Published: July 26, 2008 04:21 pm            

A note from Dr. Rogers

Editor:

There have been a lot of rumors about what has been happening to my clinic. Therefore, I wish to set the record straight.

After spending five years, from starting this practice from scratch, with no financial assistance from the hospital or community, I have built this clinic to where we had myself, a physician’s assistant and a nurse practitioner, all providing care to my patients. Because of having three providers, we were able to take care of all our scheduled patients and set aside time slots for patients who needed to get in on a daily basis. With the nursing staff and a certified X-ray technologist, we had reached a goal that I had set years ago for what our capabilities should be. I felt the future looked bright for the clinic.

However, the hospital administration made a fateful decision to my practice when they chose to hire the nurse practitioner from my office without a single word of warning to me. In coordination with a number of other decisions, that likewise were outside my control, my practice has been very greatly damaged. For all these reasons, I have decided to close this practice and move elsewhere.

This was an especially discomfiting decision for me, since I had personally put so much of my time, sweat and tears into making the best office I could produce. I felt we were doing a tremendous work for our patients and their families and had made tremendous strides. It disturbs me greatly to take this step. It is even more disturbing because I have to break up the clinic’s team of extremely fine individuals with whom I have been able to work. Still though, in these circumstances, I cannot see another outcome.

On Sept. 1, I will return to the Great Plains Regional Medical Center in Elk City.

While the people of Elk City are already graciously welcoming me back to their community, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the wonderful patients here that I had the privilege to care for throughout these five years. Thank you for that opportunity. It is my earnest hope that I leave McAlester a better place for having spent my time and effort here.

Gregory A. Rogers, DO.

McAlester

        

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