Small-town doctor takes down his shingle
Physician who charged $5 a visit received national attention
CAPTIONS
The doctor is in
Dr. Russell Dohner, 87, sits in the doctors' lounge before rounds at Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville. Dr. Dohner has been in the same practice since 1955, and charges only $5 per visit. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune /August 8, 2012)
Dr. Russell Dohner, 87, sits in the doctors' lounge before rounds at Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville. Dr. Dohner has been in the same practice since 1955, and charges only $5 per visit. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune /August 8, 2012)
It's not often that a doctor attracts national attention for charging too little. But that is exactly what happened to one small-town Illinois physician who is hanging up his stethoscope after almost 60 years of practicing medicine.
Against the contentious debate over health care reform, Dr. Russell Dohner achieved notoriety for charging just $5 per office visit — a fee that's remained unchanged since the 1970s and is roughly the equivalent of a large latte today.
"He has dedicated his life to healing and medicine," said Tim Ward, director of the foundation for Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville, about 60 miles northwest of Springfield, where the 88-year-old has cared for patients since 1955.
"He's the closest thing we have to a saint," said Ward, who confirmed the retirement Friday.
Dohner could not be reached, but his beliefs on how medicine should be practiced in an era of runaway costs have been documented in People magazine and on the "Today" show.
"I never went into medicine to make money," he told a Tribune reporter last year. "I wanted to be a doctor, taking care of people."
It wasn't just the low fee that kept Rushville (population: 3,200) residents packing the waiting room. They say it's also his kindness, which includes being open seven days a week, making house calls and looking after the uninsured and unemployed.
If patients couldn't come up with the $5, "we'd see them anyway," he said.
Rushville Mayor Curt Lunt, 56, was one of the estimated 4,000 babies delivered by Dohner.
"He's been here so long, we all have come to depend on him," Lunt said. "I always said he would never retire."
Dohner, one of seven children, was born on a nearby farm and served in World War II. He graduated from Northwestern University Medical School in 1953 and hoped to become a big-city cardiologist, but Rushville needed a doctor — and so he stayed.
After 50 years, the town held a parade in his honor. He also has his own bronze statue on the town square and an annual golf outing named for him which raised $35,000 in June for the hospital foundation.
"We love him," Ward said, "and he loves us."
brubin@tribune.com
Against the contentious debate over health care reform, Dr. Russell Dohner achieved notoriety for charging just $5 per office visit — a fee that's remained unchanged since the 1970s and is roughly the equivalent of a large latte today.
"He has dedicated his life to healing and medicine," said Tim Ward, director of the foundation for Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville, about 60 miles northwest of Springfield, where the 88-year-old has cared for patients since 1955.
Dohner could not be reached, but his beliefs on how medicine should be practiced in an era of runaway costs have been documented in People magazine and on the "Today" show.
"I never went into medicine to make money," he told a Tribune reporter last year. "I wanted to be a doctor, taking care of people."
It wasn't just the low fee that kept Rushville (population: 3,200) residents packing the waiting room. They say it's also his kindness, which includes being open seven days a week, making house calls and looking after the uninsured and unemployed.
If patients couldn't come up with the $5, "we'd see them anyway," he said.
Rushville Mayor Curt Lunt, 56, was one of the estimated 4,000 babies delivered by Dohner.
"He's been here so long, we all have come to depend on him," Lunt said. "I always said he would never retire."
Dohner, one of seven children, was born on a nearby farm and served in World War II. He graduated from Northwestern University Medical School in 1953 and hoped to become a big-city cardiologist, but Rushville needed a doctor — and so he stayed.
After 50 years, the town held a parade in his honor. He also has his own bronze statue on the town square and an annual golf outing named for him which raised $35,000 in June for the hospital foundation.
"We love him," Ward said, "and he loves us."
brubin@tribune.com
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