Beloved Arkansas doctor out after contract rift; patients rally for Lonoke physician

Dr. Les Anderson is met by a crowd of supporters and patients as he walks out of his clinic Friday in Lonoke.
Dr. Les Anderson is met by a crowd of supporters and patients as he walks out of his clinic Friday in Lonoke.

LONOKE -- Dr. Les Anderson's last day seeing patients elicited tears from men and women alike.

The family physician's contract with CHI St. Vincent Medical Group was renegotiated without his endorsement, Anderson said Friday. The contract allowed the doctor to continue practicing medicine at the clinic on a part-time basis, and included a non-compete clause within Lonoke regardless of whether he accepted the renegotiated offer.

Anderson said this week that terms of the contract were unacceptable even though he signed the contract 90 days ago, according to CHI St. Vincent officials.

On Thursday, Anderson said, he was told by his bosses at CHI St. Vincent that he couldn't continue practicing medicine at the clinic or anywhere else in Lonoke after the close of business Friday.

He said he also was told that he needed to leave a couple of hours early Friday, thwarting some people's plans to show up that day and say goodbye to the doctor who had practiced in Lonoke for 40 years.

About 50 people found out on short notice about the 2:30 p.m. closing time and rushed to the clinic. The moment Anderson walked outside, he was greeted by a throng of supporters -- those he treated, those he goes to church with and those whose lives he made better.

Anderson teared up when he saw them. So did his wife and three daughters. So did his staff.

[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YMOfFb4GEA]

"The support has been tremendous," Anderson told the supporters while about half of them sniffled and wiped away tears with tissues. "I've just been overwhelmed by this."

Then he offered them some hope that he would still be their primary care doctor.

"We will continue," he said. "There is a next chapter. I don't know exactly what it is, [but] there is, believe me. ... There will be some things coming that I can't talk about, but we will persevere."

The crowd was made up of men and women, young and old, black and white. It was a small sample of the number of patients Anderson treated for sore throats and fevers over the years. He has been the only primary care physician in the town of 4,000 people, and his patient base exceeds 12,000, his family said.

Child patients he treated grew up, graduated and moved to Little Rock or some other larger city, but they often travel back to Lonoke to see their beloved family doctor.

"I'm just dumbfounded that he's no longer going to be here," said Linda Carothers, 67, of Lonoke, who has been a patient of Anderson's for more than 30 years. "It's a shock to his patients. It's a shock to our community. He's such a good person and such a good doctor."

Dr. David Foster, president of the CHI St. Vincent Medical Group, said Anderson was not ordered to vacate the clinic at any time before late Thursday. He said the longtime family physician was not only open to but also agreed to a reduction in hours.

"Following a periodic review of the clinic, it was clear that the clinic's performance was not sustainable," Foster said. "At that time, Dr. Anderson expressed his intent to retire, and the medical group began to develop plans to ensure a smooth transition for our patients."

That transition, Foster said, included Anderson being allowed to remain employed by the clinic while assisting in the transition to a new provider.

Anderson said CHI St. Vincent returned to him with an offer to work on a part-time basis, but the offer came with the non-compete clause. He said he did not want to work 20-25 hours per week because he wouldn't be able to see all of the patients he serves. He also disliked the stipulation that he couldn't work at another clinic.

Anderson said he has sought legal advice. He also said he intends to work regardless of any non-compete mandate his former employer may try to invoke.

"I have to work," Anderson said. "I'm not giving up on this community. Giving them a continuity of care is critical."

Friday's gathering was part retirement gathering, part rally. Anderson's friends and family were there to support him and to voice their displeasure at the manner in which he was leaving.

"He's more than a doctor," said Alice Bridges, 69, a retired teacher who lives in Lonoke and was among those at the clinic Friday. "To him, it was his calling. It's his mission to be a healer."

She teared up as she recalled a time when she and her husband were vacationing in Maine and her son fell ill. She made a long-distance call to Anderson at his home seeking help. Her son got the medical care he needed.

Peggy Keller, 80, of Lonoke said she called Anderson at home years ago after her husband suffered his first heart attack. She talked with Anderson's wife because the doctor was working on his farm. As soon as Anderson got her message, he called his colleague, a cardiologist, who arrived at the hospital 10 minutes after Keller's husband got there.

"You'll never find another primary care doctor like him," Keller said.

Foster said Anderson surprised CHI St. Vincent with a late change of heart.

"Dr. Anderson was provided with a letter of intent, which included details of the [transition] plan," Foster said. "He promptly signed and returned this letter indicating his interest in participating.

"It came as a surprise when staff returned from Thanksgiving break to find Dr. Anderson's office completely cleaned out of any personal effects," Foster continued. "When confronted with this sudden change in behavior, Dr. Anderson assured staff that this was routine and in no way indicated a change in plans."

Foster said he and other executives at CHI St. Vincent remained hopeful that Anderson would honor the letter of intent that he signed and continue to provide services. Instead, he told his bosses at the close of business Thursday that he wouldn't honor the letter.

"As a result of this late notice, we are in the early phases of adjusting our plans for continued patient access to medical services in Lonoke," he said.

Foster said the transition was not part of a cost-cutting measure.

"Our intent has always been to ensure that the community of Lonoke continues to receive access to high-quality health care," he said.

Anderson's friends and family believe the health care company intends to staff the clinic with nurse practitioners and not doctors.

Anderson's oldest daughter, Rhelinda McFadden, 49, said her father began his medical career at a clinic in Jacksonville. In 1980, he opened his own practice in Lonoke, and it eventually merged with Baptist Health. About seven years ago, CHI St. Vincent approached Anderson after his last contract with Baptist Health expired, and he moved on to another local clinic, one that CHI St. Vincent built for him on J F Boulevard, McFadden said.

His patient base remained loyal to him everywhere he went, she said. Some of them have stayed with him since his stint in Jacksonville.

"It was cradle-to-grave care," said McFadden, who for 15 years worked for her father as a registered nurse. "It was a true family practice, and it was a labor of love for him."

Anderson said the medical community has pushed for more doctors in rural communities, but it needs to push harder. He also said cutting loose a doctor who has served his small community for more than 40 years flies in the face of the pursuit of ensuring that rural families get the quality care they need.

Foster insisted that maintaining a high level of care in Lonoke has remained and will remain a priority for CHI St. Vincent.

"Dr. Les Anderson has been an important part of the Lonoke community and the quality compassionate care that the CHI St. Vincent Medical Group has been providing there," Foster said. "We had remained hopeful that he would continue that care for our patients."

Metro on 12/07/2019

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