After forty years of practice, Dr. Godbole laid down his stethoscope and plans to give his surgical hands a well-deserved rest. On February 28, Dr. Godbole celebrated his last day at Perry Memorial Hospital amongst friends and colleagues.
Dr. Godbole began his career at Perry as a surgeon in 1980, eventually serving as surgical director, before temporarily parting ways with the hospital. Returning in 2016, Dr. Godbole has been part of the General Surgery Clinic, and medical director for the Wound Care Clinic.
Tim Schultz, Director or Repiratory Care, shared his thoughts on Dr. Godbole: "When I first came to Perry in the late 90's, I was extremely impressed with the types of surgeries being performed at such a small hospital. Dr. Godbole was performing Bronchoscopy, lung resection surgeries, whipple procedures, and many other highly specialized surgeries. He is truly a master of his craft and it has been a pleasure working with him. I wish him the best in his retirement!
Dr. Godbole was asked to share his words of wisdom for people seeking healthcare services at Perry or anywhere. He shared:
- Write down a list of concerns about your health. If you don’t have a list, you will miss the opportunity to address all of your concern with your provider, and your provider will not be able to give you proper guidance.
- Consider having an advocate (a family member or friend) attend appointments with you. This will assist with ensuring you ask all your questions and help you remember what was shared.
- Make health screenings a priority. Colonoscopies, mammograms, blood work, etc. Take the time for preventative care, it will produce more positive outcomes for your health journey as you age.
- Nutrition fuels the body. It is as important as breathing. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and manage your weight.
- If you have a need for surgery, READ and FOLLOW instructions provided to you. Become informed and ask all the questions of your surgeon, they will provide the answers. You are responsible for setting your mind at ease, and together you and the surgeon can work towards a positive outcome.
Dr. Mukund Godbole shared his optimism about the future of patient-centered healthcare. He said, “When you have both the patient and the primary care providers working together on preventable health, treatable conditions become less intrusive to a patient’s life.“
Thank you for all you have done for our community, patients, and your coworkers, Dr. Godbole! Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!