‘Vicious circle of panic:’ Cancer patient says he can’t receive medication since acquisition

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - A Ludlow resident fighting cancer says he’s in a “vicious circle of panic” as he’s running out of medications and has no doctor to renew them since Baystate Health’s acquisition of Mercy Medical Center.

Paul Bramucci has been a patient with Trinity Health for decades, however, he’s recently been facing a lot of hurdles.

“I was told they all left for Connecticut. So, I went on BayState new patient phone number, and they said the system is down,” he said. “I don’t have a primary care physician right now and I’m running out of scripts on my meds.”

Bramucci is in rehab following a high tech CAR-T transplant. He says he needs his blood pressure and cholesterol medications to stay stable, but his appointments keep getting canceled.

“Things are very critical, and I’m very nervous with all of this happening right now,” he said. “It’s just a vicious circle and panic in the area.”

Bramucci says when he tries to find a new doctor in the Baystate system, he hits digital brick wall.

“The influx, I think, is just they weren’t ready or did not plan for this, but if you call any doctor to try to get a new patient, you’re SKU number 20, you’re on the phone, the phone hangs up. It’s ridiculous,” he said.

His wife’s appointments are being canceled, too. The online portal shows nothing but error messages. Now, Bramucci is left wondering if he’ll have to head to an already overcrowded emergency room just to get a prescription filled.

“I don’t know who to turn to,” he said. “When you call, you get in this vicious loop and nobody knows what to do or where to send you and it’s very scary.”

Bramucci says he still doesn’t have a primary care physician. Western Mass News has reached out to Baystate with his specific concerns and broader issues with the new patient portal. They previously told us that they’re making steady progress and that patient care remains their top priority.