Sudden closure of Middletown pain management clinic leaves patients panicked about care

The sudden closure of a Middletown pain management practice earlier this month has left patients scrambling to find providers that will fill their opiate medications with no guidance on where they should go.

The Industrial Health Care Center in the 1800 block of Veterans Highway in Middletown closed following the death of its only physician, Dr. Dennis Bonner, who died Aug. 10, at age 74, according to his obituary.

Some patients alleged they only learned of the closing after they showed up for a scheduled appointment and saw a notice posted on the front door telling them the office is closed “due to unexpected circumstances,” and directions to leave a message with the answering service.

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The Bucks County Consumer Protection Department Director Michael Bannon said he has not received calls from former patients concerned about renewing pain medication prescriptions as of Monday.

The emergency room at Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol has received calls from former patients of Bonner, but no one has shown up yet, spokeswoman Michele Aliprantis said.

Chronic pain patients who are prescribed narcotics such as methadone, morphine or oxycodone and fentanyl can experience severe withdrawal symptoms, which can be dangerous for those with chronic conditions such as heart disease.

Withdrawal occurs when a patient who is dependent on the drug suddenly reduces or stops taking them and onset is typically within 12 to 48 hours after last use for long-acting opiates and can last 10 to 20 days, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Are there rules or protocols that should be in place in the event a medical practice suddenly closes?

The Department of State oversees doctor licenses, but not the practice. A spokesman did not immediately respond to an email Monday seeking information. Neither did the Pennsylvania Medical Society, a professional association.

Patients should be notified at least 60 days before a practice closes, and the notice should include the option to transfer medical records to another provider, according to the American Medical Association. Patients who require continual follow-up care should be referred to another provider.

Patient medical records must be retained in compliance with Pennsylvania law regardless of whether the physician who created the records dies. Physicians must retain an adult patient’s medical records for at least seven years from the last date of service, according to the Pennsylvania Medical Society.

Before death, a solo practitioner may make arrangements for the retention of patient records, according to the medical society.

If the physician left a will, the executor of the doctor’s estate is responsible for fulfilling these arrangements and preserving the patient records. The physician may direct that custody of patient records be transferred to a local hospital or another doctor.

If the physician left no will, the local probate court will appoint an administrator to settle the physician’s estate. The administrator will then be responsible for preserving patient records.

In both of these situations, the executor or administrator will need to find another doctor, provider, practice, hospital, or other custodian to properly retain the patient records or they will need to make arrangements to adequately store the records themselves.

What are the options for former patients of the Industrial Health Care Center who need a prescription refill?

• If a primary care doctor won’t prescribe the pain medications, a patient can check their health insurer’s website for in-network pain management providers. But most pain management clinics will require new patients bring copies of previous medical records.
• If the symptoms are urgent, go to the local emergency room.
• Patients with urgent medication issues can contact the Lenape Valley Crisis line at 1-877-7709.
• The Pennsylvania Patient Advocacy Program is available to help patients decide on next steps and may make referrals. Email ra-dh-advocacy@pa.gov or call 844-377-7367 (option 3), Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at Jciavaglia@gannett.com