Rolla Family Medicine Doctor Retires After Decades of Service

ROLLA, Mo. (Dec. 31, 2024) – One of Rolla’s long-serving family medicine doctors is retiring. After serving patients in the area for 43 years, Mercy’s Dr. James Felts is hanging up his white coat and beginning a new adventure.
Felts, who grew up in Marion, Illinois, first arrived in Rolla in the summer of 1981. At the time, family medicine was a new specialty. It allowed doctors to care for the whole patient instead of only seeing them when they arrived with an emergency. The new practice area also gave doctors a chance to develop long-lasting relationships with their patients. In Rolla and many other communities, family medicine providers care for generations of patients within a single family.
That connection to patients is what drew Felts to family medicine. After completing medical school at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and residency at the University of Wisconsin, Felts started looking for communities in which to build his own career in family medicine. Rolla, Missouri, immediately felt like home.
As a new physician in town, Felts teamed up with Dr. Ted Smith, who had built a strong family medicine practice in Rolla. Over the years, the practice grew and eventually became part of Mercy.
Now, after 43 years of practicing family medicine, Felts is retiring and plans on travelling with his wife, Cindy, and relaxing with their grandchildren. “The best thing about family medicine is the long and close relationship you have with your patients,” he said. “Many of my patients have been with me from day one.” Besides his dedication to his patients, Felts was also a dedicated teacher. He worked with countless students from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, including Mercy’s Dr. Barnett, who is now partners with Felts.  
As news of his retirement spread amongst his team, it didn’t take long for messages of support and appreciation to come in. Erik John, operations manager for Mercy Rolla sent the following message: “On behalf of the entire Mercy team and the Rolla community, thank you, Dr. Felts, for your 43 years of service, dedication, and excellence. We wish you a fulfilling and joyous retirement, knowing your impact will forever remain a cherished part of the Mercy ministry and the Rolla community. Throughout the decades, Dr. Felts has built a legacy of excellence, earning the trust and respect of colleagues, patients and the entire community.”
 
 
 
Michelle Daniels, is a practice manager who has worked with Felts for 13 years. “I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Felts,” she said. “His personalized approach and deep understanding of his patients' needs leave behind a legacy that will continue to inspire us all. Dr. Felts has an astounding ability to listen and provide so much more than just medical care. He also provides emotional support in times of need. The contributions he leaves behind to Mercy are immeasurable and will surely leave an impact that will be felt for generations to come.”
Dr. Felts’ loving care across multiple decades has built an enduring legacy. His patients have left more than 400 online reviews, with Dr. Felts earning 4.9 out of 5 stars. One review said, “Dr. Felts has been my family doctor for 40+ years and has been wonderful the entire time. I will miss seeing him for sure.” Another reviewer said, “I am happy for Dr. Felts that he is retiring, but I sure will miss his care. He is going to be a very hard provider to replace with his compassion and dedication to his patients.”
It's hard to know whether Felts knew when he first moved to Rolla that he would build his entire career here, but with more than four decades spent caring for the Rolla community, he has impacted the health and well-being of generations of area families.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Dr. Felts for nearly seven years, but I’ve known him for much longer,” said Charlese Rioux, vice president of primary care for Mercy Southwest Missouri. “In the heart of Rolla, Dr. Felts has become a beloved figure, known for his unwavering dedication to the community. From delivering countless babies to ensuring the safety of bike races and providing compassionate care to his patients, Dr. Felts has left a lasting mark on Rolla. His infectious smile and unparalleled passion for health care have set a standard that will be hard to match. His patients, fellow physicians and the entire Mercy team will deeply miss his presence. Dr. Felts' legacy will continue to inspire and resonate within the community for years to come.”
A farewell celebration honoring Fels will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the third-floor boardroom of Mercy Rolla. The community is invited to join in expressing gratitude for his many years of dedicated service.
 
About Mercy
Mercy, one of the 15 largest U.S. health systems and named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally recognized care and one of the nation’s largest and highest performing Accountable Care Organizations in quality and cost. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system including 50 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has over 1,000 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 5,000 physicians and advanced practitioners and more than 50,000 co-workers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In fiscal year 2023 alone, Mercy provided more than half a billion dollars of free care and other community benefits, including traditional charity care and unreimbursed Medicaid.