CHARLOTTE, N.C. — WCNC Charlotte first told you about messages received from people on the 'Nextdoor' platform saying they abruptly learned their doctors at Holston Medical Group couldn't see them anymore. They had no way to communicate with them in the meantime.
Dismissing doctors amid the coronavirus crisis sounds counterintuitive, but it's happening as the demand for certain specialties declines.
A nurse tells our Sarah French she was blindsided with an email sent to 95 percent of her staff at Holston OBGYN saying they were being let go, right in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Thursday, we reported that 35 physicians resigned with a scheduled transition out this September. However, according to Holston, COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders diminished checkups and elective procedures, so 21 of those doctors that were set to transition out in September were quote "dismissed from patient care" effectively speeding up that transition by several months.
RELATED: 'Nobody knows what's going on' | Medical group dismisses 21 doctors amid coronavirus crisis
Sarah French spoke with a nurse who said doctors and nurses are being punished early for the resignation, leaving thousands of patients in the dark.
Danielle Wike, an OBGYN nurse said, “That's really been the hardest thing for us as nurses and providers as we want our patients to know this isn't the providers; this is not their call. This is not their choice. They want to take care of their patients, and they're not able to. I mean these are pregnant women in the middle of a pandemic who now do not have a doctor. And that's what is hardest for us.”
Holston Medical Group provided a statement saying,
"Earlier in the year, 35 physicians resigned from HMG. Honoring scheduled patient visits and contracts, these physicians were scheduled to transition out of practice with us in September of 2020. That being said, COVID-19 has impacted many healthcare organizations like ours in surprising ways. "
In addition, Holston Medical Group added to thier original statement saying:
"Please know that at this time, we have not been provided any information on where your provider intends to practice. However, the physicians are free to practice without any legal restrictions under any agreement with HMG. We are able to share an email address where you may contact them: 1healthphysicians@gmail.com."
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