'Patient abandonment': Lawsuit filed against Compass Medical for sudden shutdown
BOSTON - A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Compass Medical after its sudden shutdown earlier this week.
The lawsuit was filed in Plymouth Superior Court by Keches Law Group. "The suit alleges the action is negligent and violates Department of Health policies and is patient abandonment, leaving patients scrambling to find medical care," a spokesperson for Keches Law Group said. "This comes as the Attorney General's Office investigates the sudden closure."
Compass Medical abruptly shut down on Wednesday. Many patients discovered the practice would close when they received phone calls canceling their future appointments without explanation. Other patients showed up for appointments and found a note on the door that the facility was "temporarily closed."
The lawsuit states patients were deprived "of the advance opportunity to make adequate arrangements for continuity of their medical care and future care and treatment planning with non-Compass medical providers and facilities."
The company cited a "steady stream of challenges" for the closure. Just last year, Compass Medical lost a lawsuit and was ordered to pay more than $16 million to Steward Health Care.
The lawsuit was filed for "monetary damages and injunctive relief."
Compass Medical had six locations south of Boston and serviced approximately 70,000 patients and customers.
