A nice story for a change!

[kentonio]

'$5 Doctor' Russell Dohner Can Hardly Pay His Nurses, But He Won't Raise His Fee

The beloved 87-year-old doctor who charges his patients $5 per visit has said in a new interview that he can hardly pay his nurses with what he makes.

Still, Dr. Russell Dohner of Rushville, Ill., says he has no desire to retire or raise his fee.

"I always just wanted to be a doctor to help people with their medical problems and that's all it's for," Dohner told the Associated Press. "It was never intended to make a lot of money."

According to an earlier The Huffington Post report, Dohner has been the town's doctor since 1955. Considered a "local hero," the octogenarian charges his patients just $5 for the entire cost of a physician's visit. He's been charging the low fee since the 1970s.

But the doctor now admits that his inexpensive medical care is taking a toll on the clinic's finances.

"I don't hardly make enough to pay my nurses," he told the Associated Press.

Nonetheless, Dohner -- who works seven days a week and hasn't taken a vacation in more than 50 years -- says that he'll keep trucking on for as long as he can.

"He's one of a kind," one Rushville resident and patient told NBC News.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...usaolp00000003

Given all the arguing lately what with the election and all, here's a rather lovely story to lighten the mood. Wonderful that people like this exist.

[SlowwHand]

Nice.

[Dr Strangelove]

I wonder if he's even able to pay his staff minimum wage.

[ZEE]

this amaZing thrade deZerveZ a bump and I will be very disappointed if it doeZ not have 100 replieZ in a day or so.

[Sava]

Well... at least he got his medical degree after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

[Dr Strangelove]

The other question is, is he able to treat his patients by contemporary standards? In order to pay his staff minimum wage he'll need to see 1 1/2 patients / hour just to pay one staff member / hour. There's also maintenance, water and electricity, that's at least another patient / hour. Bookkeeping and record keeping also would require at least one patient / hour. Then there's supplies like venipuncture equipment, urinalysis equipment, basic first aid materials - at least another patient / hour at his going rate. To top that off if he's going to be seeing that many people / hour he needs as least 2 nurses or medical assistants and at least one receptionist. This guy is going to need to see 7 people / hour just to pay his bills, without taking home anything himself.
I'm going to tell you right here and now that if he devotes a mere 7 or 8 minutes on average to a patient he can not maintain a practise that meets contemporary standards of care. If this guy is practising 1950's, 1960's or even 1970's or 1980's medicine he's not really providing up to par service.

[Dinner]

I saw this on CBS a while ago.

[Alexander's Horse]

nice story