masters in Public Health program at Johns Hopkins University. The focus of my career has been working with medically underserved communities in community oriented health improvement. Personal interests in hiking, exercise, reading, travel, writing (occasional newspaper guest columns), movies and critiquing any and all politicians who advance their political welfare ahead of the social-cultural welfare of the country.

College- South Western College, Chula Vista- Biology & University of California, La Jolla, CA- Bachelor of Science, Nursing

Medical School- Charles Drew Postgraduate Medical School- Physician Assistant Program & Instituto Superior de Ciencias Medicas de Havana- School of Medicine

Residency- State University of New York, Brooklyn- Family Medicine Residency Program & Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD- School of Public Health and Hygiene

Specialty- Family Practice with an emphasis in smoking cessation, health promotion, exercise

Raymond Paz, MD

Raymond M Paz, M.D., attended the University of California – San Diego and earned his B.S. degree in Biochemistry & Cell Biology in 1996. Dr Paz obtained his medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in 2003 and then completed his Family Medicine Residency in 2006 at Idaho State University in Pocatello, ID, where he received his training in preparation for a career in rural medicine. After residency, Dr. Paz worked in northern New Mexico and Burley, ID, and most recently Moscow, ID. Dr. Paz has three children and has a great appreciation for the outdoors. He participates in a variety of activities including hiking, biking, camping, fishing, snow sports, and music.

Susan Hildebrandt, Family Nurse Practitioner

Susan was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, number three out of 7 children. She has always been interested in medicine and was the one who helped attend to injuries incurred with raising a large family. She moved to Southern California with friends at the age of 22 for a new adventure and ended up meeting the love of her life. She has been married over 22 years and has three children. She and her family have been living in North Idaho for over 18 years after visiting the area and falling in love with the climate, beauty and people. She enjoyed working as a volunteer Intermediate EMT in Post Falls for 5 years before becoming an RN. She worked 3 years at Deaconess on the Ortho/Neuro floor and enjoyed it immensely. She was able to transfer to Valley Hospital and working the ER for the past 5 years before completing her Master degree. Her interests are varied. She enjoys any time outside with her family and attempts to find time for camping, hunting and fishing if possible. She has participated in many duathalons, half marathons and recently completed her first marathon last year.

College- North Idaho College, Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho- ASN Registered Nurse & Lewis Clark University- Bachelor of Science Registered Nurse

Medical School- Gonzaga University-Master of Science Nursing

Specialty- Family Nurse Practitioner with an emphasis of Diabetes and Hypertension

Nursing

Services

Urgent Care screening offered by phone and on site
Same Day or pre-appointments to help improve patient access
Provider/Nurse/Medical Assistant/Certified Nurses Assistant Teams to serve you
Electronic Medical Records

Responsibilities include:

Greeting patients; obtaining vital signs, chief complaint; updating past medical and social histories; allergies; updating immunization records; documentation of visit
Assist with physicals, well-child exams, OB visits, and any other procedure
Assist with referrals to outside providers and medication refills
Return patient phone calls made to the clinic

Nursing appointments available for:

Injections: immunizations, allergy injections, contraception injections, and therapeutic injections
Blood pressure checks
Suture removal
Wound checks
EKGs ordered by outside provider
Patient education

Our Staff

The goal of BMC nursing staff is to provide quality nursing care in a respectful, friendly, and efficient manner to our patients. Our nursing staff consists of Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Medical Assistants, Certified Nursing Assistants and all of our Registered Nurses are ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certified.