Whistleblower 9: Doctor's Office Closes Without Warning

None — Ayana Dixon called Whistleblower 9 after her son's doctor's office suddenly closed and she couldn't get his medical records.

When Dixon gave birth to her daughter two months ago, she decided she wanted her 2-year-old son, Matoose, to go to the same pediatrician as her infant daughter. Dixon's husband went to get their son's medical records from his old doctor, MD Family Medical, but found out the office had closed.

"I was shocked because we did not get any notification," she said.

The family's new doctor has been unable to get a copy of Matoose's medical records, and Dixon said the phone number she was told to call is a dead end.

"I've been calling the number, [but I've] never gotten anyone," she said. "It rings and then says the mailbox is full."

Dixon said her son was recently hospitalized for a week, and she couldn't provide his medical records to hospital doctors.

"That information could have been helpful for the doctor," she said.

Whistleblower 9 tracked down the family's doctor, Krista Galitsis. She is now practicing in Virginia.

Galitsis said she left the practice in October after the owners of MD Family Medical stopped paying her, then fired her. She blames them for shutting down the practice without notifying patients.

Whistleblower 9 tried to contact the owners, but all of their numbers have full mailboxes or have been disconnected.

The North Carolina Department of Insurance is investigating MD Family Medical, but officials wouldn't elaborate as to why.

David White is a medical consultant and former director of medical groups in Charlotte. He often helps doctors who are retiring or closing their practices.

White said MD Family Medical should have sent notification letters to patients before the practice closed in order to prevent confusion.

"It lays out what is happening to the practice -- what the timeline is," White said. "You usually want to give 30 days notice before you just shut down."

White said the owners of the practice didn't break any laws, but also didn't handle the closing properly.

After Whistleblower 9's contact, Dixon was told she would get her son's records in two to three weeks.

She said she's concerned about other former patients who may be going through the same ordeal.

Any parents who are in the same situation can get vaccination records for their children by contacting their county's health department.

WSOC