Return To 'Physician-Driven Solutions:' Former Confluence Health Cardiologist Says

After a patient shared concerns about Dr. Gautam Nayak being pushed out of Confluence Health last year, Dr. Nayak shares his perspective

After I published a letter from a patient of Cardiologist Dr. Gautam Nayak last week, Dr. Nayak reached out and wanted to share his perspective.

The context: Confluence Health and its CEO Dr. Andrew Jones has come under a lot of scrutiny and criticism after its leadership announced last week that they would be building a new $60 million cancer care center. There has been a lot of turnover since Jones took over and complaints of patient care slipping. There has also been increasing tension between Confluence Health, the non-profit that he runs and employs non-physician providers like nurses, techs, housekeepers, food service staff, IT, support services and more and the Wenatchee Valley Medical Group, which is an independent, for-profit physician organization that contracts with Confluence Health to provide physician services.

During his 16 years at Confluence Health Dr. Nayak served on both the Confluence Health and the WVMG’s board.

Here’s his response:

I am deeply grateful for the support of my patients and this community. It has been a privilege to care for families in North Central Washington for more than 16 years, and that trust has always been the foundation of my work. The recent letter to Dominick Bonny was heartfelt and emblematic of the incredible support and encouragement I’ve received since I arrived to North Central Washington in 2009 after a career in the US Navy.