A respected Katanning doctor has passed on his practice, retiring after two decades serving his community and 50 years helping patients.
Specialised general practitioner Petrus Lotter closed his books and transferred the Katanning Surgery lease to St Luke’s Family Practice on May 22.
The new building has allowed St Luke’s to expand their team as they had outgrown their premises and will host Allied Health, including a podiatrist and an osteopath.
Dr Lotter established Katanning Surgery with his wife Martha in 2014 after working at Katanning Health Service in accident and emergency and anaesthetics for visiting specialists since 2003.
He said his practice benefited the community by providing a local centre that was not attached to the hospital.
“The main impact is I gave Katanning a local option because there’s just one other practice in Katanning, so there was a void there,” Dr Lotter said.
“It has been very pleasant and rewarding, and I gave special attention to the patients’ histories and personal relationship and I think that’s what made me a little bit different than my colleagues.”
The WA Rural Health Long Service Awards 2024 had recognised Dr Lotter hitting his 20-year mark.
He said his main motivator to be a doctor was his wife and his love for solving medical problems.
Dr Lotter said he has “ambivalent” feelings about closing the practice.
“There’s a lot of patients I have personal contact with and relations, and the time has come for me to retire but I will miss them,” he said.
Dr Lotter said in retirement he will enjoy hobbies like photography, reading, chess and calligraphy, and hopes to catch up with his former patients as friends.
