Kylene Jones is the friendly face patients will see when they come into the new Mercy Family Medicine clinic that opened Monday in Bayfield Center Plaza. She provides the clinic's business and office support.

Things were quiet Wednesday afternoon because it wasn't a day scheduled to see patients. There with Jones were Nurse Practitioner Ronda Ramsier and Medical Assistant Heather Poulton. All three live in or near Bayfield.

"It's exciting," Jones said. "We need something in the community. I've lived here 20 years." She has worked for the practice, formerly Durango Family Medicine, since before Mercy bought the practice in August 2012.

She said of the first three days, "It's been relatively quiet phone-wise. We're full (patient appointments) for Thursday and almost full for Friday. ... I thought everybody in Bayfield would call on Monday. I'm glad I was wrong. I thought it would be insane."

But people know about the clinic, she said.

Individual primary care practitioners have tried before to operate in Bayfield or Gem Village and couldn't make a go of it. Both Jones and Ramsier think it will be different with the larger entity.

"With Mercy, Centura backing this, we're here," Ramsier said. "It's going to succeed and do well. I'm really excited for Bayfield." She is here two days a week and at the Mercy Family Medicine Three Springs office two days. The practice also has a clinic in the new medical building next to the Sonic drive-in in Durango.

Currently Dr. Chip Kelter is seeing patients in Bayfield on Thursdays. Plans are for more patient appointment days as the need is shown.

Call 764-9150 for more information. That number rings in the Bayfield office.