Dr. Christiansen Retires, McCool Joins Edgewood RFH Team

A longtime doctor is saying goodbye after three decades of service, while an Edgewood native is returning back to her hometown to step in with providing family practice care. 

Nurse practitioner Sara McCool recently joined the Regional Family Health Edgewood team after working closely with Dr. Scot Christiansen to ensure a seamless transition following his retirement on Labor Day. 

McCool initially joined the Regional Family Health Urgent Care team in Manchester in 2022 and will continue to dedicate one day a week to urgent care services – but the majority of her time will now be focused on providing family practice care in Edgewood. She joins an established provider team in Edgewood that includes Nurse Practitioners Stephanie Gudenkauf and Bridget Baker, as well as Dr. Andrew Pepper. 

“It has been an honor to work with Dr. Christiansen as he ended an incredible career in family medicine,’ says McCool. “I am excited to continue to provide exceptional family healthcare here in Edgewood.”

Dr. Christiansen retired from OB & Family Practice on Monday after 31 years of service. During those years, Regional Family Health says he has touched the lives of countless patients and delivered over 550 newborns. As his time in OB & Family Practice comes to a close, it has been bittersweet within the walls of the RMC labor and delivery rooms as they reflect on the impact that Dr. Christiansen has had in the community.

Emilie Hanaway and Robert Dettbarn from Independence welcomed their baby girl, Ivy Mae, on July 27, 2025. When asked about their experience with Dr. Christiansen, Emilie shared, “Dr. Christiansen has been my doctor for over 10 years. He has always gone above and beyond to make sure we are okay. Dr. Christiansen would take my phone calls, even if he wasn’t in the office, making it a point to talk with me when I needed it. I love him and will miss him very much.”

On August 12, 2025, a baby boy named Clarence Ryan was born to Bryce and Rebecca Troester of Strawberry Point. The Troesters shared their appreciation for Dr. Christiansen, with Rebecca sharing, “He has been my doctor my entire life. Every appointment he gives his full attention and is so patient. It will be hard to replace him.” Bryce added, “No matter how busy he was, he’d ask if we had additional questions and if we did, he would sit down and take the time to make sure we felt comfortable.”

Regional Medical Center expresses their gratitude to Dr. Christiansen for his commitment to excellence and the lasting impact he has made on each of his patients, colleagues and our entire community.

The community is invited to help Dr. Christiansen celebrate his retirement during an open house hosted by Regional Family Health on Sunday, September 7th from 11 to 2 at the Edgewood Event Center.

photos courtesy of RMC