Cardiologists sever ties with Mercy, head back to private practice

Cardiologist Dr. Patricia Cole and her seven partners are leaving Mercy Clinic to set up a private practice once again. Cole was one of eight cardiologists, and more than 50 staff members, who joined Mercy in 2010 when the medical center acquired their private practice group Heart Health Center, which previously was part of Missouri Baptist Medical Center's Heart Center. Cole said Mercy is in the process of developing a new nationwide contract for physicians in its cardiology group, and wanted Cole and her partners to break their existing contract a year and a half early to sign the new contract, which the doctors declined to do.