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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Klamath County drug enforcement team revived due to increased trafficking ... Gem along the river ... Hi-fi hunters gather for Grants Pass Record Convention ... Klamath County drug enforcement team revived due to increased trafficking ... Gem along the river ... Hi-fi hunters gather for Grants Pass Record Convention ... HIV center protesters march again By SUSAN JAY MailTribune.com By SUSAN JAY Posted Apr. 10, 1998 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 16, 2010 at 3:40 PM By SUSAN JAY Posted Apr. 10, 1998 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 16, 2010 at 3:40 PM » Social News Providence spokeswoman insists it is committed to serving patients Protesters marched again Thursday at Providence Medford Medical Center, but administrators say they won't reconsider working with Dr. Stephen Clark. The protesters want Clark reinstated as medical director of the Southern Oregon HIV Center, which is based at Providence. It's clear that collaboration (with Clark) is just not working, said Providence spokeswoman Cheryl French. But, she said, the change in leadership of the HIV center does not weaken the hospital's commitment to serving people with the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. Providence and Clark started the center eight months ago. Clark proposed the center idea and volunteered as medical director. Clark is a Medford Clinic physician who specializes in infectious diseases and has expertise in HIV. Providence provided the center with office space and half of an annual salary for a nurse case manager, Fran Adleman. The center also received a $50,000 federal grant to assess regional HIV health services. Last week Clark left the volunteer post after a dispute with the hospital over the scope and direction of the center. Providence officials said that among other issues, they were unwilling to relinquish full control to Clark, whose ideas for the center went beyond what Providence had agreed to. Adleman is on leave. The center is temporarily closed, and patients say they're confused about the center's future. Providence officials said changing the HIV center doesn't affect Clark's ability to see his patients. They also said they're moving ahead with identifying the center's new role in providing HIV services by working with OnTrack Inc. and Jackson County Health and Human Services. Both agencies offer HIV social services. Chuck Wright, Providence's Southern Oregon chief executive, said HIV is a complicated disease and requires a comprehensive network of services from the entire community, not just Providence. He said the hospital staff had been harassed by threats of escalating protests, vicious voice mail messages and an avalanche of faxes and phone calls. This is not constructive behavior and certainly does not lead to productive relationships, Wright said. Providence wants to improve HIV care, he said, but we will not commit hospital resources, which are community resources, to an individual or group of individuals who behave in this fashion. Adrienne Castleman said she could not speak for all protesters, but there was no organized effort to harass Providence employees. Castleman, 46, is one of Clark's first HIV patients and helped organize the marches. She and other HIV patients of Clark's said they fear that without his work at the center, Clark will leave the area. They said he's the only available doctor who knows the most up-to-date medical HIV treatment and is their only hope for access to clinical drug trials. When asked if he planned to stay, Clark said Thursday, I don't have any clear plans at this point. He said as an infectious disease specialist he is one of two local physicians qualified to treat HIV patients; the other, Dr. Ruth Rabinovitch, is not accepting new HIV patients. Providence officials say there are several primary-care doctors who can treat HIV patients, but Clark disagrees. Saying that a primary-care doctor can manage HIV in this day and age is the equivalent to saying a primary-care doctor can manage a heart attack, Clark said. Some HIV patients disagree with Clark and question his decision to leave and not disclose his plans. One of them is Mike Gorton, a counselor at OnTrack Inc. who is HIV positive. Gorton sees a local internist and believes HIV patients are being misled. Gorton said Clark is an excellent physician. He added, however, I don't think it's healthy that Clark isn't easing their stress by assuring them that he will be there for them, with or without the center. He can still provide needed services. Clark said he is still here and still seeing patients, but declined to comment about the future. By SUSAN JAY MailTribune.com By SUSAN JAY Posted Apr. 10, 1998 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 16, 2010 at 3:40 PM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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