Silver Lake Daily Newsletter.com

Electronic Petition calls for Mason’s Return to Hospital
Petition calls for popular orthopedic surgeon’s return to Wyoming County Community Hospital in Warsaw

DR. PAUL MASON

A decision to terminate a popular orthopedic surgeon at Wyoming County Community Hospital has patients and area residents increasingly up in arms.

As of 11 a.m. Friday, a Change.org petition to reinstate Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Paul Mason at the Wyoming County Community Health System had reached 646 signatures. It had been started 13 hours before.

The petition was started by Karen Rice. It called for the return of Dr. Paul Mason and Physician Assistant James O’May of Buffalo Bone & Joint Surgery, after their termination from the WCCHS Orthopedic Service.

Those signing the petition — including several who identified themselves as WCCH employees — spoke adamantly for Mason’s return.

“As a fellow employee I know the financial impact and patient impact this will have on Wyoming County residents,” wrote Allie Anderson when signing the petition. “The hospital made it a huge deal about having the ortho clinic and now you’re not continuing the contract with Dr. Mason and his colleagues. There is no good that will come from this. Unfortunate that the board is not looking out for the best interests of the residents of Wyoming County.”

The petition states:

“Since 2014, Dr. Mason and his team have offered the highest quality orthopedic services to our Wyoming County community. Highly regarded by his colleagues, employees, and patients, Dr. Mason was the highest ranking physician according to patient survey scores at WCCH.

“Furthermore, Dr. Mason and his team are the only area orthopedic practice recognized by The Joint Commission’s Advanced Hip and Knee Joint Replacement Certification. Maintaining this accolade since 2019, this certification is almost unheard of in rural settings and suggests the quality of surgery and care that both Dr. Mason and his team have offered our community over the past eight years.

“In addition to providing a prestigious surgical practice, Buffalo Bone and Joint saw an average of 500-700 patients per month in the orthopedic clinic where treatment, referrals, and interventions were provided. This is an astounding number of patients, proving the immense need for our trusted, high quality, orthopedic group that has gained the respect of many in our rural community.

“Dr. Mason and Jim have been such a great asset to WCCHS. It is unbelievable that the BOD could even think of dismissing the number of patients that they have brought to the hospital and the number that will go with them wherever they have to go if this dismissal goes through,” said Ann Reynolds as a reason of signing. “It is continuing the decline of the hospital that has started with the dismissal of the previous doctors in the last year or so. We had been fortunate to have them.”

In addition to signing the petition, it was encouraged residents attend the next WCCHS Board Meeting at 4:45 p.m. Feb. 22 or contact local officials directly.

Officials at WCCHS had no comment on Friday. Mason is not making public comments at this time on advice of his attorney.