Mary Black severs ties with local medical park

"I just want to make sure the doctors and their patients are taken care of." - Joe Howell UCMC Administrator Doctors in the Peachview Medical Park will no longer be employed by Mary Black Memorial Hospital as of next February.

Physicians within the hospital's first major medical facility in Gaffney include Dr. Rick Ruffing, Dr. Susan Bland, Dr. Charles Stroup, Dr. Frank Barnhill, Dr. Todd Morgan and Dr. Scott Klosterman. Their combined practices care for 40 percent of Cherokee County patients.

The Peachview Medical Park physicians were part of Mary Black Physicians Group, the largest multi-speciality group in the area. Peachview currently has six doctors and 25 staff members.

Mary Black Memorial Hospital in Spartanburg recently exercised its contractual rights to end its relationship with the doctors, chief development officer Dennis Jankowski said. The change takes effect at the end of February.

Economic issues were the main factor in the decision to end the hospital's association with Peachview Medical Park, according to Jankowski.

"After taking a look at our economic model, we decided it didn't really help us to continue with the doctors," Jankowski said. "The doctors will still be able to serve their patients. The main change is Mary Black will not have ownership over the (Peachview) facility or employ the doctors."

Peachview Medical Park has doubled in size since it opened in 1997. The medical facility now offers primary care, extended hour care, laboratory and radiology areas, in-house lab services, general surgery and occupational medicine.

Jankowski said he is unsure about the future plans for Peachview Medical Park.

The physicians could choose to form their own corporation or practice independently.

"I just want to make sure the doctors are OK," said Upstate Carolina Medical Center Administrator Joe Howell. "They are Cherokee County physicians. Whatever happens, they are the ones who drive health care."

Asked about the possibility of UCMC and Peachview Medical Park joining forces, Howell said, "I'd like the opportunity to work with them."

"Honest to gosh, I just want to make sure they're OK." Howell said. "They've been here a long time and they have tremendous practices. I just want to make sure the doctors and their patients are taken care of."

The building in which the doctors practice is owned by a real estate company and was leased by Mary Black Memorial Hospital. It was unclear what would happen to that arrangement once the hospital ends its affiliation with the medical park.