Dr. Don Hodson notes changes in medical profession
By ROWENA PLETT
staff reporter
Don W. Hodson, M.D., will be honored July 7 with an open house at Marion Family Physicians in St. Luke Clinic, 537 S. Freeborn, Marion.
Dr. Hodson said he loves his job. He has been meeting the medical needs of people in this area for 20 years and currently is chief of staff at St. Luke Hospital.
His first experience in Marion came in January of 1982, when he filled in one week for Dr. Jeff Martin, M.D.
"They talked me into moving here," he said.
That June, he finished his residency at Wesley Family Practice in Wichita and took his national board exams. Several days later, he came to Marion.
"I've stayed busy ever since," he said.
His partners through the years have been Dr. Martin, Physician's Assistant Carol Coirier, Dr. Khanh Vu, Dr. Jeff Henry and, now, Dr. Kim Hall.
He said the most difficult times were the year or two when he was the only doctor in town. It happened twice, once when Dr. Martin left and again when Dr. Vu left. He worked extremely long hours in an attempt to accommodate everyone.
Looking back over 20 years, he said medical technology "changes almost every day," but the change that has affected him the most is increased government regulations requiring much more paperwork. He estimates that paperwork has quadrupled.
When he first came, the staff included two doctors, two office personnel, and two nurses. Now, there still are two doctors and two nurses, but it takes six people to handle the office work.
His fee for a doctor's visit has increased from $18 to $42, largely to cover the expense of doing business.
Hodson said government regulations cut down on the quality of care: "A doctor doesn't have time to do medicine anymore."
He usually arrives at his office at 7 a.m. to get caught up on paperwork, then does it every time he gets a chance during the day. "I never stop or I would get behind," he said.
His usual maximum number of patients per day is approximately 25. "I love my job," he said. "I like to kid with people, and most do well with that. I like the variety and deal with a dozen different situations every day. It keeps life fresh and not boring."
He said he particularly enjoys delivering babies. He estimates he has delivered at least 600. He said the number of babies being born at St. Luke Hospital has dropped in recent years, which is a disappointment to him.
He works about 60 hours a week and is on call one full night each week. Normally, he works four 12-hour days and one eight or 10-hour day.
A look ahead
Hodson foresees the future of medicine as being more and more technical and less and less physician- oriented. There will be team approaches to problems, with the doctors present mainly to assist other staff members such as physicians' assistants and nurse practitioners. Computers will make decisions and doctors will screen the results.
People will need hospitals less and less, he suggested, and will use outpatient facilities more and more. He noted that many such facilities already exist.
"Some day the big general hospital will be a dinosaur," he predicted.
He hastened to add, however, that rural areas always will have a hospital for people to go to, with serious cases being transferred to larger facilities.
A history
Hodson was a farm boy. He grew up at Argonia on a wheat and cattle operation. He helped care for a 200-head cow herd. The farm had 800 acres of wheat. Some acres also were devoted to watermelon.
"Every spare minute, we hoed watermelons," Hodson recalled.
The watermelons, along with a Mason jar, were placed on a hay trailer which was parked at the road. Customers paid 25 cents for a small watermelon and 50 cents for a large one.
In 1971, after graduating from Argonia High School, Don entered Friends University. While there, he worked in the laundry department at Wesley Medical Center and later at St. Francis Hospital laboratory in the division of cytology. He graduated from Friends in 1975 with a B.S. degree in chemistry and biology.
He received medical training at the University of Kansas School of Medicine at Kansas City and Wichita and fulfilled his residency at Wesley Family Practice in Wichita.
Hodson is certified in ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), CAQ (Certificate of Added Qualification) geriatrics, American Board of Family Practice, and as a Designated Aviation Medical Examiner.
He is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice, Kansas Academy of Family Practice, and Kansas Medical Society. He also is a Fellow of the AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) and clinical assistant professor of family/community medicine at Kansas University School or Medicine at Wichita. In addition, he serves as coroner for Marion County.
He has administrative duties as medical director of Marion Manor Rehabilitation Center; St. Luke Living Center; Marion County Home Health; Florence Health Care, Florence; Westview Manor, Peabody; and Florence EMS Department. He also is president of Marion Family Physicians, LLC.
Hodson recently celebrated his 49th birthday. He is divorced and has three sons: Patrick, 9; Paul, 13; and Kadon, 26. Kadon is a graduate of Marion High School and has a degree in computer engineering from K-State. He currently is seeking a teaching degree.
Hodson lives in a country home about three miles north of Marion. His younger sons live in Marion, so he sees them often.
In addition to his medical practice, Hodson enjoys flying. He got his pilot's license in 1991 and later built a two-seater airplane which he flew until this past January when the landing gear was broken in a mishap at takeoff. He plans to repair it.
Several weeks ago he bought a new ultra-light airplane, so he is flying again.
He also enjoys traveling and takes at least one ski trip to Colorado every year with one or more of his sons.
Fortunately for his clients, friends, and family, Hodson plans to be around for a long time:
"I'm not going anywhere. I plan on dying in Marion. I love living in this country and I don't want to live anywhere else."
