Welcome to the West Wing
Suite 102
Joe Rinella, DO & James Brauer, MD
Patient Resources
Contact Us
Phone: (541) 386-3883
Fax: (541) 386-6820
1021 June Street, Suite 102
Hood River, OR 97031
West Wing Clinicians
FAMILY MEDICINE
Joe Rinella, DO
Dr. Rinella grew up in Colorado and came to Oregon in 1990. He attended OSU for graduate school where he received a master’s degree in science education with a minor in oceanography. He taught science, math, PE and Bible at Santiam Christian High School and marine biology at Linn Benton Community College before deciding to go to medical school. He graduated from A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri and completed a residency through the University of Kansas-Via Christi Family Medicine Program. After graduation, he practiced full-spectrum family medicine as a partner at NorthShore Medical Group in White Salmon for ten years. In 2016, Dr. Rinella transitioned to hospice care and gained additional certification as a hospice medical director. He also continued to work in the ER at Skyline Hospital and continued his work as the medical director for a non-profit organization called Remember Nhu. Remember Nhu works in 16 countries to help prevent child sex-trafficking. This role has taken him to Kenya, Tanzania, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Myanmar.
The opportunity to join Summit Family Medicine opened up and he excitedly re-embraced the role of being a home-town family physician.
Dr. Rinella and his wife (who grew up in Hood River) have 4 children. He enjoys hiking, rafting, hunting, fishing, kiteboarding, skiing, and “living out” his Christian faith through it all.
What is a DO?
A DO—Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine—is one of two types of fully licensed physicians in the U.S. (the other is MD). DOs and MDs both attend 4 years of medical school followed by a specialty-specific residency. Both DOs and MDs must pass a national examination to become board certified in family medicine as well as all of the state licensure requirements in the state where they practice. DOs, like MDs, are fully licensed, use evidence-based medicine, have full prescribing authority and can practice in any specialty. DOs obtain extra training in how disorders of the musculoskeletal system affect all aspects of health and how to treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system to correct structural imbalances using osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) .
FAMILY MEDICINE
James Brauer, MD
Dr. Brauer is an Oregon native, growing up on a small ranch near Florence on the coast, where his family raised Hereford beef cattle. He attended the University of Oregon, graduating with honors in 1980 with a degree in Biology. He completed medical school at OHSU in Portland, graduating cum laude in 1984. After completing his family medicine residency in Martinez, California, Dr. Brauer and his wife Jan moved to Hood River in 1987.
Dr. Brauer deeply values the relationships that he has developed with his patients over the years . . . he considers it a great privilege to provide medical care for so many wonderful people here in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge! As a family doctor, his goal is to provide excellent preventive care to all of his patients, and to help them stay as healthy and whole as possible throughout their lifespan. Dr. Brauer and his wife Jan have traveled throughout the world on many occasions, providing short-term medical assistance at various locations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Dr. B. loves to play basketball, windsurf, and enjoys on-line video gaming with his family and friends.