Optum Health will continue providing pediatric services in Hoboken after all.
The health care organization recently announced it was closing dozens of medical practices throughout New Jersey as of Dec. 1, including all of its pediatric offices in Hoboken, one of the state’s most densely populated cities.
However, the company has been “moved by the outpouring of support for pediatric services in Hoboken,” an Optum spokesperson said in a statement to NJ Advance Media on Monday.
As a result, the company has decided to continue offering pediatric services at its primary care office located on Bloomfield Street after Dec. 1, the spokesperson said.
That office is not among the nearly 90 locations across the state slated to close in the next few weeks.
Beyond the office closures, Optum is also laying off nearly 600 employees in the New Year.
The company’s decision has elicited outrage among patients, many of whom are upset about the short notice and the gaps in care that may result.
“In the past week, we’ve heard patient feedback and understand the impact these changes have on those we serve. Taking care of our patients remains a top priority, and we have a team in place to make sure questions get answered and prescriptions get filled over the next six months,” the Optum spokesperson said on Monday.
Optum is one of the two main businesses run by UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurer in the United States. Headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Optum employs more than 300,000 people worldwide, according to its website.
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