Dr. Gerald Fielder didn’t know who the man on the other end of the telephone conversation was or what he wanted.

All he knew was that he was busy and needed to get back to work so he politely asked the nice gentleman to put what he was talking about down in writing and send it to him in letter form.

Three days later, Fielder received the letter announcing he was chosen as the 2010 recipient of the South Carolina Office of Rural Health’s Pioneer Award.

Even then, the 83-year-old physician from Lockhart didn’t know how much of an honor the award is until he told Union Hospital District CEO Bill Leonard about him being named as this year’s recipient.

Leonard — who attended the rural health organization’s conference in 2009 — “got all excited,” according to Fielder, and informed the doctor just what winning the award means.

The SCORH presents the Pioneer Award each year to one provider who — during a lengthy career — has contributed significantly to the delivery of primary health care in a rural environment.

Fielder definitely fits the bill.

He’s been in practice in Union since July 6, 1953, and continues to be an active member in the Union County healthcare provider community, visiting his patients at Wallace Thomson Hospital daily and maintaining office hours four days a week at the same location where he first opened the practice more than 56 years ago.

Those who nominated him to receive the 2006 Physician of the Year award from Wallace Thomson recognized him for the time and care he always gives his colleagues and patients. One said “he is never too busy to make time for other physicians, nurses and patients.” Another commented he “is a friend worth having.”

The good doctor has seen more than half a century of change in medicine and has kept up with it all — constantly updating himself on new medicines and learning everything he can to stay at the forefront of his profession.

He’s the epitome of the term “life-long learner” and continues to provide his patients with the best possible care.

Fielder is a past recipient of the Order of the Silver Crescent Award and has received the key to the City of Union for his years of dedication and practice to the people of Union County. He also was honored in 2003 with a “50 Years of Service Celebration” where the community was able to thank him for his tireless contributions to its happiness, health and well-being.

When he opened his practice in 1953, being a doctor meant doing it all.

“At the time, medicine was quite different than it is now,” Fielder said.

There was no such thing as Medicare or Medicaid. There was no four-lane highway from Union to Spartanburg. There were no computers and the paperwork was a lot lighter.

Fielder and the other doctors in Union County at one time did everything themselves — whether that meant delivering a baby one minute and then performing surgery the next. He had to do it or it wouldn’t get done.

“We had to take care of our own people at the time,” he said.

But that didn’t mean the other doctors in town wouldn’t help.

Fielder has worked with several doctors throughout his tenure in Union County, including the original Dr. Hope and Dr. Switzer. It was that core group of providers in the mid-20th century who dealt with everything until specialty medicines began to emerge later in the century.

There were often situations where if one doctor needed help they would call in one of their colleagues for assistance. Fielder said there were many times where a trio of doctors would cover a surgery — one as the surgeon, another as the assistant and the third as the anesthesiologist.

“We worked together as kind of a team,” Fielder said, even though none of them practiced together.

Very seldom did he or the other doctors at the time send people outside Union County to receive medical attention. He was familiar with the emergency room at Wallace Thomson because it wasn’t unusual for him to work all day at his own practice and then be back at the hospital later that night for the ER watch.

As a sign of the change, Fielder at one time would have been considered a general practitioner; however, he no longer delivers babies and stopped performing surgeries in July 2000.

He is now a family practitioner because of his specialized area of practice. Fielder was one of the first doctors in Union County to take and pass the family practice boards and become a specialist in that field.

He is glad to serve Union County in his capacity as a family doctor. Helping patients and people is what he’s always wanted to do.

“I’ve always been happy being a doctor,” Fielder said. “It’s been a blessing to me. I’m still practicing today because I still have that joy and heart in helping people.”

He’s also had the opportunity to see the business side of health care and help in the capacity as a member of the Union Hospital District’s Board of Trustees. Fielder has been a member of that board for several years and said it’s important for a community to have a hospital — especially one like Wallace Thomson and the quality it provides its patients and community.

“People don’t realize how important it is to have a hospital,” he said, adding the first two things businesses and industries look at before locating in a specific area is the availability of schools and a hospital.

He said sitting on the board has been an eye opener and added Carolinas Health Systems — the hospital district’s current managing physicians group — has done a good job and only has the best interest in mind when it comes to Union County.

“They love this hospital,” Fielder said.

Receiving an award like the SCORH Pioneer Award is something Fielder wasn’t expecting but he’s excited about the honor.

“It’s more than I ever dreamed it would be,” he said. “I’m very pleased and happy to get the award.”

Fielder has come a long way from his roots in Little Rock, AR, and his time in the U.S. Navy and the doctor has no plans of turning his lab coat in just yet.

His preacher recently asked him the question of how much longer he plans to practice.

“My answer was as long as the good Lord allows me,” he said, adding hopefully he’s listening and has enough sense to do so when the good Lord tells him it’s time.

Fielder said he is sticking around as long as he’s in good health and he enjoys what he’s doing.

Both shouldn’t be a problem for him.

“I still love it,” he said.

ABOUT DR. FIELDER:

Dr. Gerald Fielder was born and raised in Little Rock, AR, and graduated high school there at age 16. The summer he graduated from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and later joined ROTC. Following his service as an ensign, he attended graduate school at the University of South Carolina. He later returned to Arkansas and graduated from medical school at the University of Arkansas in 1952.

After an internship in 1953 at what was then known as Spartanburg General Hospital, Fielder moved to Union and opened his general practice at 127 E. Main St. — where he still practices today. Prior to his discontinuing obstetrics in 1987, Fielder delivered about 3,000 babies. He continues to serve on the Union Hospital District Board of Trustees, a seat he has held for several years. He is a member of the South Carolina Medical Association, American Medical Association, Southern Medical Association, Union County Medical Society, Union Elks Club, American Legion and Lockhart Relay for Life team. He and his wife Lora are members of First Baptist Church in Lockhart.