To the Editor:
Thank you for the enlightening article by Noah Zweifel regarding the closing of a clinic and loss of a valued physician [“Patients scramble as St. Peter’s closes dental center, and a doctor’s practice,” The Altamont Enterprise, May 31, 2023].

Since the article appeared, I have learned of one more patient who was dumped by St. Peter’s Health Partners at its Western Avenue location. In response to the letter informing her of her doctor’s leaving, she called the office and asked to be assigned to another doctor.

She was told their other staff would not be able to accept any additional patients.  She is now also going to Dr. Grahame Fitz at his new location.

I did file a complaint about the practice with the New York State Department of Health and I encourage anyone else similarly affected to do the same. It is unlikely that anything will happen as a result of the complaint, but at least it is on record.

Where is St. Peter’s Health Partners’ concern about its patients? If it is not illegal to just dump patients, it certainly is borderline unethical and certainly morally wrong. If there is no law against how they are handling this, there should be.

Michael J. Connelly

Guilderland