Recently, it was mentioned to me that one of my providers was leaving Dickinson County Healthcare System in March. I have not been notified by that physician’s office, not by letter or phone call. It is now the end of January and no one has let me or that physician’s other patients know that he will be leaving. He is the only doctor in that specialty who is available in Iron Mountain. The nearest doctor in that specialty will be Marinette or Green Bay in Wisconsin or having to travel to Escanaba. What is the big secret? It is hard enough to get in to see a new doctor and we need a sufficient amount of time to get an appointment.

All of the advertising that DCHS puts on the radio is not helping the hospital. There is nothing that will bring new physicians to the area because there is not much here to attract new doctors. The only big-box store is Walmart.

I have made the decision to travel to Marinette, Wis., to continue my care in that specialty. My faith in DCHS is gone.