Doctor’s unexpected death leaves patients seeking answers

Pictured is the outside of the office of Dr. Alex Pulido, who died in June.

Today marks nearly one month since Palatka physician Dr. Alex Michael Garcia-Pulido unexpectedly died, and while his former patients understand the suddenness, some have been unsure of how to retrieve their medical records, get prescriptions filled or find out how to follow up on recent exam work. But area medical professionals have been trying to help.

In calls to the Palatka Daily News staff and in posts on social media, former patients are questioning where to go after the internal medicine doctor’s death. The Daily News called his office, located at 700 Zeagler Drive, and received no answer.

There is, however, a sign on his door from the Pulido family.

“Due to the untimely death of Dr. Pulido, this office is closed indefinitely until further notice,” the sign read Friday. “Unfortunately, the office staff collectively felt that they were not able to continue working without Dr. Pulido.”

The notice also reads that all patients will be contacted about their medical records and apologizes for the inconvenience.

Pulido died June 5 at 46 years old.

Medical officials at HCA Florida Putnam Hospital are trying to accommodate Pulido’s patients as best they can, CEO Brian Nunn said. If a patient does come to HCA Putnam, formerly known as Putnam Community Medical Center, the CEO said the hospital would assign the patient to another accredited physician to help meet their needs.

He added that the hospital employees are trying to fill in the gaps as best as they can.

“HCA Florida Putnam stands ready to assist in any way we can,” said Rev. Karl Flagg, chairman of the hospital board.

However, Nunn did add that Pulido was an independent, contracted doctor, and the hospital does not have access to his medical records, and could not fill the orders Pulido may have written before his death.

Nunn said, “The orders that he wrote would have to be rewritten by another physician.”

In an instance such as an untimely death like this, he also said it is the practitioner’s office’s responsibility to give patients their medical records.