Former Compass Medical patient sues company, alleges ‘patient abandonment’

An Abington man filed a class action lawsuit Friday against now-shuttered Compass Medical, accusing the Quincy-based organization of leaving tens of thousands of patients scrambling to find medical care.

Compass Medical announced its decision to shut down in a statement posted to its website on Wednesday, leaving many patients scratching their heads as to the sudden loss of primary care options.

The move came after Compass Medical was convicted on 10 counts of fraud in October 2022 and ordered to pay a Dallas-based medical group $16.4 million. An attorney for the Dallas group was surprised to hear of the closure and left wondering how the settlement would be paid.

And now, John Callanan of Abington, a former patient of Compass Medical, said the Quincy medical group abruptly closed all of its patient care facilities in Massachusetts “without any prior notice” to Callanan or others involved in his class action lawsuit. Callanan’s lawyers said the closure amounted to “patient abandonment.”

“What we’re hoping to accomplish is to shine a light on this unconscionable business practice and to hopefully get every one of these patients who’s been affected by some kind of financial relief,” said Attorney Jonathan Sweet of the personal injury firm Keches Law Group.

Patients were left in a “chaotic, stressful, disruptive, and unsafe position” as they rushed to find new medical providers, deal with prescriptions, and schedule or reschedule important medical tests and appointments, the lawsuit said.

“Compass violated generally accepted industry standards and guidelines for the orderly winding down and closing of a medical practice,” the lawsuit said. “Compass opted for a sudden unannounced closure so it would not lose revenue while it remained in operation.”

The lawsuit said Compass Medical’s decision to shut down was based on financial pressures from the $16.4 million ruling in 2022. And the law firm said there were likely more than 70,000 Compass Medical patients across its multiple medical facilities.

In a statement issued Thursday, Compass Board President Dr. Bruce Weinstein said “most” physicians at the 450-employee company would continue to provide care in their local communities as part of other practices.

Weinstein said medical records would be preserved and available pursuant to federal and state regulations.

“Compass will be updating the website regularly with information on how patients can contact their physician in their new practice setting and how they can obtain access to their medical records,” Weinstein said in a statement.

State officials have said they are looking into Compass Medical’s closure.