MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE)

Thousands of local dermatology patients are one step closer to getting their medical records back after Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center SC closed without warning in February.

It has now been more than 40 days that patients haven't been able to access their records, and many of these patients have cancer.

ABC15 first broke the story afterseveral patients reached out to us to investigate the unexpected closure.

READ MORE: Patients say MB dermatology office closes, fails to disclose medical records, requests

The office abruptly closed without warning to either employees, and patients, on February 17, and never reopened.

Initially, ABC15reached out to the South Carolina Department of Labor Licensing and Regulationin March to askhow patients could get their records back.

Now, alongside the state Board of Medical Examiners, they have officially enacted a petition appointing another doctor as the custodian for these records.

Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center SC Myrtle Beach office (Credit: Emma Parkhouse/WPDE)

Here's how to do it.

The Board confirmed the associated medical offices were closed down after a transfer of ownership fell through.

The initial owner, Dr. Joseph Masessa, died in 2019.

His practice was taken over by his brother, Jeffery Masessa, who is not a licensed physician in South Carolina.

According to the Board, Jeffery never reached out to the state's labor department or the Board about the closure; or made any arrangements for record retrieval.

SUGGESTED: Patients can retrieve records after Myrtle Beach dermatology office unexpectedly closed

The board determined while Jeffery Masessa may have once been considered a "responsible party at one point in time", he no longer is.

In addition, because Dr. Joseph Masessa is deceased, the Board has the legal authority to appoint a custodian of the records.

Board-certified surgeon and dermatologist, Dr. Brandon Coakley at Waccamaw Dermatology has been selected as that custodian.

"Patients have been panicked. There's patients that went into the doctor's office and were told, 'hey, you have a spot that's suspicious for cancer'; a biopsy was taken, and then there was no answer," said Coakley.

Waccamaw Dermatology office in Myrtle Beach (Credit: Emma Parkhouse/WPDE)

Dr. Coakley told ABC15 according to the closed office's former manager,Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center SC in Myrtle Beach had roughly 36,000 patient visits in 2022.

Even if those patients attended the office multiple times throughout the year, Coakley says there will be at least 10,000 patients impacted by this.

He's still waiting to hear back about a confirmed number of patient files.

While he's not sure exactly how many thousands of records there are at the moment, Dr. Coakley is sure that he wants to help these patients in anyway he can.

"We will be contacting, as per the medical board's order, contacting every patient to let them know that we have the records," said Coakley. "I don't know the state of the paper records. My plan is to contact everybody who had an email on file electronically because that's faster and easier, but we will go through the process of organizing the paper records and notifying those people by regular first class mail."

Dr. Coakley and his office staff at Waccamaw Dermatology will be receiving all of the paper and digital records from Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center SC over the next couple of days.

Waccamaw Dermatology andDermatology and Skin Cancer Center SC are not associated or affiliated with each other.

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ABC15 got ahold of Jeffery Masessa Tuesday afternoon.

Over the phone, our reporter asked him if he was available for an interview to talk about the closing of the dermatology offices he owns in South Carolina.

He agreed to an interview and said he would call back after a meeting to set it up. Since then, he has not returned any phone calls or texts.

The Board and the state LLR have stated they have still not heard from, or been able to get in contact, with Jeffery Masessa.

Dr. Coakley says he and his team will be working as quickly as possible to obtain and organize the records as they prepare to directly contact everyone whose been affected.

Updates on obtaining medical records for former patients ofDermatology and Skin Cancer Center SC will be posted here.

His office is located at 5046 Highway 17 Bypass South, in Suite 200.

This is a developing story. Stay with ABC15 News for updates.

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How, where to get medical records from closed Myrtle Beach dermatology office - wpde.com