Seven doctors to relocate from Centretown clinic

It was almost like it was trying to convince the patients to stay or to shame the doctors.

Seven doctors are leaving an Elgin Street family medicine clinic en masse early next year.

They reassured patients late last month via email that they’ll continue to care for them after next March at a yet-to-announced new location.

But earlier this week, the owners of the Heart of Ottawa Medical Centre then sent their own message to patients calling the doctors’ decision “incomprehensible to us.” They also posted it on the centre’s website.

Patient Megan Cartier said she’s had a great relationship with her doctor and is able to follow her to a new location if it’s reasonably central, although she noted a move might be a problem for the many people in the neighbourhood who don’t have their own transportation.

“I chose the Heart of Ottawa clinic originally because it was so close and because I was, at the time, a student,” she said. “I could only get where the bus could get me and if I was sick, I wanted it to be closer rather than farther away.”

While Cartier found her doctor’s letter “very professionally worded,” she was “shocked” to get one from the owners.

“The fact that I was being contacted using personal information I had given to the clinic for something that had nothing to do with my health,” Cartier said.

“It was almost like it was trying to convince the patients to stay or to shame the doctors. At the end of the day, it was a contract negotiation that didn’t work out. It’s sort of inappropriate that it made its way into everyone’s inbox.”

Reached by the Citizen via social media, one of the seven doctors leaving said that neither she nor her colleagues would comment. The Citizen also reached out to the clinic owners but had not heard back as of late Thursday afternoon.

The doctors indicate in the emails to patients that they are together relocating their practices as of March 19. Until then, according to a Sept. 29 email provided by another patient, care will continue as usual at 270 Elgin St. Patients will be informed within weeks of a new clinic location and records will be transferred for patients who would rather find a new doctor.

“While change can be difficult, we are excited to open our new practice and together with our staff we plan to make the transition as smooth as possible for you.,” said an email from Dr. Laura Chow, who wrote that she is relocating along with Dr. Marc Boisvenue, Dr. Marta Fundamenski, Dr. Kyle Mylrea, Dr. Neil Rogers, Dr. Brie Rosenberg and Dr. Sarah Saliba.

“We are currently in the process of finalizing our new clinic location in Ottawa and we hope that you will follow us,” she said, signing off that “I look forward to continuing our relationship as your family physician from the new clinic.”

On Tuesday, the clinic owners responded.

Chantal and James Dumont, who own the nearby White Cross Dispensary, said in the statement that they used their savings and a loan to open the clinic in 2011, after a walkin clinic in what was already an underserved area was set to close.

They said they gave Centretown and Golden Triangle residents priority to be registered at the practice, which they intended to staff with seven doctors and support until it was self-sustaining, but as of early 2017 were still subsidizing its operation.

The Dumonts say they approached the seven doctors to renegotiate their agreements and when talks failed offered to sell them the clinic and negotiate a “competitive” long-term lease.

“It is with great regret that after nine months of negotiation, we are announcing today that the physicians have decided to move their practice to a new location,” the Dumonts said, adding that they’re “sincerely saddened by their decision as you may also be.

“We remain committed to our community and we are actively recruiting for another group of physicians who will take over our beautiful fully furnished medical office space.”

The centre will remain open until March 15, the Dumonts said, and “you have our commitment that the level of service you have been accustomed to will remain.”