Ascension Medical Group St. John Primary Care Pawhuska (Okla.) closed permanently on June 30, ending Dr. James Priest’s 59-year run as the rural Oklahoma clinic’s physician, Tulsa World reported Aug. 17.
Dr. Priest, now in his late 80s, joined the clinic in 1967 and treated multiple generations of families in Pawhuska, Okla. The clinic itself had served the town for 69 years, since it opened in 1957.
Ascension St. John sent clinic staff a letter this spring announcing the closure. Ascension St. John confirmed the permanent closure, saying it contacted patients to coordinate transfers.
“We thank Dr. Priest and his staff for their many years of dedicated service to the health of our community,” an Ascension St. John spokesperson said in a statement shared with Becker’s. Our priority continues to be ensuring a seamless transition for patients with no disruption in care. “
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