Dr. John B. Coombs, advocate for rural health in Washington

Dr. John B. Coombs was lauded by his colleagues as a national leader in improving health care for underserved and rural populations through his work with the University of Washington's rural-health program.

A past president of the Washington State Academy of Family Physicians, he was associate dean, and later associate vice president for medical affairs and vice dean for regional affairs for the UW School of Medicine's student-training programs in rural health, primary care and family medicine.

He died at his Seattle home on Jan. 19. A family member said he had been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma. He was 63.

Dr. Coombs' rural health career began in 1974 as a physician in Tonasket, Okanogan County, for the National Health Service Corp. He then practiced pediatrics and family medicine in rural Omak, also in Okanogan County, from 1979 -1984, and he taught UW medical students community-based patient care there.

With the Omak public schools, he created a program to check all entering kindergartners for health problems that might hinder their learning. He later directed the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency, and in 1987 was named vice president for medical affairs at MultiCare, a network of hospitals and clinics in the South Sound area.

Dr. Coombs created the Obstetrical Access Clinic, a project that lowered the once-high infant mortality in Pierce County. He also established the Pediatric Sexual Abuse Clinic at Tacoma's Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.

He was named UW associate dean for regional affairs and rural health in 1993. In that post, he headed WAMI, an acronym for the states — Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho — participating in the UW medical school's regional education programs. WAMI was renamed WWAMI in 1993 when Wyoming joined.

"His experience as a rural physician enabled him to bridge the medical school and the medical community. Throughout his career, he always considered himself to be at his essence a family doctor," said his wife, Martha Coombs, of Seattle.

Dr. Paul Ramsey, head of UW Medicine and executive vice president for medical affairs and dean of its School of Medicine, said Dr. Coombs worked alongside community leaders in Wyoming and in Spokane to obtain support to create new medical-student training sites.

In 1998, Dr. Coombs was the first holder of the Theodore J. Phillips Professorship in Family Medicine, funded by an endowment that supports medical-student training in family medicine, rural health and rural health-issues research. Dr. Coombs also led the medical school's graduate residency-training programs.

"John was a man of vision, integrity and commitment. He advocated strongly for students and residents, and worked tirelessly to promote their education, training and well-being," said Ramsey.

A 1967 UW zoology graduate, Dr. Coombs earned his medical degree from Cornell University School of Medicine, where he also earned a master's degree in nutrition, in 1972. He completed his residency in family medicine and in pediatrics at the UW.

Besides his wife, he is survived by a son, Joshua Coombs of Seattle; a daughter, Maley Coombs of Middleburg, Va.; and a brother, William Coombs of Phoenix. Arrangements for a public memorial service are pending. Memorial contributions may be made to the John B. Coombs Caribou Trail Fund for rural health education, UW Foundation, Box 358045, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.

Charles E. Brown: 206-464-2206 or cbrown@seattletimes.com