PHMG responds with notice to evict Graybill physicians from their offices and transfer patients to unknown physicians
ESCONDIDO — Graybill Medical Group Inc. (Graybill), a multi-specialty medical group that has been serving Fallbrook, North County San Diego and South Riverside County communities for nearly a century, is terminating its managed services agreement with Palomar Health Medical Group (PHMG), citing inadequate support and response to the aftermath of the May 2024 cyber-attack directed against PHMG.
Graybill, which currently employs over 100 physicians and advanced practice providers, serves over 70,000 patients and accommodates more than 175,000 patient visits annually, has faced unprecedented challenges since the cyber-attack. The breach severely impacted its operational capabilities, leaving healthcare professionals, patients, and staff with limited access to essential phones, computers, and patient records for over four months, with critical functions still not fully restored.
“Graybill leadership has been deeply concerned about the disruption to patient care and the lack of assistance provided to us by Palomar Health Medical Group following the attack,” said Kelly Boyatt, MD, a Family Medicine Physician with Graybill Medical Group. “The breach and the inability to have all critical functions restored has hindered our group’s ability to deliver essential medical services to our patients.”
“These are patient lives that are being affected, and we were left without the basic tools needed to serve our patients during this crisis,” said Dr. Boyatt. “Instead of offering the necessary support to our physicians, staff, and patients, PHMG has chosen a path that further disrupts patient care and continuity.”
Graybill has established plans for a smooth and amicable transition as it separates from PHMG to ensure the ongoing care of their patients across multiple locations without interruption. Graybill is looking to work with its long-time partner Sharp Community Medical Group to allow patients to continue to see their current physicians and access Palomar Health and the Palomar Health specialists as they do today. Graybill’s goal is to be able to continue to provide the high-quality care it patients have come to expect.
Notice of Eviction
In a surprising and disconcerting move, Palomar Health Medical Group responded to Graybill’s request to terminate the agreement by issuing a notice that essentially evicts Graybill physicians from their offices and transfers their patients to unknown physicians. These decisions were made unilaterally by PHMG, and the physicians replacing the Graybill doctors would be hired without consulting the patients or their families. The patients affected by this transition will be assigned to new providers under their insurance plans without any consideration of their established relationships with their longtime physicians or the potential disruption to their ongoing medical care.
“Palomar Health Medical Group’s decision to evict our physicians and transfer our patients to providers they have no relationship with is a direct affront to the trust and well-being of the patients we have served for decades” said Dr. Boyatt. “This move jeopardizes the quality of care and dismisses the importance of patient-physician relationships, not to mention continuity of care. We are talking about people’s lives, and they deserve better.”
As Graybill navigates these challenges, its top priority remains the health and well-being of its patients, as patients have been its priority for nearly a century. Graybill will work tirelessly to find alternative solutions to ensure that its patients receive the quality care they need and deserve during this transition.
About Graybill Medical Group Inc.
Graybill Medical Group is a premier multi-specialty medical group in North County San Diego and South Riverside County, known for its long-standing commitment to the health and well-being of its patients. With a history spanning nearly 100 years, Graybill remains dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate, and high-quality healthcare services to the community.
