PALM HARBOR, Florida — Imagine showing up for an appointment only to find your doctor’s office gone. Distraught patients are saying that’s what happened to them. Worse yet, now some have no idea where to get their medical records.
The Starus Medical Group operated 5 primary care doctor’s offices across Pinellas and Pasco counties serving hundreds of patients.
10Investigates found Starus patient Christa Hill as she was showing up for her doctor’s appointment at the Palm Harbor office, unaware the office had closed.
“Its locked up, there’s nobody there. No sign that says what happened,” said a shocked Hill.
As a breast cancer survivor, Hill says she relies on her doctor for ongoing treatment and checkups to make sure the cancer doesn’t return.
“Well, I don’t know what to do,” said Hill. “I really don’t. I’m in a real predicament.”
She’s not alone. Many other patients are in the same situation.
As 10Investigates first reported in June the St. Petersburg office also shut down without warning leaving some patients in the middle of exams, even lab samples abandoned in the refrigerator.
Neighboring doctor’s offices say they’re getting flooded with patients looking for answers.
“They seem very confused,” the an employee of neighboring office. “Patients get pretty attached to their primary care doctor.”
Many patients now have no idea where to get their medical records or where their lab results ended up. The only communication according to some patients with upcoming appointments was an automated message sent out by phone.
“They did call me today to remind me of my appointment,” said Hill astonished the office didn’t bother to deactivate their automated reminder system before closing.
Now many patients want to know why they were abandoned — without warning.
“They should have notified us,” said Hill.
Former employees, now out of a job say Starus Medical group may have broken laws by not notifying patients at least 30 days in advance of the closures. They too are upset saying the company has failed to pay promised severance packages but most of all over how their former patients are being treated.
10Investigates has located the new custodian of Starus patient medial records. For information contact:
Healthport/CIOX at 800-367-1500
Site ID #: 54913
