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meet the family!

VANCE LASSEY, Md

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Dr. Vance Lassey has lived and worked in the Holton community since 2007. He earned dual undergraduate degrees from the University of Kansas before attaining his M.D. from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He served as Chief Resident of the Smoky Hill Family Medicine Residency Program in Salina, Kansas where he received awards for teaching, writing,  and the prestigious national AAFP Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education

 

Starting in 2007, Dr. Lassey practiced full-spectrum family medicine at Holton Community Hospital. Unsatisfied with the shortcomings of the third-party payer system, and believing that it was the only way he could stay true to his career-long mantra “Patients First,” in 2016, Dr. Lassey left the traditional Fee-For-Service medical system and founded Holton Direct Care. Utilizing the direct primary care model, he is excited to offer unprecedented access, attention, time, and quality to his patients--for less than a cable or cell phone bill. 

Vance Lassey, MD

Dr. Lassey is a founding member of the Direct Primary Care Alliance, where he currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors. He has served on or chaired numerous boards, including the KDHE Newborn Screening Advisory Council, the Governor's Fitness Council, and the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors. He is also a founding member of the Midwest DPC Alliance

 

He has served for years as an Assistant Clinical Professor for the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards, most recently the AOA Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award.

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Dr. Lassey and his wife, Erin, live in Holton, Kansas with their two children, Luke and Rebekah. Dr. Lassey was born and raised on a farm in Peck, Kansas, and feels right at home in Holton. His hobbies include carpentry and building renovation, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time with his family. He proudly serves as an elder at the Holton First Baptist Church. In any time he has left, he plays the banjo. Poorly.

Daniel jones, APRN, FNP-C

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Daniel Jones, APRN, FNP-C

Daniel Jones, was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. He is a nationally certified Family Nurse Practitioner, and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with experience in Family Medicine, Cardiology, and Urgent and Emergency Medicine. Starting at about age 10, he studied every home remedy book on his grandmother's bookshelf, with the mission of alleviating his family's health problems.

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His health care journey was delayed by a career in the mechanical trades, as he owned and operated an HVAC company across Northeast Kansas. He continued his career in HVAC until his graduation from  Washburn and Baker Universities, and he entered the medical profession in 2012.

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Like Dr. Lassey, Daniel found the practices of the traditional medical system to be incompatible with the level and quality of care he wished to deliver to patients, so he returned to school for his advanced degree, with the hope he could offer a change away from the “patient factory model” of traditional managed care and overpriced fee-for-service medicine.

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Daniel is overjoyed to be part of the Holton Direct Care family, where he has been since September 2021, and looks forward to connecting with and caring for the good people of northeast Kansas, treating them the way he'd want to be treated. He currently lives in Shawnee county with his wife Rebecca and his two sons, Christian and Lyric. Rebecca is a registered nurse in Topeka and the boys are well on their way to becoming teenagers.

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Daniel enjoys spending time with his family. Together, they enjoy adventures into the woods, waters, and roadways. They attend services at Fellowship Bible Church in Topeka. In his spare time, Daniel has a wide range of hobbies, including tinkering, which provides him with multiple projects he can start and eventually not finish.

Beth kroll, APRN-BC

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Beth Kroll, APRN-BC

Beth enjoyed the most wonderful childhood in Maple Hill Kansas. She graduated from St. Mary’s High School, received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Baker University and later her masters of Science in Nursing from the University of Kansas. Go Jayhawks!

 

In 2008, Beth began her family nurse practitioner career in the lovely rural community of Pawnee City, Nebraska. In 2018 Beth joined Sabetha Family Practice. In 2021 Beth felt called to move into Direct Primary Care, and we are pleased to welcome Beth to the HDC family!  When Beth is not working, she enjoys her family, baking, reading, gardening, kayaking, working on their farm and growing relationships at church. Beth has taught at church for a dozen  years; with 10 years in confirmation preparation. Beth’s role model is Saint Mother Teresa, and she tries daily to replicate the saint’s gifts of service and love. Beth enjoys her husband of 20 years, Chris. Together they delight in raising their five beautiful children. Noah (16), Benjamin (12), Emmett (11), Hannah (6), and Lauren (3).

 

Holton Direct Care is building a new clinic in Fairview, and when it is completed, Beth will be the medical staff there. Until then, Beth will welcome her patients at the Holton location.

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Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face. -Psalm 104: 3-4.

Elisa Rottinghaus, PA-C

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Elisa Rottinghaus, PA-C

Elisa grew up on a farm in a rural community in Southcentral KS.  She attended the University of Kansas and earned her Bachelor's degree in Human Biology.  Rock Chalk!  She continued her education at Wichita State University and graduated in 1998 with a degree in Physician Assistant studies. Her career began in Kansas City, and soon realized she wanted to return to small town life.  Ever since, she has practiced rural family medicine, in the Hiawatha and Falls City area,  where she enjoys taking care of her neighbors and friends. 

 

Elisa has additional training in lifestyle medicine and looks forward to helping her patients get better through nutrition and lifestyle choices.

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Like most of us here at HDC, she became more and more frustrated with the 3rd party payer system that was not allowing her to be able to care for her patients the way they deserved.  We are happy to remedy that and welcome Elisa to the Holton Direct Care family.  She is excited to continue to care for the people of Northeast Ks at our Fairview location. 

