Jackson Hospital’s Closure Could Drive Away International Doctors

Estee Morrison, Bill Gill, WAKA Action 8 News,
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by Estee Morrison, Bill Gill, WAKA Action 8 News

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) —The possible closure of Jackson Hospital in Montgomery could have consequences reaching far beyond patient care. Physicians on work visas say a shutdown could force some doctors to leave Montgomery and potentially discourage others from coming here in the future.

Cardiologist Dr. Ashok Runkana is from India, but has called Montgomery home for the past five years. If the hospital closes, Runkana says dozens of physicians who work under visa programs could face an uncertain future.

He estimates between 30 and 40 doctors at Jackson are in similar situations. Runkana says doctors would have just 30 to 60 days to find new employment, while transferring licenses and obtaining hospital credentials can take months.

Any lapse in employment could cause immigration problems for physicians and their families. It could also make Montgomery less attractive for international physicians and create challenges for healthcare recruitment in the future.

“New credentialing, new hospital credentialing and everything takes months, at least three months, and we don’t have that much time. In between, there could be a situation where we fall into an illegal status if we don’t leave the country immediately, and the community may lose some physicians because of that in the long run,” said Runkana.
“It affects not just the community care, medical care in the community, but also the future effects of medical care and physicians coming here into the community. It impacts not just the current situation, it has long-term effects.”
You can read more about the situation here.
Categories: Montgomery Metro, News, Statewide
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