WASHINGTON, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
A doctor dispute in Washington, Missouri is leaving patients with a tough choice to make: local hospital or local doctors. In this week's Washington Missourian newspaper, there is not one, but two full page ads. One is from the hospital welcoming its new cardiologists. Another is from the old cardiologists trying to explain why they are gone. Caught in the middle is a group of patients that just want them to be on the same page.
"My trips to St Louis are greatly diminished."
That's because most everything Joe Vernaci needs is in his home town of Washington, Missouri. But he fears for critical cardiac care he may have to go out of town.
"I'm concerned the community is going to be the loser," said Vernaci.
He says after his heart doctor John Mohart was told he could no longer see patients at the only hospital in town.
"We can't visit them or care for them while they are in the local hospital." says Dr. Mohart. "So patients have to choose between their local hospital and their local doctor."
It's a choice patient Rich Kandlbinder doesn't want to have to make.
"I hate to see two great facilities fight like this." he says. "It hurts the patients."
The Patient's First facility in Washington, MO, is where Dr. Mohart has his practice but there are no beds, recovery rooms, or surgery rooms at that new facility. He and his patients could use those at Washington's St. John's Mercy just up the street until last Thursday. That was when a hand delivered letter told he, Dr. Brian Seeck, and two other cardiologists differently.
"Many of our patients want to receive their care here locally and they want to receive it by us because they have chosen us as their cardiologists," says Dr. Seeck.
As far as the cardiologists leaving the hospital, St. John's president says that was not the hospital's decision.
"It absolutely was their choice," says Terri McLain. "We looked at them as our provider and we believe they found other reasons to go to St. Clare that better met their financial interests and needs."
While the doctors admit they have taken some procedures to the new St. Clare Hospital in Fenton they still want and need to be able to see patients and do procedures at St. John's. But the hospital has found someone else to staff the doctor's facility.
"This hospital needs physicians who are partnered with us to help us grow and thrive in this community." says McLain. "I would ask the community to support their local hospital."
Both centers have asked for support in full page ads in the local newspaper but that's exactly what patients want to be able to do: support both doctor and hospital.
"We have a super group of doctors at Patient's First," says cardiac patient Vicki Licklider, "and we have a great hospital and we would like to see the difference resolved."
"My trips to St Louis are greatly diminished."
That's because most everything Joe Vernaci needs is in his home town of Washington, Missouri. But he fears for critical cardiac care he may have to go out of town.
"I'm concerned the community is going to be the loser," said Vernaci.
He says after his heart doctor John Mohart was told he could no longer see patients at the only hospital in town.
"We can't visit them or care for them while they are in the local hospital." says Dr. Mohart. "So patients have to choose between their local hospital and their local doctor."
It's a choice patient Rich Kandlbinder doesn't want to have to make.
"I hate to see two great facilities fight like this." he says. "It hurts the patients."
The Patient's First facility in Washington, MO, is where Dr. Mohart has his practice but there are no beds, recovery rooms, or surgery rooms at that new facility. He and his patients could use those at Washington's St. John's Mercy just up the street until last Thursday. That was when a hand delivered letter told he, Dr. Brian Seeck, and two other cardiologists differently.
"Many of our patients want to receive their care here locally and they want to receive it by us because they have chosen us as their cardiologists," says Dr. Seeck.
As far as the cardiologists leaving the hospital, St. John's president says that was not the hospital's decision.
"It absolutely was their choice," says Terri McLain. "We looked at them as our provider and we believe they found other reasons to go to St. Clare that better met their financial interests and needs."
While the doctors admit they have taken some procedures to the new St. Clare Hospital in Fenton they still want and need to be able to see patients and do procedures at St. John's. But the hospital has found someone else to staff the doctor's facility.
"This hospital needs physicians who are partnered with us to help us grow and thrive in this community." says McLain. "I would ask the community to support their local hospital."
Both centers have asked for support in full page ads in the local newspaper but that's exactly what patients want to be able to do: support both doctor and hospital.
"We have a super group of doctors at Patient's First," says cardiac patient Vicki Licklider, "and we have a great hospital and we would like to see the difference resolved."
