MOUNT VERNON – One of Mount Vernon’s longtime family doctors, previously displaced after a contract dispute with American Health Network, will be starting a new family practice in May.
Dr. Brent Nimeth told Knox Pages Tuesday he will open a new family practice “somewhere in Mount Vernon” after the restrictive clause on his old American Health Network contract expires May 22.
Nimeth practiced family medicine in Mount Vernon for 23 years before last May, when American Health Network terminated his employment because of “disruptive behavior.” Nimeth told the public in July that he had engaged in an “inappropriate” texting relationship with a co-worker that March, during a tumultuous time in his life.
Nimeth said he told AHN of his actions shortly thereafter, and the company proceeded to let him go. Nimeth’s old contract had a non-compete clause, which meant he would not be able to practice medicine within a 20-mile radius of his former office (located at 1220 Yauger Road) for a year following his termination.
Knox Community Hospital hired Nimeth in September as a consulting administrative physician, where he would work with the hospital on strategic planning for community healthcare. His focus has been finding ways to address specific, costly healthcare issues within certain segments of the community population.
As part of his employment agreement with KCH, Nimeth agreed to begin a new family practice after his one-year restrictive clause expired.
Nimeth still owns the building at 1220 Yauger Road. He is planning on selling the building to KCH, he said, and that purchase is currently in the “contract stages.” Once KCH buys the building, the hospital will renovate it. In the meantime, Nimeth will open up a new family practice at a to-be-announced location in Mount Vernon. When the hospital has finished renovations on the Yauger Road establishment, Nimeth plans to move his practice back to that building.
Nimeth will still be employed by KCH, and his new family practice will operate under the hospital’s oversight.
By the time May 22 rolls around, Nimeth said he will have completed all projects he’s working on in his current role with the hospital. He will then shift his focus to being a full-time family physician.
Nimeth will remain on several hospital boards through the transition, he said.
The last year has not been easy, Nimeth said. He has made a concerted effort not to violate his restrictive clause, which states he cannot administer medical advice or have any contact with patients until May 22.
Nimeth said his family has had to switch churches and shop for groceries outside the community to maintain a low profile. He is looking forward to May, when he can get back to doing what he’s done for the last two decades: serving the Knox County community.
“I’m absolutely excited,” he said. “This is what I’m built for; this is what I do; this is what I’m good at. These are the talents God gave me.”
Nimeth’s new practice will be the same, full-scope family service he offered before. But he will be starting anew; the practice will be open, and he will start from the ground up. Patients who use other family care services will be eligible to transfer into his practice if they wish, but he will not retain any of his former AHN patients.
KCH has started a “transition team” to hire staff for the new office, Nimeth said.
During the last year, when his future in Mount Vernon was less clear, Nimeth said he considered leaving town and starting anew somewhere else. But a combination of things happened; KCH asked him to stay, and so did his neighbors.
“Every community needs family doctors. And it wasn’t until my neighbor told me, ‘Mount Vernon needs family doctors, too,’ that it dawned on me that I needed to stay here,” Nimeth said.
“This is my hometown. I raised my kids here,” he continued. “I love this town.”
