About 500 jobs will be eliminated across Lifetime Health Medical Group’s Western New York primary care offices, as the Rochester area locations transfer ownership to Rochester Regional Health and UR Medicine.
Lifetime Health, Rochester Regional Health and UR Medicine confirmed in the fall that a plan was in the works to take ownership of Lifetime’s Rochester area medical offices by Jan. 1, pending state Health Department approval. That was received on Nov. 13, said Lifetime Health Communications Manager Stacy VanBlarcom via email.
Each of Lifetime’s nine locations — six in the Rochester area and three in Buffalo — are eliminating positions by Dec. 31, with a few separations delayed until March or April 2018, according to state filings. About 300 total job eliminations were listed for Lifetime's Rochester area offices.
The acquiring providers in Rochester offered positions to providers and clinical staff, and a "small number of full- and part-time non-clinical staff positions were not included in the transition," said VanBlarcom. As these positions were non-clinical, their elimination will not affect patient care, she added.
It's unclear how many of the jobs lost will be replenished under the new owners.
A statement on Lifetime Health’s website informs patients that the Greece, Perinton and Wilson practices (Wilson is in Irondequoit) are transferring ownership to RRH, and the Artemis, Westfall and Folsom practices, all in Brighton, are transferring ownership to UR Medicine.
Most providers will continue to see patients at the same locations, with the exception of Folsom Health Center physicians, who are moving to nearby UR Medicine locations and will continue to see their patients there, said VanBlarcom.
All phone numbers will remain the same at offices transferring to RRH, said Dr. Bridget Wiefling, senior vice president of the Primary Care Institute. Primary and urgent care will continue uninterrupted, but some specialty practices may change and some adjustments may be made as pharmacies are re-licensed under RRH, she said.
About 200 total layoffs are occurring at three Buffalo area locations — Amherst Health Center, Hamburg Health Center and William E. Mosher Health Center — as all three will close on Dec. 31, according to a statement on the Lifetime website. Many of the Lifetime providers have begun establishing new practices in the Buffalo area, the statement continued.
The Buffalo News reported that the practices will close after the medical group struggled with a shortage of primary care physicians in Western New York, which led to patient access issues and challenges with financial performance.
The Democrat and Chronicle reached out to UR Medicine for comment.
Lifetime Health Medical Group is part of the Lifetime Healthcare Cos., which also operates Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. Excellus and the medical group practices are run separately.
STADDEO@Gannett.com
Includes reporting from staff reporter Patti Singer.