EXCEEDING CARE STANDARDS & EMPOWERING WOMEN’S HEALTH

As advocates for women’s healthcare, it’s always interesting getting to know local providers as the world of care seems to change faster than the breaking news cycle. From wanting a baby more than anything (or just the opposite!) to managing menopause or understanding the pelvic floor, women’s bodies are complicated to say the least. To navigate our ever-changing selves, choosing an OB/GYN team and building a relationship with them is now more important than ever. 

By Hayley Hill Photos Amber Michelle Photography, JonesAmberMichelle@gmail.com Makeup Courtney Matthews Makeup Artistry, Cocokat1978@gmail.com Hair Jason Chambers, 251.689.7427

When it comes to healthcare, most of us know it isn’t easy being a woman. Understanding that we often must turn the world upside down to find the right solution or simply to get a straight answer, while at other times we are simply looking just to be heard or for a shoulder to cry on, Fairhope Gynecology & Obstetrics (FGO) simply gets us. What stands out about the practice are the combined viewpoints and skill sets this group of esteemed care providers has to offer. Having both new physicians and longtime practitioners, and carrying forward knowledge gained from multiple different medical schools and residencies, FGO ensures that their patients have access not only to a range of experience, but also to a top team of collaborators that work tirelessly to ensure the best possible care and results for every patient.

If you spend time with FGO, it’s easy to see that they operate like a family and are driven by the passion for patient satisfaction. This is particularly comforting with the knowledge that a glaring shortage looms of both primary care doctors and specialists, including obstetrician / gynecologists.  As the U.S. physician workforce ages and as local and national population growth persists, establishing and building a relationship with your OB/GYN is as vital as actually using their services to maintain your optimal health. And as the Alabama Department of Public Health has designated Baldwin County as a medically underserved area, it’s no surprise that FGO is the revered leader of women’s care in our region. If you don’t already know them, maybe it’s time...

Known for her positive and caring demeanor, Mary Dunlap Wells MD, FACOG, shares how it all started with her and her husband, Dr. Dylan Wells, nearly 19 years ago. “Dylan and I ended up in Fairhope after attending a rural Alabama physician fair at the Grand Hotel in 2000. I was in my third year of medical school at the main University of Tennessee medical campus in Memphis, near my hometown.  Dylan was completing an internship at UT, where the winters are long, cold and gray. Sunday brunch here was on a sunny, beautiful February day overlooking Mobile Bay from the Point Clear patio. I clearly remember saying, ‘this Tennessee girl will never move to Alabama, but we can live in Fairhope!’  Luckily, in 2005 we were job searching during my final year of residency while Dylan was completing a 2 year faculty position with the department. On call together one night, we found an ad for an OB/GYN position in Fairhope.  By week’s end, we were hopping in the car to come down for an interview with our nine-month-old son in tow.  We fell in love with the practice immediately, they offered us both a job figuring two new physicians were better than one, and we’ve been here ever since!” 

As president of the practice, Dylan Wells, Sr, MD, FACOG specializes in laparoscopic and vaginal surgery as well as open pelvic surgery. But he is particularly passionate about complicated pregnancy care. Proud to be part of the success FGO has achieved, he relays, “We are the largest and most-established practice in the region with multiple training institutions represented by our staff of physicians. To stay current, all our partners participate in annual re-certification with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. We make it our daily goal to deliver the compassion that every patient seeks while upholding the professional standards every patient deserves. I truly strive to know my patients to better celebrate or empathize with them on a more personal level throughout our journey!  Furthermore, the closeness of our community allows for patients and staff to intermingle as friends and colleagues outside of our clinic which is incredibly special and unique,” he adds. 

Mary and Dylan also make family a priority and we can only imagine the conversations around the dinner table! Chiming in, Mary adds, “As the parents of Drew (19), Amelia (16) and Wesley (13), we love having the bay close at hand and the casual Eastern Shore lifestyle to raise them in.  So many friends and activities are right at our back door and we’ve been blessed to make our life here!”

 Mary’s professional skills and passion include pelvic floor reconstruction and robotic-assisted surgery. “This is where I can really improve women’s quality of life. And somehow I tend to be on call when patients require emergency surgery, giving me the chance to shine and help those in need. I distinctly recall a patient of our practice developing acute fatty liver of pregnancy, an uncommon and very serious obstetrical condition that most OB/GYNs will never see in their careers. Having trained at a busy hospital with nationally recognized academic physicians in Memphis, I quickly realized the diagnosis with an isolated abnormal lab value that didn’t fit the patient’s picture.  She was sadly quite sick and was very premature in her pregnancy, so we rapidly stabilized and transferred her for delivery at USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital.  She ultimately made a full recovery, and I will never forget when she showed up in my office to thank me for saving her and her baby’s life. Naturally it took a true team effort that night; but those are the moments you know you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing. I’m so thankful every day for what I do and I truly love my job!”

Leslie Evans, MD, FACOG, has been with FGO for 15 years and was recruited from UT Memphis also, where she trained with Dylan and Mary.  Listing delivering babies and caring for pregnant women as a career highlight, Leslie shares, “The best compliment I’ve ever received is when a patient wrote ‘Dr. Evans was made to deliver babies, it’s in her DNA.’ And I always know my patients are in trusted hands with my partners when I’m not on call. We all serve on the Maternal-Infant Committee at Thomas Hospital and are active staff members so we can optimize safe and up-to-date care for our patients at the hospital. I’ve previously served two terms as Chair of the Surgery Department, and I am the current president of the medical staff at Thomas Hospital as well.  I think leadership at the hospital level is quite important as I want to have a voice in the decisions that affect our community and region.”

