Surgery Center of Pottsville to close
Jun. 23—The Surgery Center of Pottsville is closing Tuesday after 17 years.
Several of the multi-practice surgical facility's physician-owners and an administrator said departures and retirements have made the operation unsustainable.
When the center, which offers same-day surgical procedures, opened at the Cressona Mall in 2006, 13 physicians performed surgeries there. But today, only nine do so, with one, Dr. David Abraham, planning to move to Florida.
The owners decided last month to close, and patients were informed earlier this month. A message posted on the center's Facebook page said information on retrieving medical records would be forthcoming.
Dr. Mohammad Akbar, one of the center's founding physicians, said the owners collectively decided to close. He called it unfortunate, but said that they have to adjust to the changing health care landscape.
While the center has had a few new physicians through the years, many have left.
Akbar, an ear nose and throat physician practicing in Schuylkill County since 1979, founded the center with Drs. Adam Altman, Glenn Freed, Calvin Stoudt, Richard Greco, Myran Haas, Neil Fisher, Abraham, Carlos Villarreal and Daniel Bobrowski.
He said Haas, Villarreal and Dr. Gerald Ravitz are among the physicians who have retired, while Greco, Fisher and Bobrowski are practicing elsewhere. Another, Dr. Sultan Khan, passed away in 2011.
Dr. Joseph Puzzi, another ear, nose and throat physician at the center, has worked there for seven years. He said it was "one of the most enjoyable and efficient places" to perform surgery.
"All of the surgeons would agree on that," Puzzi said. "The staff was amazing, and the patient outcomes were predictably outstanding."
Akbar said he and his patients loved the center, and the staff was "really nice."
"It has been a great place to work," he said.
The mall worked well as it allowed patients to get in easily and has ample parking, Akbar added.
Akbar and Puzzi plan to continue practicing. Akbar will continue to see patients at his office on South Centre Street in Pottsville and will perform surgeries at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill in Pottsville and Geisinger St. Luke's Hospital in West Brunswick Twp.
Puzzi also will see patients at his office at the Schuylkill Medical Plaza and will do surgeries at Geisinger St. Luke's.
The Surgery Center is the third tenant at the mall in North Manheim Twp. that has either left or plans to leave.
Alvernia University plans to close its Schuylkill campus with the construction of its Pottsville CollegeTowne on Progress Avenue in downtown Pottsville, while Mother Bears Candy moved from the mall in January to a space at the Route 183 Plaza in Wayne Twp.
Robin Swartz, a custodian and manager at the mall, said the surgery center has been a "very reliable" tenant.
"They're great people," he said. "We never had any problems with them."
Swartz said while it is a shame they are leaving, the mall has new owners, Pikesville, Maryland-based America's Realty, which bought it from previous owner Namdar Realty Group of Great Neck, New York, and are taking steps to revitalize it.
"They are dead set on bringing the mall back to where it was," he said.
Swartz said a new alarm system was installed to curb vandalism and there are plans to install a new roof and repave the parking lot.
Two new tenants, Pottsville Fizical Therapy and Compass Rose Care, are slated to open, and Sam's Place plans to expand into the former Mother Bears.
Swartz said he does not know what will go into the spaces occupied by the surgery center and Alvernia.
Contact the writer: clee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6028; @Cleespot on Twitter
