MercyOne's specialty clinic in Des Moines is ending gynecologic oncology surgical services June 1, ABC affiliate KCCI reported April 23.
"[The service's] closure resulted from multiple factors," a MercyOne spokesperson told Becker's. "The primary reason was our inability to recruit a specialty physician after a two-year search following a physician’s retirement. The high cost of temporary providers was unsustainable. MercyOne patients continue to have access to our comprehensive circle of gynecological and cancer care across Iowa. This closure also has no impact on the MercyOne Cancer Center Medical Oncology and MercyOne Cancer Center Radiation Oncology."
It is unclear how many patients will be impacted. West Des Moines-based the Iowa Clinic will become the only facility in central Iowa to provide the specialty service and is preparing for an influx of patients starting in June. The center is already working to hire another physician specializing in gynecologic oncology surgeries, but told KCCI that attracting talent may be difficult.