BV
Office Big, Beautiful
Bill Blamed
Augusta Medical Group last week announced the closing of the Buena Vista Primary Care office, one of three Augusta Health practice offices being closed and consolidated with other offices. The other two offices closing are in Weyers Cave and Churchville.
According to a statement from the medical group, patients of the Buena Vista office have already been contacted and reassigned to either Augusta Health Maury River Family Practice in Glasgow or Augusta Health Primary Care in Lexington.
“These decisions are never easy, but demonstrate Augusta Health’s commitment to deploying innovative access strategies for addressing demand at the neighborhood level. They are necessary to ensure the future of Augusta Health and to provide the consistent, cost-effective care our communities deserve,” said Kris Doan, president of Augusta Medical Group. “We remain focused on meeting the evolving needs of the Shenandoah Valley while keeping our patients at the center of everything we do.” The Buena Vista Primary Care office at 2054 Sycamore Ave. had opened in 2021 and featured six exam rooms in its 3,000-squarefoot space. In 2024, a total of 1,321 unique patients received care at the Buena Vista clinic.
The office has been operating on Fridays only since July 7, following the resignation of a clinician.
“The consolidation allows patients to receive care five days per week at our Lexington and Maury River Primary Care clinics, instead of only one day per week at Buena Vista,” said Cecilia Carpenter, chief operating officer of the Augusta Medical Group.
A total of five people, including the physician, were employed at the Buena Vista clinic. All have been reassigned to either Maury River or Lexington primary care clinics.
While the consolidation of the offices were described in last week’s announcement as part of Augusta Health’s “ongoing commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality care while adapting to the evolving needs of the community,” it was “also part of Augusta Health’s ongoing response to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the resulting realities for healthcare delivery.”
Carpenter elaborated on the concerns posed by the passage of this year’s federal law in an email to The News-Gazette yesterday.
“Augusta Medical Group was already considering whether to consolidate our primary care and urgent care network in rural areas of the valley, but the OBBBA and its cuts to Medicaid and reimbursement to health care providers made our decision very clear,” she said. “Augusta Health is facing an estimated $40 million loss in operating revenue when the law is fully implemented in 2027, and we must prepare for that impact so we can sustain our mission to serve the community.”
