JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – At least three clinics in Northwest Jacksonville are closing soon prompting concerns about access for some patients.
UF Health is closing two locations and Ascension St. Vincent’s is closing another one.
News4JAX saw a crew taking off the UF lettering at one of the clinics on Monday, and a spokesperson with UF Health said patients have the option to go to any of their other practices.
Patients who have transportation said that’s not a problem for them, but the worry is that those without transportation are losing access.
One of the UF Health clinics is closing because of a disagreement with the landlord, a spokesperson says, and another clinic on Dunn Avenue, a little more than 10 minutes to the southeast, is closing for business reasons.
Patient Michael Walsh says he didn’t know about it.
“They didn’t mention it at all to me. I was just in there for an appointment,” Walsh said.
The sign on the door said it’s closing on Sept. 9. A spokesperson with UF Health said the practice will reopen with the same doctor under a different name.
“If it’s going to a new company, I don’t want it,” Walsh said. “I want UF because I go to UF North for my...like I had a hip replacement, I have my cardiologist there, and a lung doctor there.”
Patients who go to this Ascension St. Vincent’s Clinic on 13th Street say they were also told it is closing soon. Some with cars told News4JAX it doesn’t really bother them, they’ll just go somewhere else. But another patient said for those without transportation, it’s going to be difficult for them to see a doctor going forward.
UF Health has told patients they can go to any of their other locations including their main campus on W. 8th Street as well as clinics on Lila and Edgewood Avenues.
A patient who used to go to a Soutel Drive clinic said its closure will especially hurt underserved communities.
“What about the older people or the disadvantaged people that don’t have transportation where they can go get in the car? They could walk to the doctor’s office when it was over here. Now they have to catch the bus or find other means of transportation,” said Lee Brooks.
A spokesperson with UF Health said it has also closed other clinics in the past in other areas for business reasons.
A spokesperson with Ascension St. Vincent’s said it is providing a 30-day notice to patients of clinics involved in consolidation and are doing everything it can to ensure they have the opportunity to seek care at another location that is convenient to them.