Three physician practices announced closures within a single month, spanning rural Oklahoma, small-town Texas and Owensboro, Ky., as physicians cite retirement, personal reasons and the ongoing challenges of sustaining independent practice in underserved communities.
Here are three physician practice closures in the last month:
1. Ascension Medical Group St. John Primary Care Pawhuska (Okla.) closed permanently on June 30, ending James Priest’s, MD, 59-year run as the rural Oklahoma clinic’s physician. Dr. Priest, now in his late 80s, joined the clinic in 1967 and treated multiple generations of families in Pawhuska, Okla. The clinic itself had served the town for 69 years, since it opened in 1957.
2. Kevin Hough, MD, a physician at Cogdell Family Clinic in Snyder, Texas will close his practice on Sept. 25. Dr. Hough will work to complete records and facilitate patient transfers in the weeks ahead.
3. Wesleyan Medical Practice in Owensboro, Ky. will close in December 2026 when its founder, Sara Doolin-Thompson, DNP, retires from private practice, according to a Facebook post from the practice.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
