Endocrinologist Remy Mimms, DO, majored in psychology in college, wanting to help people. He planned to become a psychologist or a social worker. Through his studies, however, he developed an interest in basic science and realized medicine was the right blend of his intellectual curiosities and desire to serve people.

In September 2021, Dr. Mimms opened the St. Luke’s Center for Diabetes & Endocrinology in New Ringgold, where he treats Carbon and Schuylkill County patients with diabetes and other endocrine diseases and conditions. His undergraduate courses have helped him counsel patients about their diseases and the best way to improve their health. He doesn’t judge patients for their short failings but rather shares his knowledge about diabetes, so they have a fundamental understanding of their condition, lab results and treatment plan.

“It takes a lot of courage to go to doctor visits,” he said. “It can feel like a punitive experience when there’s harshness. The real world happens, and sometimes the solutions aren’t as binary as we would like to make them seem. It’s hard to eat healthily and get enough sleep and activity. My goal is to acknowledge those things so patients will share their experiences, frustration and strategy so we can develop a healthy plan moving forward.”

Endocrinologists diagnose and treat people with various conditions caused by hormone problems. Besides diabetes, conditions include thyroid and parathyroid disorders, osteoporosis, disorders of calcium homeostasis, disorders of the pituitary and adrenal glands and certain conditions affecting sexual health. Along with his team, Dr. Mimms is steadily building the practice.

“When I was 23, after graduating college, I decided to go into medicine,” he said. “My dad was a physician, and while I admired him greatly, I never envisioned myself doing that. Frankly, medicine was intimidating to me.”

But after graduating from George Washington University, where he met his wife, he decided to return to school to take classes needed to enter medical school. He graduated from Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, completed a residency at Morristown Medical Center and a fellowship in endocrinology at Temple University Hospital. A husband and father, he wanted to live near their extended families. So, he interviewed at St. Luke’s Miner’s Campus. Immediately he knew he had found his new professional home.

“I was welcomed with open arms by the Endocrine Department,” he said. “The department was thriving, and there was a true camaraderie.”

Then, St. Luke’s Miners President Wendy Lazo took him on a hospital tour. She introduced him to every staff member they encountered - nurses, housekeepers, dietary workers and mid- and senior-level managers.

“She knew everyone by name,” he said. “That was amazing. I understood that there was an especially close culture with a shared goal of serving the community.”

Dr. Mimms shared their desire to increase access to primary and specialty health care, including endocrinology.

“It’s been humbling to experience the patients’ gratitude and satisfaction with having these services available to them with closer proximity to home,” he said.

Dr. Mimms works alongside diabetes educator Justina Neff, MS, RDN, LDN and physician assistant Rainie Werner, PA-C, at the New Ringgold Center, about 15 minutes from the St. Luke’s Miners Campus. Neff provides medical nutrition training and teaches diabetes self-management skills.

An excellent provider, Werner previously worked at St. Luke’s Miners Campus, where she worked for about a decade and consequently is immersed in the community. With two providers, the typical wait time for an appointment is two to four weeks, and even sooner, depending on the need.

Last June, an Orwigsburg woman needed a knee replacement to reduce pain and improve mobility but couldn’t be cleared for surgery until she lowered her A1C, a measure of blood glucose levels. Even though she wasn’t a patient, Dr. Mimms offered to see her during his lunch break the next day. He changed her prescription, and a few months later, she had the surgery. Now Dr. Mimms’s patient, she has since lost 30 pounds.

“Dr. Mimms is so good at confidence building because of his positive outlook and way of handling people,” she said. “He can see what his patients need and enable them to be their best.”

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mimms, call 272-639-5370.