Death of popular Canton area physician forces practice closure, building now up for sale

CANTON − The office of the late Dr. Albert Domingo is permanently closed and for sale at a price of $3.2 million.

Domingo, a longtime obstetrician-gynecologist in the Canton area, died March 28 at the age of 72. Messages to Domingo's family about the office's closure were not returned.

The week of April 15, calls to the business were forwarded to an answering service that confirmed the office at 3120 Parkway St. NW near Meyers Lake was permanently closed. Patients were being directed to drdomingo.com, which was later updated with a message about the closure.

"The office of Dr. Albert T. Domingo is now closed. As we navigate this difficult time, we are committed to getting all patient records released as quickly as possible," it states. "Please understand that we are inundated with requests and are working as fast as we can. If you have not already, please fill out a record request form and submit it through fax to (330) 452-9520 or E-mail to info@drdomingo.com. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding."

Community rallies in response to Dr. Domingo's death

The Alliance Family Health Center had "early discussions" about a partnership with Domingo's practice in anticipation of the doctor's eventual retirement but no established plan at the time of his death, according to Amanda Nelson, the center's chief operations and compliance officer. It's now one of the providers accepting Domingo's former patients and has received at least 20 transfers so far.

The center's management team received notification on April 10 that Domingo's office would close the next day and began working to accept patients or connect them with other providers. Nelson said they created a log of OBGYN offices within the tri-county area that were accepting new patients and Medicaid plans and then "triaged calls."

"Thankfully, several offices within the area were able to help with the influx of new patients; community is important in situations like this where no one office could absorb the entire patient population," she said in a prepared statement. "Many of the first calls to the office were patients who were farther along in their pregnancy, making it necessary to get them in right away, often needing multiple visits weekly. With so many individuals needing to find a new office, it was initially very difficult to get records, therefore we had to recreate labs and have ultrasounds to prevent delays and ensure access to care."

Alliance Family Health Center meets the requirements of federally qualified health centers but does not receive federal funding. As such, it accepts all insurance plans and offers a sliding fee schedule for self-pay patients.

The center provides comprehensive women's health services, which include delivery at Aultman Hospital or Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital. Nelson said the center continues accepting new patients and expects additional transfers from Domingo's office.

Canton Health Commissioner Amanda Archer said the city's THRIVE (Toward Health Resiliency and Infant Vitality & Equity) team has been contacting program participants who were patients of Dr. Domingo to ensure that they have medical care. THRIVE also can assist other patients with finding a new provider and can be contacted at 330-774-0158.

"What we do know is that consistent, reliable prenatal care is essential to keeping moms and babies healthy," Archer wrote in an email. "Our community has struggled with babies being born too small and too soon, which has led to high infant mortality rates. The loss of an esteemed provider like Dr. Domingo is certainly felt in our community, and the closing of the office will create a need for patients to find a new provider. We are fortunate to have many high-quality providers in our area."

Office listed for sale

The Parkway Street medical office, which is owned by a limited liability company registered to Domingo, is listed by NAI Spring for a sale price of $3.2 million. The 23,801-square-foot building on 4.4 acres was once a United States armory.

According to Ohio Administrative Code, patients should receive a 30-day notice if a physician intends to sell their practice. Jerica Stewart, spokeswoman for the State Medical Board of Ohio, said there are exceptions to the rule but it's an entirely different situation if the physician has died.

A Facebook event ― "A 'family photo' to honor Dr. Albert T. Domingo" ― is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. More than 120 people had responded as "going" by Thursday.

Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.comOn X: @kbyerREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Dr. Albert Domingo's Canton area office closed, listed for sale