The February 25, 2023, Herald article entitled “Former Baker surgeon gives up license” is an appalling injustice of orthopedic surgeon Eric Sandefur’s 20-plus years of caring for patients in Baker City. To call this article injustice is a gross understatement. Perhaps it is not libel from a legal point of view. But morally it hits pretty close to the mark.

For decades Dr. Sandefur was the only orthopedic surgeon in Baker City and he treated thousands of patients compassionately and competently. He saw patients in the emergency department and other hospital departments day, night and holidays. He did this without complaint. He was a colleague to many and a gifted surgeon.

I know nothing of an impending lawsuit so obviously will not comment but, I will say that orthopedic surgery like neurosurgery is high risk. Bad injuries and bad disease frequently have bad outcomes despite the patient having received the best of care.

Both my wife and myself have been treated by Dr. Sandefur on more than one occasion and we found his care to be of the highest standards.

To reduce decades of service to the community and the hospital to such an incredible mischaracterization is really unfair.

Neal Jacobson

Baker City