by Gail Powell / Special to the OB Rag
The last weekend in August, 2013 found a sad missive in local’s mailboxes.
It was a letter from the Ocean Beach Medical Group, located at 1947 Cable Street, announcing the imminent retirement of Dr. Jeoffry Gordon.
Dr. Gordon, a longtime medical practitioner in our community has decided to retire, effective November 1, 2013. In the one-page letter of correspondence, Dr. Gordon said “it has been my privilege to serve your needs as a family doctor and health systems advocate for many years.”
The good doctor has been practicing the art of medicine going on 30 years but Dr. Gordon acknowledged “the time has come to retire.”
Dr. Gordon was a fan and a longtime advertiser on the OB Rag blogsite. With a leftist / liberal political leaning, the doctor was a good, natural fit for the Ocean Beach community. His staff was excellent and always very helpful. A few nay-sayers on Yelp.com chastised the good doctor for being uncommunicative or grumpy but I liked Dr. Gordon and never felt intimidated by his professional manner.
Wanting his patients to have continued access to great medical care, Dr. Gordon gave referrals to other doctors in the area and information on how to transfer to new medical groups. The last day that Dr. Gordon will have his Medical Group business open and seeing patients is expected to be October 18th. T0he staff is planning on throwing a farewell party from 2-6 p.m.that day, where all are invited to come say good-by.
With his impending retirement, Dr. Gordon does not seem to be worried about keeping busy. In fact, the Doc night even be busier then ever, now that he does not have to be working for a living anymore. Maybe he might like to take a stab at writing some medically-themed stories for the OB Rag? Good-bye and good luck in retirement to O.B.’s beloved Dr. Jeoffry Gordon.
Here is an interview with Dr Jeoff Gordon from April 2010. Here is an Op-Ed piece about the collapse of the health care system in America.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
This would have been good to know last month when I became a new patient of his. why would take new patients if you were retiring? I went through a lot getting records sent to his office and changing insurance to be his patient. I have not received a letter with a referral, or notification of any kind. I understand him wanting to retire and I do not have issue with that. however I do find it odd that he continued taking new patients and I find it disrespectful that I was not notified of any of this. Thank you OB rag for publishing this story to inform me. Thank goodness I was informed prior to my heart medication needing to be refilled. I understand I am a new patient of Dr. Gordon’s but I am still a patient that depended on his care…..felling disrespected…..
Dr Gordon does have another doctor in his office whom can competently take over his practice.
“The good doctor has been practicing the art of medicine going on 30 years” . . . actually it has to be closer to 40 years as I remember Jeoff helping me out at the Beach Area Community clinic in . . . well it could not have been later than 1975. All the best to you, Jeoff, I have enjoyed seeing your ads in the obrag.org just like I liked seeing the BACC in the old OB Rag all those years ago.
When I called his office today after reading this article I was told that the clinic was closing and I was given the name of another Dr at another clinic. My only complaint is that I was not informed of this. And I also do not understand why he would take new patients on weeks before retiring. I have an extensive medical history and I am disappointed that I went through so much to get established with his clinic only to read a month later that it is closing.
I understand your frustration and I earnestly hope things have gotten squared-away to your satisfaction.
I consulted with Dr. Gordon in 2004 at a time when everyone in every direction was intent on casting me on the wayside. In short, homelessness was on the horizon if I did not have sufficient finances. But, Dr. Gordon’s professionalism to be unbiased and rendering an objective evaluation of my condition set me up on a path to prevail over factors that stood to undermine me, for that, I will always be grateful. I joined the Army, if I joined the Marines, I would say Semper Fi to Dr. Gordon.
Thank you Dr. Gordon, you have been a wonderful doctor for my wife and I for twenty years now. You took care of us when we lost our jobs. We went through several years without medical insurance. You said “Just pay what you can”. Enjoy your retirement. Keep up the good fight for Single Payer Health Care.