May 23, 2026 – Dr. Naile Barzaga wants to keep you close to home.
When Dr. Barzaga joined the John C. Fremont Healthcare District, she brought with her more than medical experience. She brought a personal understanding of what it means when rural patients have to leave their community for care. Now serving as JCF’s hospitalist, one of two doctors responsible for all admitted patients, for more than a year, Dr. Barzaga is helping lead efforts to keep patients closer to home rather than transferred down to the Valley.
Together with her husband, Dr. Hazrati, the other half of this hospitalist team, she has become part of the Mariposa community. The duo’s passion for rural healthcare is rooted in connection to patients, families, staff, and the future of local care.
Pictured: Dr. Barzaga shared with JCF Hospital Foundation Executive Administrator Miranda Wass what inspired her to serve here, what makes rural healthcare both challenging and meaningful, and why she believes John C. Fremont can keep patients close to home near their loved ones.
What first brought you to Mariposa County?
Years ago, I met two physicians in the emergency department in Madera who spoke with me about the challenges of working here in Mariposa. Around that same time, I had a patient from this area who was very ill. Every day, he begged me to discharge him, but it was too risky. He told me his family couldn’t visit because of the cost of gas. He also shared that patients from this area were usually transferred to the Valley.
Madera became a second home to me over the years. We went through COVID together with that community, and then the hospital closed. I later worked at larger institutions, but it wasn’t the right fit for me because I missed the close connections with both staff and patients. I knew I wanted to return to a setting where I could truly make a difference.
What inspires you to serve our rural community?
That patient stayed with me and I never forgot him. He became a major inspiration for me to come here. I knew I could help keep patients closer to home. I had the experience and the motivation.
He needed long term antibiotics and physical therapy, things we can offer here at our swing program. The patients and their families continue to inspire me every day to expand our services and provide care within the community.
What makes rural healthcare challenging?
Rural healthcare faces many challenges, including difficulty recruiting physicians who understand the limitations we face or who are willing to embrace them. Resources can be limited, but as we grow, more opportunities are coming our way. To continue that growth, we need the ongoing support of our community and partner organizations by promoting our services, connecting us with outside resources, and supporting efforts such as our foundation that help sustain and expand what we can offer. Organizations and community partners are beginning to recognize our potential to grow and become an exceptional rural hospital, and they are stepping forward to support us. We are deeply grateful for that support.
What makes rural healthcare special?
What makes rural healthcare truly special is the community. Everyone is connected in one way or another. The staff works together with a shared purpose—to serve the community better—and they are part of this community themselves. Being a small hospital allows us to know each other more personally, understand our strengths and weaknesses, and support one another’s growth.
Here, you can truly make a difference. Every patient deserves the highest quality of care. Change is always possible, you just have to trust the process.
Anything else you would like to share about yourself or your approach to healthcare?
My hope is to continue serving this community for many years to come.
The JCF Hospital Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to strengthening the rural communities of the John C. Fremont Healthcare District to maximize health through partnership and philanthropy.
Stay informed about the Foundation’s latest news by following @jcfhospitalfoundation on Facebook and Instagram, or by signing up for our quarterly newsletter at https://forms.gle/hzSQn5RnHzneDJC66.
To contribute financially, you can send a check to JCFHF, PO Box 1093, Mariposa, CA 95338, or donate online at secure.qgiv.com/for/jcfhospitalfoundation. All donations are tax-deductible.
For more information or questions, contact the Foundation at (209) 966-1166, email admin@jcfhospitalfoundation.org, or visit jcfhospitalfoundation.org.
Source & photo: JCF Hospital Foundation
