New doctor means new services in Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY – A new surgeon at the Mineral Community Hospital is bringing his expertise to the area and with it, an enhanced medical care experience for Mineral County residents.

For the last few years, area residents requiring a variety of basic medical services had to travel to Missoula and other areas to get the care they needed.

Now that Dr. Ronald Gardner is at the hospital in Superior, many patients will no longer have to endure the hassle of traveling for their needs.

Gardner, who lives in Polson, relocated to the region in order to continue his work providing health care to small communities. He said what appealed to him about the area was the community’s need for someone to provide basic surgical services.

“I’m a general surgeon,” Gardner said. “That includes abdominal surgery, treatment of biopsies and breast cancer. I do removal of skin cancer and colonoscopies. There are a large number of people around here who need that procedure. I also do upper endoscopy for people with ulcers and upper gastrointestinal issues.”

As a surgeon with four decades of experience, Gardner brings to Mineral County a level of care that has been missing or inconsistent in the last few years. When the last general surgeon retired, the procedures mentioned above were not always available for area patients.

Gardner said it was especially critical for patients in rural and smaller communities to have access to surgeons with his skill set and he has devoted his time to making sure they have that access.

“My entire career has been spent in small communities,” Gardner said. “I think small communities deserve good surgical capabilities.”

Gardner said he started out in a small town in Arizona before moving onto another small community in Wyoming before eventually ending up in Mineral County.

“I heard Superior needed some help,” Gardner said. “It interested me because it’s what I’ve always done and I wanted to help them out. People need to have access to quality health care that is nearby.”

According to a study conducted by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and cited by Gardner, communities without access to a general surgeon tend to suffer the closure of their hospital completely.

The ACS is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913. The objective, according to their website, is to improve the quality of health care for patients by setting high standards for education and practices. Gardner said the money generated from surgical procedures can help keep hospitals financially viable.

“The revenue from surgical procedures can help keep them solvent,” Gardner said. “Other research shows people should have the availability of these procedures and not have to drive a hundred miles to get it done. The study shows that hospitals with a general surgeon tend to stay open.”

Gardner, who started working in the community in February, said he has enjoyed the experience of helping the people of Mineral County. He also said what has made the transition even easier was the people he works alongside with at the hospital.

“It’s been great,” Gardner said. “There is so much enthusiasm to keep this hospital going. Everything has gone very well and smoothly. I think personalized care is really important especially in a small town.”