Guthrie Medical Group will close Watkins office Oct. 1

WATKINS GLEN--The Guthrie Medical Group will be closing their Watkins Glen office effective Oct. 1.
Natalie Smart, manager of corporate communications for Guthrie, confirmed Tuesday, July 18 the medical group sent letters to patients last week regarding the Watkins office closing.
Smart said, "Over the years, it has proven difficult to recruit a full-time primary care provider for the office, and following a few staffing changes in the office, it was determined that now is the right time to transfer services over to the Guthrie Big Flats office. The Guthrie Big Flats office is expanding its primary care services with the addition of a new walk-in clinic. Cardiology patients who saw a provider at Watkins Glen will still be able to see their cardiologist at a range of Guthrie sites, including Pine City, Erwin, Big Flats and Bath."
She added, "Patients have been directly notified about the changes, and will be rescheduled as necessary."
Smart said she didn't immediately have the number of patients or the number of medical personnel that will be affected with the Watkins office closing. As of Tuesday, July 18, the Guthrie website listed three health care providers taking appointments in Watkins Glen.
Guthrie announced the Watkins Glen office opening in 1992.
The Guthrie Medical Group is a multi-specialty group practice that was founded in 1910 by Dr. Donald Guthrie.
Guthrie has grown in size and capability in the last century, and now serves as a regional referral center where more than 1,600 physicians send their patients. In 1977, Guthrie opened its first regional office in Troy, Pennsylvania. Today Guthrie has 32 regional offices throughout the region to provide primary care and outreach specialty care and testing to its patients.
Guthrie Corning Hospital opened a new 65-bed, 235,000 square foot, $143 million hospital and regional cancer center in 2014. The new facility provides emergency, ICU, labor and delivery, surgical, inpatient and outpatient services including wound care, cardiology, medical imaging and cancer care services.
Guthrie Corning Hospital is only the second new hospital to open in New York state in 25 years.