| At
Large Business Briefs Cartoons District Court Report Editorial Gone Fishin' Letters to the Editor Real Estate Transactions Sports Sports Highlights |
| Art Bestsellers Dance Edibles Film In Print Music Theater |
| Achievements Astrology Birds Births Community Shorts Dean's List Engagements Garden Notes Honor Roll Obituaries Off North Road Short Subjects Town Meetings Visiting Vet Weddings |
| Chilmark Edgartown Oak Bluffs Tisbury West Tisbury |
The
Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
July 28 - August 3, 2005 Edition
Web
Comments
- Email Submissions
| Two
family doctors will end Island practices July 28, 2005 By Nelson Sigelman Martha’s Vineyard is about to lose two well-known and respected Island family doctors. Dr. William Tsikitas and Dr. Ilene Klein have announced they will leave their practices and the Vineyard this fall. Although new doctors are already scheduled to take their places, the departures are certain to be felt within the intimate confines of the Vineyard community. In a letter to her patients dated June 27, Dr. Klein, who practiced with Dr. Henry Nieder as a member of Vineyard Family Medicine, said her decision to leave is based solely on personal and family considerations. “It is not based on my relationship with Vineyard Family Medicine or Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, both of which have been, and continue to remain, deeply rewarding,” she wrote. In her letter, Dr. Klein assured her patients that they would not be without a doctor. She said that Dr. Julia Stunkel, a family physician whose practice comprises pediatric and adult medicine, would be joining Vineyard Family Medicine in mid-September. In addition to her medical practice, Dr. Kline has been an energetic member of several Island boards and forums concerned with the quality of care on Martha’s Vineyard. In a telephone conversation with The Times, Dr. Klein said that although her immediate departure plans are uncertain she would maintain her commitments as a working member of the Dukes County health council until her appointment expires at the end of the year. Dr. Klein was instrumental in the receipt of a rural health network development planning grant that will be used to fund an outside look at how best to rshape health care services on the Island. She said she would continue to be involved with that effort. In a letter to the patients of Dr. Tsikitas, dated July 14, Dr. Beth McDonald, who practices with Dr. Tsikitas as part of Vineyard Sound Medicine, wrote, “After much deliberation, Dr. Tsikitas has decided to leave the Island due to health concerns of his close family.” Dr. McDonald said that Dr. Gail O’Brien, an experienced internist from Rhode Island Hospital, will join the practice immediately, and another physician is expected to join in November. Dr. MacDonald also said that she is expecting her first child in late October and will take a three-month maternity leave. In a separate letter to patients dated July 18, Dr. Tsikitas said he had made the decision to leave the Island after a “long and difficult deliberation” due to the health concerns of family and the need to be closer to health facilities and relatives. After assuring his patients that everything possible would be done to provide a smooth transition he wrote, “It is of course going to be difficult for me to say goodbye to you after all the years that I have been fortunate enough to know you and take part in your health care. I have tried and I hope, fulfilled your expectations of a personal physician.” In a telephone conversation with The Times, Dr. Tsikitas said that it would be very hard to leave the Vineyard after 14 years. “it is a tight knit and very caring community and I don’t think there are many like that,” he said. “I will certainly always remember my experience here.” Mr. Tsikitas also had words of praise for the hospital and its efforts to maintain his practice and a commitment to recruit more primary care doctors. On an Island where getting an appointment with a family physician can be more daunting than making a ferry reservation, providing primary care coverage is a concern for health care leaders. Although the practices of Dr. Tsikitas and Dr. Klein are located at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Vineyard Sound Medicine and Vineyard Family Medicine are private practices, which use rented office space and are responsible all their own appointments and billing. Unlike Dr. Klein and Dr. Tsikitas, their replacements, Dr. Stunkel and Dr. O’Brien, will be hospital employees. Tim Walsh, hospital chief executive officer, said the hospital’s decision to hire new doctors is based on the hurdles and costs associated with starting a new private practice on the Vineyard. “It is just much too hard,” said Mr. Walsh. “Hiring doctors is the only way to get them here in a hurry.” He said working for the hospital will alleviate some of the paperwork and office management issues doctors face in private practice. He said the difficulty in getting and keeping primary care doctors requires a new model that is not based on establishing private practices. Mr. Walsh said he expects to add two more doctors later this fall. u |
||
| Send this page to a friend: | ||
|
©The
Martha's Vineyard Times 2005 - www.mvtimes.com
|
||
The
MV Times Webcam
Click
here for a view of the Vineyard Haven Harbor
