Patients and local officials in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan are speaking out against the firing of a doctor at a local MyMichigan Health facility.
Dr. Thilak Chander, who specializes in internal medicine, has worked as a physician in the area for around 30 years. Last week, MyMichigan terminated his employment for reasons that are unclear.
His physician's assistant, Danielle Russo, was also let go after MyMichigan allegedly waived her 90-day resignation notice following Chander's termination.
Droves of people showed up at a rally Monday in front of the hospital calling for his reinstatement, saying they relied on Chander for care.
In addition, a letter signed by over 50 medical professionals in the area, many of them who work at MyMichigan Sault, condemned Chander's firing. It was posted by Chander's son, Dr. Vishnu Chander, on social media.
The statement says the decision was made without advance notice. "Like many members of our community, we were shocked and deeply disappointed," the letter reads.
"We stand in support of Dr. [Thilak] Chander and Danielle Russo and none of us participated in or had any knowledge of the corporate, HR-related decision leading to his termination and her resignation."
Local officials, including state Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, who represents Sault Ste. Marie in the legislature, are also calling for his return. Damoose told WCMU that the outpouring of support for Chander at the rally is unlike anything he's ever seen before.
“This isn't just a doctor who people really liked. There were people who were crying," Damoose said. "There were people who were saying, 'I wouldn't be here without him."
In a statement on social media, Sault Ste. Marie's Mayor Don Gerrie said he heard concerns from the community and hoped MyMichigan leadership would speak to him and the city manager about healthcare access concerns voiced by many in the community.
“I hope the hospital and Dr. [Thilak] Chander can find a mutually supportive path that allows him to continue seeing patients independently or otherwise continue serving our community,” Gerrie said.
MyMichigan Health said in an emailed statement to WCMU that they can't comment on confidential personnel matters but “understand there are questions in the community and recognize the many relationships Dr. [Thilak] Chander has built with patients and colleagues over the years.”
They went on to say that MyMichigan Health is “deeply committed” to the community and are “actively working to ensure every impacted patient has continued access to primary care by transitioning patients to another available provider within our system.”
Clinical teams are working on managing prescriptions and follow-up needs and patients will be notified regarding “their transition options and next steps,” the statement continued.
Meghan Hanna worked as a nurse for around six years with Thilak. She said he treated her family members, including her grandmother who had Alzheimer’s disease.
“He cared for her really dearly," Hanna said. "He never seemed inconvenienced by the extra questions. My dad was a patient of his. My uncle, my aunt, a few of my cousins, they were patients that are being affected by this they're not sure where they're going to find care.”
Hanna says the firing of Thilak has caused concerns about healthcare in the eastern Upper Peninsula.
“We're quite rural, I mean we have one hospital here,” she said referring to Sault Ste. Marie. “We've lost a lot of primary care providers in our area. It seems like we'll recruit one and then lose two.”