 Finding balance in her personal life with husband Danny and son Ace (9) through the FGO team approach, she shares, “My goal is to find a good balance between being an integral part of each woman’s life and a trusted confidant and advisor for her well-being. I absolutely love caring for all my patients throughout their pregnancies and optimizing their health with necessary surgeries in thoughtful and evidence-based ways. During my downtime, I enjoy hosting friends for food, drinks, and fun discussions. Even as an active physician, I’m an accomplished cook and make dinner almost every night. I also love to read and have been active in my beloved book club for 14 years and thoroughly enjoy travelling and experiencing new cities through my son’s eyes.”

Megan Dimoff, MD, FACOG, became interested in OB/GYN during medical school. She was intrigued by the diversity of the specialty, the women for which she provided care and the medical talents of an OB/GYN. “I am passionate about guiding women through all aspects of their lives; from their first menstrual cycle through adolescence, childbirth, and menopause. It is an honor to do this every day,” she explains. 

Dr. Dimoff has served with FGO for six years and is best described as hardworking, compassionate and loyal. As a mom to three boys, she understands the pressures and time constraints most women face. Her talents range from robotic surgeries for hysterectomies to pelvic floor repair as a treatment for pelvic organ prolapse, but she especially enjoys bringing new life into the world. “I treat each patient as if she is my mother, sister, grandmother, or friend. I truly love what I do and hope to share that joy each day,” Dr. Dimoff adds.

Dedicated to her patients, Dr. Dimoff recalls multiple special moments in her practice, but one is especially meaningful. “After delivering a sweet patient, her baby had an unexpected event that required hours of care at Thomas Hospital and an eventual transfer to another facility. I stood by the infant’s bedside observing the excellent care of the neonatal team and kept the patient informed until the baby’s transfer was complete. I called the patient almost daily to check on her and the infant. Fortunately, all testing was normal and the baby was sent home after a few extra days in the hospital. The most exciting part for me was the beautiful pictures emailed to me by my patient on the day her baby went home and getting to see them in the office a few weeks later.”

As the team’s longest-serving practitioner and equally board-certified, Gary W. Nelson, MD, has spent 29 years with FGO and formerly, Medical Park OB/GYN here in Fairhope. A former Air Force medical officer, Gary landed on the Eastern Shore after completing his residency at USA in Mobile to be closer to his wife’s family. Along with Jennifer, they enjoy their three grown sons, Derek, Kevin, and Blake, and the next generation of Nelsons. His decision to pursue a career in OB/GYN was inspired by two high-risk pregnancy physicians, Joseph Spinnato and Mikki Cabaniss. They helped him understand the importance of maternal-fetal medicine and how there are two patients to be cared for: the mother and the infant. Quite interestingly, he learned how to perform laparoscopic hysterectomies while in the Air Force and completed the first laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy in Fairhope, quite progressive at the time.  He mentored Drs. Dylan and Mary in this procedure when they arrived in 2005, and all have further refined their cutting edges since then!

 When asked about what he’s proudest of in terms of FGO, he shares, “When we are called for an emergency, we drop what we are doing and come! We truly care for our patients and their unborn babies. I put God and family first, and while I’m well trained, I know my limitations and refer when needed. I’m also the medical director and a board member of Women’s Care Medical Center which is the Care Net affiliate in Baldwin County,” he shares. 

 The latest newcomer to FGO is Alison (Ali) Hollis, DO, having started in 2023. Originally from Destin, she and her husband Trent decided to return to the Gulf Coast after completing her residency at UT-Chattanooga. With a joyful disposition, Ali tells us, “I was initially drawn to the field of OB/GYN by the patient-physician relationship you can develop given how personal, emotional, and sensitive our interactions with our patients can be. I try to develop trust with every patient to ensure they feel listened to and understood.”  Ali lists several areas of passion that include high risk obstetrics, minimally invasive surgery, adolescent gynecology, contraception, pelvic pain, and endometriosis. “Overall, I enjoy helping women in all phases of their lives, but particularly enjoy all realms of obstetrical care, navigating preconception and infertility issues, and menopausal transitions,” she shares. 

 As for what sets FGO apart, she says, “I love the range of experience our practice has to offer our patients. As a new graduate, I hope to bring a fresh perspective on evidence-based medicine, and I’m grateful that I can utilize my fellow partners’ years of experience to best treat our patients. Because healthcare is always changing, FGO is always growing and adapting to provide the best care.” Known for being energetic and upbeat, she is also revered for her ability to focus on emergent situations and for connecting with her patients and their families. “I enjoy getting to know each person’s unique story. The staff often jokes about the notes I leave on my patient’s charts about a restaurant we talked about, or a place they’ve recently visited, or what football team they cheer for,” Ali adds. Apparently she is quite the replacement for FGO’s Chairman Emeritus, Dr. Richard Roh, well-known for his expansive memory on his patient’s lives and their experiences together.

 As for life outside of FGO, Ali shares, “Trent and I enjoy taking our dog, Finnegan, on long walks and hosting dinner parties. You will often find us on a Friday or Saturday night around the dinner table with friends and a bottle of wine. New to Fairhope, we are excited to explore all the coastal activities that living in the Bay area offers and can’t wait to have our friends and family visit.” 

Boasting generations of experience and a common interest in the well-being of their patients, Fairhope Gynecology & Obstetrics is the ideal partner for those women who feel that self-care can be like a battlefield. Now you know there are six caring doctors nearby that consider it their battle too! 

Fairhope Gynecology & Obstetrics

19450 South Greeno Road

Fairhope, AL, 36532

251.928.1222

FairhopeOBGYN.com