Sleepy Eye Medical Center/Medical Staff

Michael J. Ecker, M.D., Family Practice
Dr. Ecker earned his medical degree at Creighton University of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. He completed his internship and residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Omaha. Dr. Ecker is certified by the American Board of Family Practice. He has practiced in Sleepy Eye since 1980. He enjoys gardening and automobiles. He and his wife Charlene have four daughters.

Venkata K. Murthy, M.D., General Surgery and General Practice
Dr. Murthy has been practicing in Sleepy Eye since 1982. He says "work is my hobby," but he also is interested in spending whatever time he can find with his family, especially his four grandchildren. Dr. Murthy and his wife Kamakshi live in Sleepy Eye. They have three children, Dr. Mala Balakumar, a colorectal surgeon who practices in New York; Dr. Dharmesh Murthy, a family practitioner in Plymouth Wisconsin; and Kalpana Murthy, a Hearing impaired teacher in the Baltimore area. Dr. Murthy earned his medical degree at Madurai Medical College in India. He completed residencies in surgery at Government General Hospital in Madras, India, at Altoona Hospital in Altoona, Pennsylvania, at Atlantic City Hospital in Atlantic City, New Jersey and at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas. Dr. Murthy is certified by the American Board of Surgery.

Visiting Specialty Physicians

These specialists see patients at the Sleepy Eye Medical Center on regularly scheduled monthly or twice monthly visits. Appointments may be made through referral from the medical staff of the Sleepy Eye Medical Center, or by calling the numbers listed.

Dr. John Bernhardson, Cardiology/Internist, Minneapolis Heart Institute. For appointments call the SEMC Clinic at 794-3691 or toll free 1-877-794-3691

Dr. Richard Dannenberg, Ophthalmologist/Cataract Surgery, 1-507-233-3500

Dr. Richard Erbes, Podiatrist, Center for Specialty Care, 1-888-974-6636

Dr. Michael James, Urologist. For appointments call the SEMC Clinic at 794-3691 or toll free 1-877-794-3691

Dr. Steven Wachter, Podiatrist. For appointments call the SEMC Clinic at 794-3691 or toll-free 1-877-794-3691

Dr. Frank Pacovsky, Audiologist, 1-888-373-6038

Dr. Mario DeSouza, Orthopedic Surgeon. For appointments call the SEMC Clinic at 794-3691 or toll-free 1-877-794-3691

Medical Clinics

SEMC Clinic - Sleepy Eye
A new clinic, completed in August 2004, is attached to the SEMC Hospital Building. For appointments call 507-794-3691 or toll-free 1-877-794-3691.

SEMC Clinic - Morgan
Located in the Kraus Community Clinic Building at Gil-Mor Manor Nursing Home in Morgan Minnesota. The Sleepy Eye Medical Center doctors have weekly office hours at the Morgan Clinic. For appointments call the Morgan Clinic at 507-249-3115 or call the Sleepy Eye Clinic toll-free at 1-877-794-3691.

Harman Dhaliwal, M.D., Family Practice and Obstetrics
Dr. Dhaliwal is the newest member of our medical staff. She earned her medical degree at Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, India, completed her internship at General Hospital Chandigarh-Punjab, and her residency at Michigan State University. Dr. Dhaliwal is certified by the American Board of Family Practice. Dr. Dhaliwal’s professional interests include the areas of Family Practice, OB and Women’s Health. In her spare time, she enjoys music and movies and spending time with her husband and three children.

James J. Joyce, M.D., Family Practice
Dr. Joyce and his wife and children moved to Sleepy Eye in 2003 when he joined the staff of the Sleepy Eye Medical Center. His personal interests include sailing, canoeing, and learning Spanish. Dr. Joyce earned his medical degree at Creighton University of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. He completed 8 months of residency in obstetrics at St. Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and completed residency in family practice at Waukesha Family Practice Center in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Dr. Joyce is certfied by the American Board of Family Practice. He has sixteen years of experience in Southwest Minnesota in Family Medicine, including Obstetrics. He has earned a degree as a Medical Consultant in Natural Family Planning from Creighton University School of Allied Health and is a Fertility Care Center consultant for southwest Minnesota.

Susan Ahlness, APRN, BC
Sue Ahlness, certified Family Nurse Practitioner, received her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She is Board Certified in Family Practice by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Sue was on the Sleepy Eye Hospital staff as an RN for six years prior to earning her certification in 2003. Areas of interest in her practice include Diabetes and Women’s Health. Sue enjoys crafts and needlework, flowers and gardening. She is a lifelong resident of Sleepy Eye. She and her husband Jason have one child.