Gary Shannon, MD, an independent board-certified anesthesiologist from Salisbury, N.C., says he has not had enough time to help his patients find a new physician after Rowan Regional Medical Center notified Dr. Shannon that it would terminate its ownership of Dr. Shannon's pain clinic, according to a Salisbury Post news report.
Dr. Shannon was notified on Jan. 3 that the hospital would no longer own Pain Management Clinic, where Dr. Shannon has worked as an independent physician for more than 10 years. The hospital will continue to support the pain clinic's other physicians and staff members, who will be assigned to other hospital positions, but is completely terminating ownership of the clinic itself. As a result, Dr. Shannon has decided to end his practice at the clinic, although he planned to practice medicine for three to eight more years.
"We had a team approach to the care of a patient," Dr. Shannon said in the report. "I was the quarterback, but I need my other players in there to effectively provide the best service." Without any financial support, office space and money to compensate other physicians, opening a private practice is also out of the question, he said.
A hospital spokeswoman said the decision to terminate the agreement with Dr. Shannon stems from regulatory concerns. "As regulatory requirements continue to change over time, we try to assure structures that are clearly definable and do not create confusion from a patient billing or reimbursement standpoint," said Robin Baltimore, spokeswoman for Novant Health, which owns the hospital.
Although the hospital has agreed to notify patients of the changes over the next two weeks, Dr. Shannon, who claims to have seen more than 3,200 patients, argues that is not enough time to adequately transition all of his patients.
Read the news report about Dr. Gary Shannon.
Read other coverage about anesthesiologists:
- Anesthesiologist on the Move: Dr. Peter Kroll Joins NorthCrest Medical Center
- Anesthesiologist on the Move: Dr. Donald Penning Appointed Denver Health's Director of Anesthesiology
- Florida Anesthesiologist Questions Use of Home Blood Sugar Meters During Surgery
Dr. Shannon was notified on Jan. 3 that the hospital would no longer own Pain Management Clinic, where Dr. Shannon has worked as an independent physician for more than 10 years. The hospital will continue to support the pain clinic's other physicians and staff members, who will be assigned to other hospital positions, but is completely terminating ownership of the clinic itself. As a result, Dr. Shannon has decided to end his practice at the clinic, although he planned to practice medicine for three to eight more years.
"We had a team approach to the care of a patient," Dr. Shannon said in the report. "I was the quarterback, but I need my other players in there to effectively provide the best service." Without any financial support, office space and money to compensate other physicians, opening a private practice is also out of the question, he said.
A hospital spokeswoman said the decision to terminate the agreement with Dr. Shannon stems from regulatory concerns. "As regulatory requirements continue to change over time, we try to assure structures that are clearly definable and do not create confusion from a patient billing or reimbursement standpoint," said Robin Baltimore, spokeswoman for Novant Health, which owns the hospital.
Although the hospital has agreed to notify patients of the changes over the next two weeks, Dr. Shannon, who claims to have seen more than 3,200 patients, argues that is not enough time to adequately transition all of his patients.
Read the news report about Dr. Gary Shannon.
Read other coverage about anesthesiologists:
- Anesthesiologist on the Move: Dr. Peter Kroll Joins NorthCrest Medical Center
- Anesthesiologist on the Move: Dr. Donald Penning Appointed Denver Health's Director of Anesthesiology
- Florida Anesthesiologist Questions Use of Home Blood Sugar Meters During Surgery