Orange is losing its only cardiologist. Dr. Miguel Castellanos will be moving to Palestine, Texas, in August.
“I am leaving Orange because there is no hospital for me to practice cardiology and to take care of m patients the way they need to be cared for,” he said.
Baptist Hospital closed the local hospital for in-patient care in June 2015 and then the emergency room closed this past January.
Dr. Castellanos said he stayed at his office in Orange for a while.
“I had some hope that there would be a hospital coming within a reasonable period of time, but I have lost that hope,” he said.
He and his office staff worked to collect signatures to call for an election to create a countywide hospital district. However, Orange County officials announced the signatures did not meet the state’s criteria to call for an election.
The doctor said “nothing has happened” since then. He is going to Palestine, a town similar in size to Orange, because he found a hospital without a cardiologist. He said Orange is the largest city in Texas without a hospital.
Dr. Castellanos has been a cardiologist in Orange for 26 1/2 years. When he moved here, the hospital and community had 30 to 40 physicians. At one time there were more than 40 doctors. Now, he silently counts the ones left. He says 14 to 15 doctors will be in town.
As a cardiologist, most of Dr. Castellanos’ patients are senior citizens. He is transferring his patients to a cardiologist in Beaumont. The patients will have to drive there or find rides.
He’s told his patients. “Everyone has expressed some sadness and disappointment, but everyone understants it’s very difficult to provide cardiatric care without a hospital,” he said.
Some of his employees have already left for other jobs, while some are still looking.
Dr. Castellanos said a hospital is vital for the community and business. “I think that if I were in a position to open a business that would generate a lot of jobs, the lack of our health care facilities would make me think about it in a very critical way,” he said.
“I certainly want to thank the people of Orange for all the wonderful years and all the support” by the physicians, the health care professionals and his patients, he said.
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