Phil Castle, The Business Times

Patrick Pevoto once reminded a frazzled mother of the importance of taking better care of herself to better care for her children. It’s like the airline safety briefing about the oxygen masks that drop down in the event of decompression: Passengers should put on their own masks before helping others put on their masks.

The same principle also applies to the physicians who care for patients, Pevoto says. Physicians can use some help — whether that’s advocating on their behalf before lawmakers or promoting professional satisfaction — in helping others.

Pevoto expects to continue to play a role in that process as the new president of the Colorado Medical Society. His objective? “Try your best to lead and do your part.”

An obstetrician and gynecologist who lives in Fruita, Pevoto was elected in September. With more than 7,200 members, the CMS is the largest organization of physicians in Colorado. Pevoto is only the third president of the CMS from Western Colorado.

He’s served on the CMS board of directors for six years, the past year as president-elect. He’s also served as the chairman of finance, political action and professional education and accreditation committees. He’s also a member of the Mesa County Medical Society, what he considers one of the best component organizations of the CMS, as well as the American Medical Association.

Pevoto foresees a busy year ahead in dealing with issues, among them women’s health care in the aftermath of a Supreme Court decision reversing the Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion as well as ongoing challenges in providing quality health care in rural settings. 

It’s all the more challenging in representing a diverse membership that includes physicians practicing in so many different specialties and settings with sometimes conflicting interests, he says. But he’s no less committed to bringing members together to find solutions that benefit everyone.

Pevoto says his duties as president of the CMS include presiding as chairman over the board, acting as a liaison of sorts between the board and staff and serving as a point person for the organization. That last role could mean time spent testifying before committees of the Colorado Legislature as the CMS advocates for its members on various measures.

While physicians are busy, Pevoto says it’s important for them to become involved in issues affecting their practices and, ultimately, their patients. Rather than remain in their offices and complain, they should join in efforts to find solutions. “It’s like you’ve got to have some skin in the game.”

Pevoto says he’s been involved in the CMS since he relocated to Colorado in 2012. Before that, he was involved for 20 years in the Texas Medical Association.

Pevoto brings to his role nearly 40 years of experience as a physician. In addition to his medical degree, he also holds a master’s of business administration.

Pevoto works as an obstetric hospitalist for the Ob Hospitalist Group. He provides obstetric and gynecological services and also helps to start and operate obstetric emergency programs.

He currently works in California, commuting by commercial airline from his home in Fruita. He says he works in an agricultural area of California where many of his patients are farmworkers.

He previously worked as an obstetrician and gynecologist with the St. Mary’s Medical Group and Grand Mesa Women’s Healthcare in the Grand Valley. 

Before that, he was a provider and department chief at Delta County Memorial Hospital in Delta — what he says was one of the best experiences of his career.

Before he was recruited to work in Delta, Pevoto worked in general and private practice in Austin, Texas.

The son of parents who were both pharmacists and a father who became a physician, Pevoto says he knew at an early age he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. He remembers bringing X-rays of his broken arm to school for show and tell and accompanying his father while he worked.

Pevoto received a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Texas at Austin and medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine in Galveston.

While his father practiced pediatrics and emergency medicine, Pevoto says he was drawn to obstetrics and gynecology in part because of his desire to help women and do so with empathy.

He likes to say all his friends are patients and all his patients are friends. Some of the most rewarding aspects of his career has been to care for the children of his patients and even the children of children he delivered. Some of them have become physicians as well.

Advancing technology has given physicians remarkable tools with which to care for their patients, he says. But one of their most important tools remains empathy — to offer comfort and answer questions and treat patients with kindness and respect.

But those providing help can use some help themselves, he says. In the case of physicians in Colorado, he hopes the CMS can provide some of that help.

Pevoto says he’s excited about the year ahead as president of the organization. “Of course I’m honored.”

But he says he’s also looking forward to playing a role in helping other physicians — listening to their concerns and advocating on their behalf.

Helping those who help others achieves another goal, he says: improving patient care and creating healthier communities.