About Joseph Debban

Finding a Better Way

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Five years ago, my wife and I made a decision that would change the trajectory of our lives forever. After nearly 20 years in emergency medicine—years spent in the ER and air medical care—we decided it was time to close that chapter. Our dream was simple: move back to the little town of Elwood, Nebraska, where we were both born and raised, open a clinic, and spend the rest of our lives taking care of the people in our community. It felt romantic, idealistic even, to think of growing old while tending to the health of the town we loved.

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There was just one problem: I didn’t know how to do primary care.

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So, I turned to an old acquaintance—the CEO of the Cozad Community Healthcare System. Through my air medical work, we had crossed paths, and he offered me a spot in their primary care practice. It seemed like the perfect place to learn, so I jumped in with both feet, ready to embrace this new world of medicine.

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What I found was…disheartening.

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Instead of the calm, proactive care I had imagined, primary care felt eerily like a step-down version of the emergency room. The patients were sicker than I expected, and the system seemed more focused on proving illness than preventing it. Insurance companies dictated the care we could provide, only paying for treatments if the patient was “sick enough” to justify them.

I’d envisioned a role where I could help people stay healthy, improve their quality of life, and intervene early to prevent illness. Instead, I felt trapped in a system designed for sick care, not health care.

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And yet, when I really listened to my patients—when I gave them time to share beyond the immediate reason for their visit—they opened up about struggles that felt so familiar:

“I’m too heavy.”
“I’m tired all the time.”
“I’m sad. Life just isn’t fun anymore.”

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As I approached my 50th birthday, I realized I felt much the same way. Surely, there had to be a better way.

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So, I set out to find it.

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Over the next year and a half, I immersed myself in learning. I became certified in Obesity Medicine, delving into the science of weight management and metabolic health. Around that time, someone close to me began hormone replacement therapy, and the transformation I witnessed in their life was undeniable. It was a spark I couldn’t ignore, so I trained at an OB/GYN clinic in Denver, eventually completing an advanced hormone replacement therapy program at Harvard Medical.

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For the first time, I felt like I was making a real difference. I wasn’t just treating illness—I was helping people build better lives. Patients who had once come in feeling tired, sad, or weighed down by life began to leave with hope, energy, and purpose. Word spread, and more and more people sought out my care—not just to address sickness, but to stay healthy, to feel better, and to create a plan for a long, vibrant life.

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Today, my practice is unrecognizable from where it began. I’m certified in Obesity Medicine, Sexual Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine. I’m currently working toward a degree in Functional Medicine, constantly expanding my understanding of what it means to truly care for the whole person.

We still do primary care, but with a focus on the long game—on healthspan, not just lifespan. My patients refer their family and friends because they know we’re not just here to put out fires. We’re here to build something lasting, something meaningful.

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I often think back to those early days when my wife and I dreamed of a better way to practice medicine. Back then, we didn’t have all the answers. We just knew that if we could find a way to listen, to truly care, and to help people feel better—not just live longer—we’d be doing something worthwhile.

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It’s taken years of learning and growing, but I’m finally doing the work I was meant to do. And it feels good.

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If you’re reading this and wondering if there’s a better way for your health, know this: there is. Let’s find it together.