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#enshittification of “family” medical care.
A local medical clinic chain in northern Colorado that used to be called Associates in Family Medicine got bought out a year or so ago by a national chain called Village Medical. As patients we noticed some longer delays, etc. but nothing critical. Last week they announced they were ending all #obstetrics care. All of it. Turns out AFM was the only part of the natl chain that still had it at all. Not any more.
@qurlyjoe -- I'm in Denver. How I understand the situation is that faith-based hospital/medical groups are buying up medical services in places that have abortion rights like in Colorado.
Colorado is one of the only one of seven states that have no restrictions on the right for an abortion (no time limit).
So instead of changing the laws making it illegal, they simply make it UNAVAILABLE.
@jeffowski
Exactly. What I wonder is, did any one at the old AFM question this at all when they were in the negotiations about getting bought out? Either they didn’t, or they did and were ok with it. My wife and I are in our 70s so obstetrics per se is not anything we need for ourselves. But it is dismaying.
@qurlyjoe Private equity purchased the large medical outfit my primary practice was part of.
They started doing their "private equity" things of chopping everything up, selling or closing this part or that part and sunlighted long term staff, went with national call centers instead of reaching a local office, etc.
Care got so bad, that after a +decade, we recently left.
I kid you not, every couple months we got a new primary care provider.
I just read, Village Medical is for sale now.
@paul
I don’t know if VM is a private equity thing, but it wouldn’t surprise me. I hadn’t seen that they were for sale. Figures.
@qurlyjoe They are owned by Walgreens.
Walgreens may sell entire stake in VillageMD business as it explores strategic options
https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/walgreens-exploring-options-villagemd-business-including-selling-entire-stake
Story about them buying Associates in Family Medicine.
https://www.coloradoan.com/story/money/2022/04/05/villagemd-buys-fort-collins-based-associates-family-medicine/9461515002/
@paul
I haven’t heard anything about in-home visits.
@paul
This first 2 articles make me wonder if it’s time to switch to another chain altogether. We both like our current PCPs but I only really see mine for an annual checkup.
@qurlyjoe Obstetrics was _the_ reason that brought us (and the kids) into the AFM system a couple of decades ago. All their recent nonsense aside, from a business perspective it seems pretty damn shortsighted to turn off that feed of new patients.
@qurlyjoe -- https://youtu.be/qN84CUtinA8
Colorado will now make Catholic hospitals say what services they won't provide