People share thoughts on Martinsville Children’s Medical Center closing

MARTINSVILLE, Va. ( WFXR ) – The Martinsville Children's Medical Center announced on Facebook Monday it will be closing for good effective January 1st. It has battled financial struggles for quite some time and was left with no choice.

Martinsville is a designated medically underserved area by the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA), and this closure won't help things get better.

"It has become harder to attract people to the area because a lot of people coming out of medical training, doctors haven't really trained to be businesspeople," Doctor David Seamon, an American Board of Pediatrics certified pediatrician, said. "They're not really embracing a private clinic because they don't want to have to run it."

Around 1,400 patients will need to find another place for pediatric care, including 17-year-old Jesus Soto.

Children's Medical Center Martinsville announces closure after 55 years of practice

He and his family have been coming to the Children's Medical Center for as long as he can remember.

"I think it's really unfortunate because I know for a lot of people, the Children's Medical Center is all they know," Soto said. "I'm going to have to start going to my mom's doctor now, but I think it's going to be a pretty smooth process, and I'm not worried about it because I know they can handle the records well."

Doctor Seamon has worked there for almost 35 years. He has one last message for anyone seeing him for the final time.

"I'd just tell them, 'Thank you for the opportunity I've had to be to be your doctor,'" he said. "I've told them, 'Don't give up, and we may have some availability somewhere else.'"

Doctor Seamon said he would let his patients know if he does end up at another practice.