Betsy Cramer - Karim HealthCare

Betsy Cramer

Karim HealthCare

by Elyse Apel

Betsy Cramer knew that her calling was to take care of people from a very young age. Now, she does just that as a family nurse practitioner for Karim HealthCare.

“I first became interested in medicine because I had a family member who had cancer and I watched that whole process,” Betsy explains. “The oncology care that my family member received was amazing, and that really inspired me to want to take care of people and give back to the community in that way.”

Betsy first started in healthcare as a medical assistant and eventually worked her way through school to get her associate’s degree in nursing. After graduating, she spent a few years working in oncology before branching out into other types of nursing.

“I moved around the country with my husband, so I did several kinds of nursing,” she says. “I did surgical nursing and ICU nursing, which really allowed me to learn a lot.”

As her husband is from Coldwater, they eventually found their way back to Michigan.

“When our children were getting ready to start school, we wanted to settle in and have a place where they could go to school and be part of the community, so we came back,” she says.

She’s now been a registered nurse for 20 years, but Betsy says she’s found her calling in family care after graduating from Spring Arbor University with a masters of science in nursing for family practice.

Family care is my passion. I like taking care of whole families and doing everything from pediatrics to senior care,” Betsy explains. “I like all of it. There’s nothing about it that I don’t like. I like seeing kids. I like seeing adults. I like seeing seniors.

Betsy started working with Karim HealthCare last October, seeing patients in both the Litchfield and Hillsdale offices.

“I love that I have lots of resources with Dr. Karim’s office, and the doctor himself is a phenomenal resource. He truly is brilliant,” she says. “But, all the staff are great. They are very warm, welcoming, and accepting. As are all the patients in the Hillsdale and Litchfield communities.”

As a medical professional who has served in many different areas, Betsy says she has particularly enjoyed the wide variety of patients and cases she sees.

“I like using all the skills that I’ve developed over 20 years, with lots of hands-on care,” Betsy explains. “It’s nice getting to do a little bit of everything.”

One of the areas that Betsy is especially passionate about is women’s health.

I’m a big advocate for women’s health and I would love to share that, for women in the community who are looking for a first stop or stepping stone to receive that care, it is really important to me to provide that.

Ultimately, patients will always come first in Betsy’s book, especially as she prioritizes communication.

“I think that it’s really important to make those personal connections with patients and I really like making those connections,” she says. “I strive to have medicine be more personal so that my patients feel like they are being heard and cared for with compassionate care.”

As a part of that, same-day appointments, a service provided at both offices, help ensure that patients receive the care they need as soon as possible.

“It’s always a struggle to get into the doctor if you are sick, so our same-day availability for patients who are sick makes a big difference,” Betsy explains.

She adds that another wonderful part of her job is seeing the real difference that quality care can provide patients.

“I like taking care of people, making them feel better, and improving their overall quality of life. That’s my big goal for patients in general,” she says. “To see patients make a turnabout where they are feeling better and their health has improved is so satisfying.”

Betsy also provides hospital in-patient services in Coldwater at the hospital, where she will often spend time making rounds each week to ensure patients there also receive great care. In her free time, Betsy says she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

Karim HealthCare - Litchfield Office is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and is located at 112 S. Chicago St., Litchfield, MI. Betsy has appointments at the Litchfield location on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call (517) 797-4547 to make an appointment or for more information. Walk-in appointments are also welcome.

Karim HealthCare - Hillsdale Office is open Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and is located at 3271 W. Carleton Rd., Hillsdale, MI. Betsy has appointments at the Hillsdale location on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Call (517) 437-3879 to make an appointment or for more information. Walk-in appointments are also welcome.