Vineyard Medical Care of Vineyard Haven, Mass., a privately owned healthcare facility, may soon close its doors as the current lease nears expiration. Michael Jacobs, MD, the center’s founder and current landlord, told the publication that the owners of Vineyard Medical Care have decided not to renew their lease.
“This is a major crisis for more than 1,000 patients,” Dr. Jacobs said. “The entire community will feel the impact.”
Dr. Jacobs initially sold the practice in 2014 to Michael and Melinda Loberg. Mr. Loberg, a chemist with a background in pharmaceutical development and industry management, took on the role of president and CEO. However, his recent health complications have rendered him unable to continue managing the center.
Additionally, Ms. Loberg told the publication that, beyond ownership and operations, she and her husband have financially supported the practice during difficult periods when it was not generating profit.
Despite extensive efforts, the medical director, James Butterick, MD, and Ms. Loberg have struggled to find a buyer willing to take over the practice. Attempts to engage local and regional healthcare organizations, including Mass General Brigham — operator of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital — and Cape Cod Healthcare, have been unsuccessful.
The potential closure of Vineyard Medical Care exacerbates an already critical shortage of primary care providers on the island. In 2010, there was one primary care physician for every 870 residents of Dukes County. That figure has since deteriorated to one provider per 2,110 residents — a ratio significantly worse than both state and national averages.
Dr. Jacobs remains open to any viable solution that would allow the medical center to continue operating, including leasing, selling or establishing a rent-to-own arrangement, the report said. He has committed to keeping the building available for medical use for as long as possible in the hopes that a resolution can be reached.
