Doctors Making A Difference

Suzanne ReidGynecologist, Hidden, OBGYN, Obstetrician

We are honored that our very own Jorge Zapata, MD was nominated as one of the six “Doctors Making A Difference,” among readers of WestSound Home & Garden, published in the November 2017 issue.

The editors at WestSound Home & Garden wanted to highlight local physicians who do work worthy of praise in and out of their communities. They asked their readers to nominate physicians who are doing good works behind the scenes and should be in the spotlight. The result is “Doctors Making A Difference,” and below is an excerpt of what they wrote about Dr. Zapata.

Dr. Jorge Zapata, an obstetrician/ gynecologist with Kitsap OBGYN, has been in practice for nearly 40 years. He founded Kitsap OBGYN in 2015, bringing together five other independent physicians who had been working together and sharing space for several years.

“I have surrounded myself with exceptional, caring physicians,” he says.

Zapata, who has a generous nature and warm spirit, believes in treating all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

“Many years ago, patients would sometimes settle their bill in the form of food or other services they could provide,” he says. “I am honored to have a large Spanish-speaking patient population and I wanted to see them get the care they need and have healthy families.”

Born and raised in Peru, Zapata says he is very close to his family, and he became a doctor because he wanted to help other families improve their health and lives.

“I believe in serving others and don’t want to see anyone suffer,” he says.

A father of eight, he says he chose his specialty because he loves his children so deeply, he “wanted to help bring that joy to other families.”

Zapata has served as the chair of Harrison Medical Center’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology during different periods as far back as the late 1980s. He was on the committee to bring a hospital with birthing facilities to Silverdale — and he smiles when he says “in only took 25 years.” Back when Harrison Medical Center only had the Bremerton hospital, Zapata even got the radiology department to “donate” an ultrasound to the labor room.

He says that the best part of his job is helping pregnant women bring healthy children into the world, as well as helping women in the local community maintain health throughout their lives.

“I enjoy my patients and am genuinely interested in how they are doing in their daily lives,” he says. “It is a privilege to be able to share in special life events with them and care for some third-generation patients.”

To read the full article click here.