Dear Editor,

I find as I grow older, I am less fond of change. Especially change that is unfavorable to the community. We are about to have such a change here if our Hospital Board does not act.
Dr. Glenn Routhouska is being forced by Trinity Christus to close his practice here and go to Palestine. Dr. Routhouska has been here for 30 years or so. He has a large practice and treats patients from the elderly to babies.
In the past, our medical community has had to search for doctors to come here, a rural town not being every doctor’s cup of tea. We pay them to come and we pay them to stay. And I mean thousands of dollars.
Dr. Routhouska’s patients are about to be dumped. Much as Dr. Keller’s patients were. Meanwhile, we have a doctor with decades of ties here and a home. Why doesn’t the Board approach him about staying? Doesn’t that make sense?
If you think as I do, phone the board members, George Robinson, Brent Moore, Carmen Manning, Vance Oglesbee, Andy Awalt, David Lott and tell them so. At a time when the hospital needs the community’s help, let the hospital show a way to both help our town and save money to boot.
This can’t wait. There is less than a week left before his doors close. If you want adequate medical service here, then do something.

Jo Olive Turner
Fairfield, Texas