Hospital welcomes new general surgeon

COLFAX - Whitman Hospital and Medical Clinics welcomed a new general surgeon to the team in early August.

Jon Pirrello, of Simsbury, Conn., started working with Doctor Juan Parra as a general surgeon at the hospital.

Pirrello went to New York Medical College and completed his general surgery residency, doing an additional year of training in minimally invasive surgery.

"I've known for a long time, since high school, that I wanted to be a surgeon," Pirrello said. "I like being able to help patients with problems."

Practicing surgery for eighteen years, Pirrello said he was becoming a little bit disenchanted with the changes happening in healthcare for the last fifteen years or so.

"Healthcare (is) becoming more corporate and getting in the way of doctors being able to provide care for patients," said Pirrello.

Pirrello said he decided to leave his last practice after the realization and travelled for a year.

"I started looking for opportunities and came across the Whitman opportunity," said Pirrello. "I met with Hank (Hannigan) and it just seemed like a great opportunity for what I was looking for and what the hospital needed."

"Number one is patient care, number two is reducing preoperative risk," said Perillo when answering what his priorities were in his practice. "I focus on predominantly gastric surgery and abdominal surgery, so stomach surgery."

Perrillo said his family currently lives in Simsbury, due to his daughter being a junior in high school.

"We're trying to be accommodating for her," he said. "So I travel back and forth. We're moving out here when she graduates."

Having lived outside of cities for most his adulthood, Perillo said he has never lived in a town less than 3,000 people before.

"I think it's beautiful out here, and the people out here are very nice and have been very welcoming," said Perrillo. "I appreciate them being so welcome, and I consider it an honor and a privilege to be able to provide care for them."