Brighten Your Day

Small town doctor charges only $5 for past 60 years

July 2, 2012

Since 1955, Dr. Russell Dohner has been the town doctor in Rushville, Illinois. The population is roughly 3,500.

Dohner works 7 days a week and charges only $5 per visit. He has kept this price for over 60 years.

The office runs on a rotary phone and index cards. The furniture has never changed. There are no appointments, it's first come first serve.

Not only have the office operations stayed the same since he opened in 1955, the price has too.

And working 7 days a week has been standard for Dohner. Vacations? Not ever. "Even on Sunday," he said. "I felt like there was always somebody who would be sick. So before I'd go to church, I'd come here."

Dohner's dedication to helping others has been a blessing. Not only does he do it every day, but he charges an amount that everyone can afford. Insurance or not, it's only $5 a visit.

The residents of Rushville consider him to be a local hero. I could not agree more.