In the quiet rhythms of a regional community's health, the arrival of a single skilled physician can quietly shift what is possible for its residents. Hillsdale Hospital welcomes Dr. Paul Aschmetat, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, this August — bringing with him the capacity to restore movement, relieve pain, and respond to injury for patients who might otherwise travel far for such care. His joining reflects a deliberate institutional commitment to keeping specialized medicine close to home, where continuity and trust between doctor and patient can take root.
Board-certified orthopedic surgeon joins Hillsdale Hospital
Advanced techniques with compassionate care to help patients achieve the best possible outcomes
Mark
So this is a staffing announcement—a hospital hiring a surgeon. Why does that matter to readers who aren't patients of his yet?
Mimi
Because orthopedic care is something a lot of people need at some point in their lives, whether it's a sports injury, a fall, or just aging joints. If your local hospital doesn't have the right specialists, you end up driving an hour away for surgery. This is about access.
Luke
Fair, but I want to know: was there a gap before? Did Hillsdale not have an orthopedic surgeon, or are they adding a second one? The piece doesn't say.
Mimi
That's a real question. The language suggests they're building out the program, but you're right—we don't know if this is filling a void or adding capacity to what already existed.
Mark
What about his credentials? Is he well-regarded?
Mimi
The CEO says he comes highly recommended by colleagues and patients. His training is solid—residency at Garden City Hospital, recent practice at Oaklawn in Marshall. He's board-certified, which is the baseline credential that matters.
Luke
But we're taking the CEO's word for "highly recommended." We don't have independent verification of his reputation, patient outcomes, or why he left Marshall. Those are details that would matter to someone choosing a surgeon.
Mark
What can patients actually get from him that they couldn't get before?
Mimi
Hip and knee replacements using newer techniques—anterior hip approach, robotic-assisted knee surgery. Shoulder work. Sports medicine. Trauma and fractures. The practice also does injections for pain management, so not everything requires surgery.
Luke
Again, though—did Hillsdale not offer these before, or are they just expanding? The piece treats it as new capacity, but we don't know if these services existed under a different surgeon.
Mark
When does he start?
Mimi
August. So patients can start calling to schedule in the next month or so.
Luke
One more thing: the piece mentions the hospital maintains an orthopedic surgeon on call for emergencies. That suggests there was already orthopedic coverage. So this is likely an addition, not a replacement. That's worth clarifying in a follow-up.
Der Puls
- A gap in local orthopedic surgical capacity has long required Hillsdale-area patients to seek specialized joint and trauma care elsewhere.
- Dr. Aschmetat arrives with a precise and modern skill set — robotic-assisted knee replacement, anterior hip surgery, and shoulder arthroplasty — raising the ceiling of what the community's hospital can offer.
- Hospital leadership has publicly named orthopedics a strategic priority, signaling that this hire is part of a broader, deliberate expansion rather than a one-time addition.
- Beginning in August, patients can schedule directly at Hillsdale Orthopedics on Carleton Road, with surgical procedures performed on-site and an orthopedic surgeon available around the clock for emergencies.
In the quiet rhythms of a regional community's health, the arrival of a single skilled physician can quietly shift what is possible for its residents. Hillsdale Hospital welcomes Dr. Paul Aschmetat, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, this August — bringing with him the capacity to restore movement, relieve pain, and respond to injury for patients who might otherwise travel far for such care. His joining reflects a deliberate institutional commitment to keeping specialized medicine close to home, where continuity and trust between doctor and patient can take root.
Hillsdale Hospital is expanding its surgical capabilities this August with the addition of Dr. Paul Aschmetat, a board-certified doctor of osteopathic medicine who will practice at Hillsdale Orthopedics on West Carleton Road. His arrival represents a meaningful step in the hospital's effort to grow its specialty services and keep complex orthopedic care accessible within the region.
Aschmetat's path to Hillsdale winds through several Midwest institutions — undergraduate studies at Central Michigan University, medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a surgical residency at Garden City Hospital in Michigan. He most recently practiced at Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall before making the move.
His clinical strengths lie in joint replacement and reconstruction, including anterior total hip replacement, robotic-assisted knee replacement, and shoulder arthroplasty. He also brings experience in sports medicine, acute trauma, and fracture care — a range that equips him to handle both planned surgeries and urgent orthopedic needs.
Hospital president Jeremiah Hodshire praised Aschmetat's reputation among peers and patients alike, framing the hire as central to the hospital's ongoing orthopedic growth. Aschmetat himself has expressed a commitment to combining advanced technique with compassionate, patient-centered care focused on restoring mobility and quality of life.
Hillsdale Orthopedics treats conditions across the musculoskeletal system, from arthritis and fractures to sports injuries, with options ranging from injections to full surgical intervention. Patients can reach the practice at 517-439-5411 to schedule an appointment.
Hillsdale Hospital is bringing on a new orthopedic surgeon this August. Dr. Paul Aschmetat, a board-certified doctor of osteopathic medicine, will begin seeing patients at Hillsdale Orthopedics, the hospital's orthopedic practice located at 61 West Carleton Road. His arrival marks an expansion of the hospital's surgical capacity in a specialty the institution has identified as central to serving its community.
Aschmetat's training spans multiple institutions across the Midwest. He earned his undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, then completed his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Florida. His residency in orthopedic surgery took place at Garden City Hospital in Garden City, Michigan. Most recently, he practiced orthopedic surgery at Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall, where he built a patient base before the move to Hillsdale.
His clinical focus centers on joint replacement and reconstruction. He specializes in anterior total hip replacement—an approach that accesses the hip joint from the front of the body rather than the side or back—and robotic-assisted total knee replacement, a technique that uses computer guidance to improve surgical precision. He also performs shoulder arthroplasty, the surgical replacement or resurfacing of the shoulder joint. Beyond joint work, Aschmetat brings expertise in sports medicine procedures, acute trauma care, and fracture management, a breadth that positions him to handle both elective and emergency orthopedic cases.
In a statement, Aschmetat framed his approach around patient outcomes. He said he is committed to helping patients recover mobility, manage pain, and return to activities that matter to them, and that he aims to blend advanced surgical techniques with attentive, compassionate care. Jeremiah J. Hodshire, the hospital's president and chief executive officer, said Aschmetat comes with strong endorsements from both colleagues and patients. Hodshire noted that orthopedics has remained a priority as Hillsdale Hospital expands its specialty services, and that Aschmetat's arrival will strengthen the program's ability to deliver high-quality care with improved patient access and continuity.
Hillsdale Orthopedics itself offers a range of treatments for conditions across the musculoskeletal system. The practice treats fractures, hand and upper extremity injuries, sports-related conditions, and arthritis affecting any joint. Treatment options span from injections for joint pain to surgical interventions including anterior hip replacements and total and reverse shoulder replacements. Orthopedic surgeries are performed at Hillsdale Hospital itself, which maintains an orthopedic surgeon on call around the clock for emergencies. Patients interested in scheduling an appointment with Aschmetat can call Hillsdale Orthopedics at 517-439-5411.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
As we grow our specialty services to meet our community's needs, orthopedics has remained a top priority. With Dr. Aschmetat at the helm of orthopedic surgery, our program will be equipped to provide excellent, high-quality care with better access and continuity than ever before.— Jeremiah J. Hodshire, president and CEO, Hillsdale Hospital
Möchten Sie die ganze Geschichte?
Das Original lesen bei M Live Michigan ↗
Health & Medicine