Cincinnati Children’s Wilmington Primary Care will open in January 2025 to bring pediatric services closer to home for residents of Clinton County and surrounding areas. A highly respected physician who has served local families for many years will oversee the medical office.

Jeffrey Manser, MD, has cared for thousands of children and families for 32 years as a pediatrician in Wilmington and will lead the Cincinnati Children’s office at 1150 W. Locust St., Suite 500. The center will start accepting appointments in December.

Tina Gabbard, MD, a family physician with more than 30 years of experience in Wilmington, will also work in the office. She and Manser have been married for 37 years. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital plans to add another pediatrician to the area, along with a registered nurse, medical assistants and support staff.

Manser contracted Covid-19 at the beginning of the epidemic and was hospitalized. Sick families held a prayer vigil to support their community’s beloved doctor. The #ManserStrong campaign, which saw candles, outdoor lighting fixtures and porch lights being lit in his honor, trended on social media.

Since Manser’s recovery, many parents have encouraged him to return to the medical profession. She decided to do this now because of her gratitude for these families and the shortage of pediatricians in the area.

“The Wilmington community has always been generous to me, and now I have the chance to give back in a meaningful way,” Manser said. “As some of my colleagues have moved on to new opportunities or retired, it has become more difficult to maintain pediatric coverage for our community. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and I recognized the urgent need to restore Wilmington’s pediatric care. The best way to provide long-term care was through Cincinnati Children’s, nationally known for its high standards “I realized that it was important to partner with a well-known organization like this.”

Evaline Alessandrini, MD, chief operating officer of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, said the Wilmington office will be the health system’s first location in Clinton County.

“We are investing in this community so that Cincinnati Children’s Wilmington Primary Care can provide pediatric services closer to home to the many families who now drive long distances,” Alessandrini said. “We are pleased to have a respected individual like Dr. Manser lead this effort to increase access to care for families in Clinton County and nearby Highland County and Fayette County.”

About 4,000 children enrolled in HealthVine, an accountable pediatric care organization overseen by Cincinnati Children’s, live in Clinton County or surrounding areas, Alessandrini said. Wilmington is 50 miles from Cincinnati Children’s Burnet Campus in Hamilton County and 56 miles from the health system’s Liberty Campus in Butler County.

“Our goal is to establish a permanent pediatric presence in Wilmington where we can provide world-class medical care to future generations,” said Manser. “I look forward to mentoring and guiding young physicians and pediatric nurse practitioners to ensure children in Wilmington receive consistent, high-level care.”

He noted that Gabbard is a family physician whose experience includes delivering babies. “In addition to her general expertise in pediatric care, she brings invaluable knowledge in mental health, gynecology and adolescent medicine to help meet some of society’s most pressing health care needs,” Manser added.

Gabbard said Cincinnati Children’s Wilmington Primary Care will be a valuable addition to the medical community in Clinton County.

“Jeff worked for almost a year with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to establish this pediatric office, and I am excited to join him in this important effort,” said Gabbard. “My goal is to help ensure a smooth transition as Cincinnati Children’s continues to provide high-quality care to children in this community as it expands and brings additional pediatric providers to the Wilmington office.”

The center will provide care for children from newborns through adolescence and up to age 23. Primary care providers will work closely with pediatricians at Cincinnati Children’s for advanced care options if needed.

To open the Wilmington location, Cincinnati Children’s purchased an existing medical office and began an interior renovation. The estimated cost to acquire and renovate the office, which covers 3,875 square feet and includes eight exam rooms, is approximately $600,000.

Manser began as a solo practitioner in 1988 and expanded Wilmington Medical Associates to include additional pediatricians before retiring in April 2020. Manser was on call at Clinton Memorial Hospital in Wilmington for 32 years, caring for high-risk newborns. From 1997 to 2014, he served as a pediatric instructor for junior physicians at Clinton Memorial Hospital through the University of Cincinnati Family Medicine Residency Program.

He earned his medical degree from Wright State University in 1985 and then completed a three-year residency at Dayton Children’s Hospital. Manser earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Youngstown State University in 1979.

Gabbard has practiced as a family medicine and obstetrician in Clinton County since 1988; initially at Wilmington Medical Associates and since 2020 at Christ Hospital Physicians Primary Care. He also volunteered at the Clinton County Free Clinic and served as medical director at New Life Clinic.

Gabbard earned a medical degree from Wright State in 1985 and then completed a three-year residency in family medicine at Grant Medical Center in Columbus. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in 1980.

“From the moment Tina and I arrived in Wilmington in 1988, we felt welcomed by the warmth of this community,” Manser said. “Now with Cincinnati Children’s on our side, I am confident we will provide the highest level of pediatric care. “I look forward to reconnecting with old patients and welcoming new ones.”

Cincinnati Children’s currently offers pediatric primary care in Anderson Township, Avondale, Batesville, Cold Spring, Fairfield, Florence, Greensburg, Kenwood, Liberty Township, Mason, North Fairmount, Southgate and Springdale, as well as three school-based health centers in Cincinnati. In addition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has begun construction of a medical building that will include pediatric primary care in the Boone County city of Union, Ky., and a primary care facility is planned to open in Loveland, Ohio.

About Cincinnati Children’s: Cincinnati Children’s is ranked among the top pediatric health systems in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and is ranked No. 1 in pediatric cancer care, gastroenterology and pulmonology. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital also ranks among the nation’s best for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health. Founded in 1883, Cincinnati Children’s is a nonprofit organization that provides care to patients from all 50 states and dozens of countries, including children with complex or rare diseases. More information: CincinnatiChildrens.org.

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