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Elisa and her husband Eric currently live in Falls City, NE.  They have two teenage sons, Henry and Charlie.   They enjoy camping and hiking together as a family, as well as the many activities their boys are involved in through school and church.   In her spare time, she loves reading, spending time in nature, training and snuggling with her dogs.   One of her dogs is in therapy dog training and you may even get to see him at the clinic from time to time.  

marty ellis, aPrN, FNP-C

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Marty Ellis grew up and continues to reside on the family farm just south of Havensville, KS. He started his nursing career in 2011 as a licensed practical nurse in an assisted living facility in Topeka, KS. He later transitioned to a post-surgical unit in one of the local Topeka hospitals while obtaining his associated degree of nursing and becoming a Registered Nurse in 2012. Marty then took a brief pause from the health care field for a few years to help out on his wife’s family farm around Frankfort, KS.


Once he returned to the medical field, he felt the drive to transition into the critical care setting. Marty joined a level two trauma center emergency department in Topeka, KS in 2016 where he diversified as an emergency nurse for the next six years.

Marty Ellis, APRN, FNP-C

He became a Certified Emergency Nurse in 2018 working alongside emergency room physicians and trauma surgeons to care for critically-ill and injured patients as part of the trauma response team. Marty spent the last two years in the emergency department as a charge nurse before joining a rural access hospital in Onaga, Ks. Working near where he grew up and being able to reconnect with locals that knew his parents and grandparents has been a very enjoyable experience.


Marty recently graduated from Graceland University  Science in Nursing becoming an Advance Practice Registered Nurse and is a nationally certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Throughout his educational journey towards becoming a Nurse Practitioner, he quickly realized  care for his patients through compassion and communication. Marty appreciates having the opportunity and looks forward to developing lasting relationships built on a foundation of trust and respect.


When Marty is not caring for patients, he can be found spending time with his family. Marty and his wife Jessica of 11 years have been blessed with two wonderful young children Elli Jo (4) and Aiden (2). Thankful for a simple country life on the family farm, he also enjoys the outdoors fishing, bowhunting, landscaping, barbequing and classic cars.

???, Rn

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We are hiring for a full-time nurse at our Holton office!  Tell your favorite nurse friends!

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JULIE PORTER, RN, BSN

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Julie was born and raised on a farm right here in Jackson County. She graduated with her Bachelor of Nursing degree from Baker University in 2008. As a nurse at the Holton Community Hospital, Julie loved the variety of learning opportunities a small hospital offers. In 2017 she left Holton Community Hospital to stay home with her children. Julie loves the direct primary care model both as a patient and as a nurse. She feels blessed to be a part of the amazing team at Holton Direct Care and to serve her community. Julie and her husband Jeremy live in Northeast Jackson County. They have four children Ruby, Jackson, Lincoln, and Pearson. They enjoy camping, fishing, hunting, and any outdoor adventures.

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Julie is our Monday nurse at the Holton Location.

Julie Porter, RN

Chris Kroll, lpN

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You may have noticed, Chris shares a last name with Beth Kroll, our nurse practitioner at our Fairview location. Growing up with Beth in Maple Hill, Ks, they have a 33-year history. With a history of 20+ years of marital bliss, 5 kids, and a cattle operation, Chris stays more than busy. 
 

Past his “best by" date, he chose to enter a career in nursing. He graduated in December of 2020, just in time to lend a helping hand to his better half during her transition to Direct Primary Care. He helped build the Fairview clinic, and is now on staff as a part time and PRN nurse.


Between kids' activities, the farm and excelling in the field of domestic engineering, he is notorious for his napping abilities.  He also loves hunting/fishing with his family and friends.  Chris looks forward to the challenges that nursing presents and working with all of great people that make Beth and his job possible!

Chris Kroll, LPN

Erin lassey

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Erin runs our business office.  There isn't a better office manager on planet Earth. She hasn't written us a bio to put here, so we're making it up and adding what we know: She's the smartest member of our staff. She plays the piano really well. She has really pretty hair.  She likes to read. She was accepted to Notre Dame University, and graduated from their esteemed business school, with a degree in Management Information Systems. When she was young, she didn't like barbecue and she now can't understand for the life of her how she ever could felt that way, especially growing up in the Kansas City area.

 

She has a penchant for killing animals with her car, except that one ironic time, when a cow killed her car.  (This really happened, she'll be glad to tell you about it.)

Erin Lassey

Krystle Gouge, MA

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Krystle is the newest member of our Holton team. She comes to us with a load of experience and is quickly fitting right in!  We'll get more bio on her and a picture as soon as we can!

Megan Mercer

Angel Herrman, lpN

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Angel is our nurse at our Fairvew office.  She came to us with loads of experience- including of the frustrating parts of the system that she's happy to help us eliminate!  We'll get more bio here soon!

Angel Herrman LPN

Rebecca thorne-jones, rN

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Rebecca is a PRN nurse at our Holton location.  She married Daniel Jones, which has given us reason to doubt her sanity, but we're giving her the benefit of the doubt for now.   She has become a valuable team-member and is always there when we need her!

Chris Kroll, LPN

Cynthia fehr

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Cynthia is a part-time MA at our Fairview location.  She's so new that we don't have a bio or picture for her yet, but she's fitting in wonderfully and we'll update the website as soon as possible!

Cynthia Fehr
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