CLEARWATER, Fla. — Barbara Seiler has had the same primary care doctor in this Clearwater medical building since 1989.
“He’s quietly a very brilliant man. He’s not a pompous guy, “she said.
Seiler says her doctor was always there for her.
“You need to have a rapport with the doctor so you can ask personal questions that are uncomfortable.”
But when Barbara showed up for her appointment Tuesday morning, she, like hundreds of other patients, found out Diagnostic Medical Clinic is closing after more than 50 years. This is the letter that went out to patients saying they are closing their Clearwater location, along with offices in St. Petersburg, Largo, and Winter Haven.
“I was very very shocked to hear that it was closing. And very saddened and frustrated,” said Barbara.
The letter tells patients to work directly with their insurance companies to find new doctors. Dr. Jay Wolfson is a professor and interim dean at USF Health. He says Florida has a shortage of doctors and nurses so it may be tough for people to find new health care.
“Be persistent. Ask good questions. Make sure if you are going to get a new primary care physician that it’s someone you feel comfortable with. Somebody you can access easily in an organization that’s going to be good for you,” said Wolfson.
Diagnostic Medical Group will close on August 30. Its parent company, GuideWell, which also owns Florida Blue Insurance, made the decision to close. They will be opening four new medical centers at or near the locations of the clinics that are closing. Barbara says she hopes to follow her doctor to wherever he ends up.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
