Doctor returns to join area physician family

When Kevin Moreman, a gastroenterologist, returned to Elizabethtown last July it was not unlike the completion of a set.

Neal Cardin

Dr. Kevin Moreman recently returned to Elizabethtown to practice medicine after working in northern Kentucky and Baltimore.

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Neal Cardin

Dr. Kevin Moreman now practices medicine in Elizabethtown where other members of his family have set up their offices.

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Moreman now practices in the same town as the rest of his family, most of whom are in the medical field, including in-laws.

“Kasey and I just decided this was a better fit for us,” Moreman said of his and his wife’s decision to return to Elizabethtown.

Kevin is the son of Lucian and Phyllis Moreman. Lucian is an obstetrician/gynecologist who works with his daughter — Kevin’s sister — Shannon Holt, who also is an obstetrician/gynecologist.

Shannon’s husband, John, is a cardiologist.

Sarah Proctor, Kevin’s other sister, is a dentist whose husband, Ben, is an ophthalmologist.

“All of my side of the family is five minutes away now,” Kevin said.

Though Phyllis is not a physician, Lucian once told a dean she deserved a diploma for all the knowledge she’s gained helping her children as they went through medical school.

Because Lucian had been a physician for many years before his children chose their own medical careers, they had the benefit of seeing what the work entailed, such as the long hours.

Kevin said the longer he’s in the medical profession the more he appreciates it. He also appreciates his circumstances.

In fact, one advantage of having a family of physicians near is the ability to consult with each other on medical issues.

“We see some of the same patients, too,” Kevin said.

Living in Baltimore, Lexington and in northern Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati, before returning to Elizabethtown gave Kevin some perspective on how Elizabethtown has developed over the years.

“It’s a different town,” he said. “It’s certainly grown a lot.”

At his last practice, Kevin worked in a large office with seven other doctors. Working in a smaller city such as Elizabethtown has its advantages, he said.

“It’s a nice physician community,” Kevin said. “It’s not so large you don’t know a lot of the physicians you’re working with.”

At the same time, he said, the Hardin County medical community is pretty comprehensive in its capabilities. Because residents of surrounding counties use area medical facilities, local physicians are part of what is recognized as a regional medical resource, Kevin said.

“I think all of the physicians — because of that — hold themselves to a higher standard,” he said.

Kevin said there also is a better sense of teamwork and camaraderie in a medical community like the one in Hardin County.

An Elizabethtown High School graduate, Kevin originally did not plan on pursuing a medical career. Kevin switched to the medical field about halfway through college, having started out as a business and finance major.

His chosen profession has proven gratifying for him and a way, he said, of meaningfully serving the community.

“A lot of the relationships you develop with your patients are certainly a rewarding thing,” he said.

The doctor-patient relationship in a community such as Elizabethtown sometimes includes special interactions he didn’t see while working in larger cities.

For instance, Kevin recalled a patient who brought him homemade pickles.

The medical profession is not his only interaction with the community, either.

In addition to being active with his church, St. James Catholic Church, Kevin is on the board of CASA of the Heartland. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Appointed by judges, CASA volunteers watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children.

“It’s just a great organization that advocates for children in the court system,” he said. He credits his wife’s involvement with spurring his own involvement with the organization.

Robert Villanueva can be reached at (270) 505-1743 or rvillanueva@thenewsenterprise.com.