South CarolinaPing
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Posted on 07/31/2010 10:43:17 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
One of the longest-running medical practices in Sumter has closed its doors - in large part, one of its partners says, because Medicare can't keep up with skyrocketing health care costs.
Internal Medical Associates PA, which started in 1968, fielded patients for the last time Friday. The practice, which was located for 36 years at 244 Church St., consisted of four medical doctors with a combined 115 years experience.
Dr. Lea B. Givens, 81, helped start the practice 42 years ago and is battling a serious illness. Dr. Hugh Stoddard Jr. worked for 32 years at the practice, and Dr. Philip H. Brandt spent 36 years there. Dr. Andrew J. Reynolds, who moved in September to Palmetto Adult Medicine LLC, worked five years at Internal Medical Associates.
The 73-year-old Brandt, who will be moving on to Tuomey Regional Medical Center, said his relationship with the other doctors at the practice was solid and professional.
"There was never a money argument among the physicians, and that was something that we treasured in this modern day," he said. "People split up in medicine because of money, and we had a wonderful accountant." Brandt said the changes that have occurred in health care plans involving patients with Medicare have forced the practice to close.
"The new health care plan is not very helpful to Medicare patients, and our patients are about 70-75 percent Medicare," he said. "Young physicans who I talked to that had some interest in this practice heard my practice was about 70 percent Medicare (and) weren't interested in practicing here. The dollar volume wasn't going to be there, and there could have been some things done to increase it, but we didn't think we had the flexibility to make it work. I also believe I could see those physicians coming and leaving."
Brandt said his experience with patients and his staff was nothing but pleasant.
"The patients have been extremely cordial, and we had a wonderful relationship with the specialists in town and the hospital," he said. "It's just unfortunate that we have to disrupt our great staff because most of the nurses have been here for a long time, and all these people are very special to me. They all are a wonderful help and have a great touch with people. They have helped so much, and they were familar with the patients. They knew exactly what I wanted done, and I didn't have to say anything."
Terry Radcliffe was the longest current staff member. Radcliffe worked as a licensed practical nurse at Internal Medical Associates for 36 years, and Brandt said both started working at the practice the same week. Radcliffe said the closing of the practice is heartbreaking.
"A lot of the patients have gone out crying because they love these doctors, and they took care of them," Radcliffe said as her voice cracked. "The doctors have been terrific to work with over the years, and this has also been a great staff to work with. We had 13 people on the staff, and it's unfortunate that people are going to have find another job."
Loretta Rabon, who worked 22 years as the medical biller and bookkeeper, said, "This place closing is like losing a family member."
"We've all been like family, and all these doctors have always put their patients and employees first, before themselves," she said. "I can remember my first day starting, and Dr. Brandt telling me to always remember that the most important thing is taking care of our patients. At our practice, we believed if that person standing on the other side of the window was your dad, mom or sister, you won't be hateful towards them, so don't be that way to anybody else."
Brandt said the office planned to give patients their charts and hand out a lot of medical prescriptions. He added that people came by and gave cakes to staff.
Charles Griffin, 62, of Sumter, said he had been a patient of Givens since 1973. Griffin added that his sister Virginia Cox worked as a nurse at the practice for 33 years.
"The closing of the office is tragic, and there were so many patients that depended on these doctors for medical purposes," Griffin said. "At age 62, I've got to find another doctor, and Dr. Givens knew all my past medical problems. I've unfortuately seen a lot of doctors, but Dr. Givens was the best physician I'd seen over the years."
Jackie Mills-Wooten, 58, who said she helps organize entertainment for Sumter@Six, explained she has been coming to the practice for more than 30 years when it was first located on West Calhoun Street.
"There will never be a better, more professional and dedicated medical office in Sumter than this one," Mills-Wooten said. "If Sumter does any type of recognition in the future, they certainly need to honor the dedicated hours these physicians and the staff put in. At this office, they just don't see patients, but they make you feel like you are part of a family. Dr. Brandt is such an excellent and compassionate doctor. He still did something that most doctors probably don't do, which is make house calls. Dr. Brandt would take the time to go and see my sick mother at her home. This office has had a lot of patients, and the loss of this place is a big blow to the community."
SC ping.
One of the longest-running medical practices in Sumter has closed its doors - in large part, one of its partners says, because Medicare can't keep up with skyrocketing health care costs.Pish posh. Publicly funded health care drives costs down, so said our masters in Washington and they are smarter than we are.
And they wonder why there is a shortage of geriatricians in these United States.
One word: Medicare.
The amount of red tape and minuscule reimbursement has passed the breaking point. Look to see a snowballing collapse of the program. Never mind Medicaid. It has already collapsed.
Where’s your Messiah now?
Democrats and RINO’s, doing to America what they have done to manufacturing, our schools, great cities, some states now, finance, banking, real estate.....
Sumter ping...this is what Barbara was upset about.
Another one bites the dust.
Thank you POS nobama. I know you don’t give a damn about this, but thanks anyway.
Thanks for the ping Swampy.
This is partly because of the changing sex ratio, and partly because of Federal regulations that limit hours worked in training (which creates expectations for practice later).
But the causes are unimportant. The reality is that as the 80-hour-a-week set retires (or dies), they are being replaced by 35-hour-a-week workers, which will accelerate the inevitable service contraction coming about because of Obamacare.
You ain’t seen nothing yet.
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