Hematology/Oncology Associates of Central New York has announced that it will no longer admit patients to Community General Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y., according to a Post-Standard report.
The change is effective Dec. 1. The private cancer practice sent a letter to patients, saying “changes have taken place at Community General that no longer allow us to provide a high level of care to our cancer patients,” according to the report.
CGH was acquired by Upstate Medical University in July. Hematology/Oncology Associates say the hospital does not have a dedicated cancer unit, nor chest surgeons, neurologists and neurosurgeons. For outpatient cancer services, Hematology/Oncology Associates and Upstate are major competitors, according to the report. Still, a practice official said competition had nothing to do with the decision, according to the report.
John McCabe, MD, CEO of Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, said there are usually fewer than four Hematology/Oncology Associates patients hospitalized in CGH at any one time. Dr. McCabe said Hematology/Oncology Associates “made a decision based on their own business and that’s fine,” but said they shouldn’t paint the hospital in a poor light because of it, according to the report.
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