After more than 25 years of serving the community, a local family physician is hanging up his stethoscope.

Dr. Deo F. Fisher, 66, will retire and hand over his family medicine practice at Good Shepherd Medical Center to Dr. Jonas Oltman, who just finished his residency. Oltman will begin Aug. 4.

Fisher opened his practice at Family Health Associates in June of 1989, when the hospital was in a different location and known as Hermiston Medical Center. He said his practice has changed through the years.

We used to take care of a great variety of medical problems in the hospital, Fisher said, adding doctors who specialize in certain fields now handle most of those cases. And thats been good because I think it increased my longevity by not having to be up late at night so much.

Through the years, he said he has seen the introduction of electronic medical records and an increase in the prevalence of diabetes, along with an increase in the number of specialists dealing with serious medical problems, which eased the work load at the private practice.

Theres a lot more back-up for family doctors like me, Fisher said. Theres a lot more specialty doctors in town now. The hospital has been really forward-looking for this communitys health.

After growing up in Tracy, Calif., Fisher attended medical school at the states Loma Linda University, graduating in 1973. After medical school, he went on to get a masters degree in public health.

Fisher said he has always enjoyed the aspect of family medicine that promotes a healthy lifestyle, along with the variety of family practice.

Ive always enjoyed the preventive aspect of what I do, trying to keep people out of trouble, he said. I enjoy seeing new things and treating a variety of problems and meeting a variety of people.

Fisher said he has made many good friends through the years and that Hermiston is a good place to raise a family and run a practice.

Its been very fulfilling to see people improve, and its rewarding to take care of people who dont if youre at least able to keep them comfortable and help them through the distress of their chronic illness, Fisher said. Ill miss it to some extent, but Ive got things I want to do, so I think Im going to be pretty busy.

Fisher owns forested land near Trout Lake, Wash., and has been managing it and planting trees there for about four years. Fisher said he hopes to get a cabin built and live there.