Despite reports of its closing March 31st, Muskegon Family Care announced on Friday that it will remain open indefinitely. After multiple West Michigan news organizations, (including WGVU News) reported that Muskegon Family Care had eliminated 70 percent of its staff and would be permanently shutting its doors at the end of March, new CEO Daniel Oglesby told WGVU those reports are a "lie," and a false story being perpetuated by the media.
“There is a narrative that is bought by the mainstream, and they begin to communicate untruths and fallacies,” Oglesby said. “And even to the point that members of the board and interim leadership begin to communicate and believe the same information; you say something long enough, it becomes truth.”
However, the Michigan Primary Care Association last week confirmed that 70 percent of employees had been terminated without warning, while Muskegon Family Care itself issued a press release stating it would provide services “until the end of March” and would “wind down operations and help patients transition to other providers.”
And last week, a lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court on Feb. 16, claims 150 full-time employees were terminated on Feb. 14 without warning.
Oglesby says, that number is inaccurate--that the true number of terminated employees is 40. He says its innacurate as well to say, that the facility was ever going to close its doors, despite the announcement from the clinic.
Muskegon Family Care is remaining open indefinitely. I asked him if the elimination of 40 employees was critical to the health care provider's financial survival.
“To those who made the decision at the time, I say yes,” Oglesby said.
Friday marked Oglesby’s first day on the job. As of Friday the health facility advertised they were accepting new patients.
