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Dr. Jim Tyson Retires After 37 Years Practicing Medicine in Transylvania County
Community Celebration Set for Oct. 21 at Hospital
BREVARD, N.C., Oct. 9, 2007—Jim Tyson’s bright eyes flash as he recalls the variety of work and the people he encountered when he arrived in Transylvania County in 1970 to begin a family medical practice in a mostly rural county.
“My specialty was family medicine, but I got pretty involved in most things, especially in the early years,” said Dr. Tyson. “I delivered some babies and did some surgery—I even assisted once with a heart surgery. Back in those days, you just did what it took to help patients in need.”
Dr. Tyson witnessed—and has been a part of—the transformation of medicine in Transylvania County during his 37 years of practicing medicine here. He also worked as a physician in the U.S. Navy for five years before moving to Western North Carolina. On Sept. 28, the Brevard doctor officially put down his stethoscope to retire after more than 40 years of practicing medicine.
To honor Dr. Tyson and his many years of service, Transylvania Community Hospital will host a community celebration on the hospital campus on Sunday, Oct. 21, from 3-5 p.m. The drop-in reception is open to everyone in the community—especially Dr. Tyson’s former patients, friends, family and colleagues. Come by, enjoy some light refreshments and take the opportunity to shake Dr. Tyson’s hand and wish him well in retirement.
“Jim Tyson has been an integral part of medicine in Transylvania County for nearly four decades,” said Bob Bednarek, president and CEO of Transylvania Community Hospital. “It is a privilege to honor a man—and also a close personal friend—who dedicated his life’s work to helping others in this community.”
Dr. Tyson, at 66, represents one of the last in a long line of country doctors. House calls were routine when he moved to the mountains. And patients paid with what they had—sometimes cash, sometimes produce, sometimes chickens. “There wasn’t a lot of insurance back then,” he remembers. “And an office visit cost $4 or $5.”
About Transylvania Community Hospital
Transylvania Community Hospital is a nationally ranked 5-Star Hospital and a leading provider of quality healthcare services in Transylvania and surrounding counties. Based in Brevard, N.C., it is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1933 and is the largest employer in Transylvania County.