Horizon Health Welcomes Experienced Providers to Women’s Health Team

Horizon Health is pleased to welcome two new providers to its Women’s Health service, led by board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Tamara Helfer.

Together, Dr. Helfer and Crystal White, APRN, FNP, DNP, bring more than 40 years of combined experience to Horizon Health. Their addition strengthens Horizon Health’s commitment to providing high-quality women’s health care close to home.

“Women deserve access to high-quality healthcare at every stage of life, and we are proud to strengthen that care here at Horizon Health,” said Jay Carmichael, Horizon Health President and CEO. “Dr. Helfer and Crystal White bring valuable experience and expertise to our community, and we look forward to the difference they will make for the women and families we serve.”

About Dr. Helfer

Dr. Helfer provides comprehensive women’s healthcare across all stages of life, from preventive care and contraception to menopause and hormonal management. Her expertise includes the evaluation and treatment of complex gynecologic conditions, pelvic floor disorders, and prolapse. She offers a full scope of gynecologic surgical care, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, including hysteroscopy, laparoscopic hysterectomy, and pelvic floor reconstructive surgery.

Before joining Horizon Health, Dr. Helfer provided comprehensive women’s health care for nearly 20 years at a women’s health clinic in Champaign.

“I saw a need for women to have greater access to care, and that inspired me to focus my practice on women’s health,” she said.

After a brief retirement from medicine, Dr. Helfer returned to her practice, inspired by the healthcare challenges facing rural communities, particularly limited access to healthcare services. As she explored opportunities across Illinois, Indiana and Colorado, she chose Horizon Health.

“I realized that I still have more to give and more ways to help patients,” Dr. Helfer said. “Rural areas are often underserved, and the people there need access to healthcare just like anyone else. Horizon Health does a really good job of serving the community, and you don’t see that everywhere.”

Dr. Helfer attended the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria and completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Missouri Hospital and Clinics in Columbia. She earned an MBA with a concentration in Health Administration and a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a member of The Menopause Society.

About Crystal White

Crystal is a familiar face at Horizon Health, having joined the organization in 2003 as a registered nurse and becoming a family nurse practitioner in 2012. She brings approximately 20 years of experience in women’s health, along with experience in family medicine, occupational medicine, urgent care and surgery.

“My greatest interest is women’s health, so this is a dream come true for me,” Crystal said. “My favorite thing about being a provider is getting to know the patients and their families and making them feel they are part of the healthcare process.”

Crystal earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Frontier Nursing University. She holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing from Indiana Wesleyan University. She also serves as an adjunct professor in the Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

For more information about Women’s Health services, visit MyHorizonHealth.org/WomensHealth or call (217) 466-4475. Appointments can also be requested online.

Women’s Health Beyond the Clinic

Women’s health services are available across Horizon Health, including pelvic floor physical therapy, mammography, CT bone density scans, and specialized bone health and weight management clinics.