“Closed until further notice” is what a sign posted on the front door of Community Urgent Care in Hartselle has read since Nov. 9. On the same day, a similar message posted on the clinic’s Facebook page told patients all labs performed prior to the closure would be processed, and they would be contacted. There are more than 100 comments on that Facebook post, many from patients with concerns about their prescription medications and medical records.  

Dr. Neil C. Yeager is part owner and physician at the clinic.  

One patient who commented on the post was Tauyna Stender, who said all of her family members are patients at Community Urgent Care.  

“It’s been a week now, what are we as patients supposed to do? We need refills. We have a right to know if Dr. Yeager is returning and if not then we need our records,” she wrote on one post.  

“Although I love Dr. Yeager as my doctor – he was just a wonderful and caring doctor – we are left in the dark and it is so disappointing that he would do this to his patients without any explanation,” Stender added.  

Another patient, Sommer Webb, commented she has concerns about her next steps if the clinic remains closed, adding she is hopeful Community Urgent Care will be open again soon.  

“I absolutely love Dr. Yeager. I hate so bad to hear all of the things I have heard, and hope so bad that it’s mostly hearsay,” Webb wrote. “If not, I don’t see the practice opening back up. I don’t want to have to go to another doctor, I have never had a better doctor. I’m hoping they won’t be closed long, and I too am worried about refills and wondering what we are supposed to do.” 

Amanda Tapscott also commented, calling the sudden closure of the clinic without notice “unethical.”  

“He has left patients hanging needing necessary medications with no way to get refills,” Tapscott wrote. “We have used (Community Urgent Care) for years but definitely feel abandoned. You can’t just close with no notice and leave patients to fend for themselves.” 

A legal representative of the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners said the board was aware of the issue and attempting contacting Yeager.

“We hope to have additional information to provide his patients in the near future,” Director William Perkins said in an official statement.  

The original statement on the door of the urgent care clinic is still posted there as of Monday, with another notice that says the closure is because of “physician illness.” The posted notice also says the office will be staffed on a part–time basis so that patients can retrieve their medical records.  

According to the Alabama Board of Nursing website, where active medical licenses are posted, two of the three nurse practitioners who once worked at Community Urgent Care no longer have Yeager listed as their collaborating physician.