News
New Clarion Hospital surgeon, Dr. Bob Ranelle, brings new wave of osteopathic care
Dr. Bob Ranelle, Clarion Hospital’s new orthopedic surgeon and spine specialist, gets comfortable at his home in Shippenville. Kelsey Huebert / The Clarion Call
Clarion, Pa. – Dr. Bob Ranelle has brought a new wave of orthopedic care to Clarion and the surrounding areas.
At Clarion Hospital, Dr. Ranelle said he will apply the fundamentals he has developed over decades of orthopedic care, mostly to help people “understand their problems, and their
options for treatment.”
Dr. Ranelle said after interviewing with Karen Hazlett and Lana Griffin, Clarion hospital’s recuiting team, he was hooked.
“I met the people at the hospital,” Dr. Ranelle said, “and the people in the town of Clarion, and it was like going back in time, because the town is like the one I grew up in. I just
love it.”
Dr. Ranelle said Clarion Hospital’s structure and prestige were attractive to him.
“The people at the hospital have all been very professional, very matter-of-fact,” Dr. Ranelle said, “and they know their business well. They seem to be as excited as I am to come
here and serve the community.”
Dr. Ranelle said two reasons were powerful enough to make his decision.
“Number one,” Dr. Ranelle said, “I was so impressed with the people and the town. Number two, there is a need here for an orthopedic surgeon to serve the community.”
Stressing the service aspect of a career in medicine, Dr. Ranelle said the people he cares for make it all worthwhile.
“I have almost as much fun here in the office, talking to and examining patients, as I do in the operating room,” Dr. Ranelle said.
“Clarion Hospital is a lot like the hospital I started out in,” said Dr. Ranelle, “because everybody is a family.”
Dr. Ranelle is an asset to the community because of his specialization.
“I think the reason I’m valuable is my years of expertise in spine surgery,” Dr. Ranelle said, “and there is a big need for a neck and spine specialist.”
“Take a young person who’s ruptured a disk,” Dr. Ranelle offered as an example, “if they are not taken care of properly, they could be incapacitated with permanent nerve damage.”
Dr. Ranelle stressed the importance of having specialized care so close to home. He said personal connections between physicians and patients can make a big difference in
healthcare.
“I think it’s unfortunate when people have to leave their community to have these things taken care of,” Dr. Ranelle said.
Dr. Ranelle went to college at Texas Wesleyan University and medical school at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine while working with his father at his general medical
practice.
Dr. Ranelle said that as early as his first years in college he knew he wanted his career to go in the direction of orthopedic surgery and care.
He began his residency in St. Louis before transferring to Philadelphia for two years of general surgery and five years of orthopedic surgery.
“When I was in Philadelphia,” Dr. Ranelle said, “I fell in love with the Northeast. I became enamored.”
After finishing his residency, Dr. Ranelle practiced orthopedic care in Fort Worth, Texas, for 23 years at the Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital.
On his days off, Dr. Ranelle enjoys riding motorcycles, working on classic cars and shooting handguns.
Dr. Ranelle now lives in Shippenville.
Respond on Facebook
The Call uses Facebook for comments, linking you and your friends' responses with your Facebook Wall. Comments made here will show up on Facebook, and comments made on Facebook will appear here! Posting to your Wall can be disabled by unchecking the box below the text field. If you don't have a Facebook account, you can sign up for one or send your thoughts via e-mail to chief@clarioncallnews.com. You can also respond directly to the author on Kelsey Huebert's page.
