PROVINCETOWN — Dr. Andrew Jorgensen was removed from his job as chief medical officer of Outer Cape Health Services (OCHS) last month and, as of last week, was no longer employed by the health center. His departure followed reports of the alleged abuses four J-1 visa students faced this summer from Jorgensen’s husband, Paul Schofield, as tenants and workers at the couple’s multiple properties.
According to a one-sentence email to the Independent from OCHS CEO Patricia Nadle on Nov. 14, Jorgensen “is no longer with Outer Cape Health Services.” Nadle did not respond to follow-up questions about the reason for Jorgensen’s departure.
Schofield sent a text message to former select board member Louise Venden on Nov. 14 confirming that Nadle fired Jorgensen last week. A copy of the message was sent to the Independent and confirmed by Venden.
A source close to the matter said that OCHS employees received an email on Oct. 19 stating that Jorgensen was “relieved of his leadership responsibilities at OCHS effective today” and that he was formally terminated on Nov. 9. Written communication had not been sent to employees regarding Jorgensen’s termination, the source said.
Jorgensen did not respond to a request for comment for this article.
Jorgensen was placed on leave a week before the Independent detailed the treatment four Bulgarian students said they experienced while working and living at Schofield and Jorgensen’s properties in Provincetown.
Schofield told Venden, regarding Jorgensen’s termination, that “we believe it is based on lies and rumors.”
Two of the J-1 students, Emanuil Ninov and Renata Alenina, told the Independent that Schofield and Jorgensen never paid them for over 100 hours of work at the Prince Albert Guest House and Rose Acre Guest Apartments, and that they endured months of harassment, theft, and physical assault from Schofield, who was arrested by the Provincetown police on Sept. 7 and charged with assault and battery.
When Schofield tried to evict them, the students wrote to Jorgensen: “Given your esteemed position and influence, we kindly request your intervention to mediate this matter and help reach a fair and equitable resolution.”
According to the students, Jorgensen never responded. Soon after, Schofield texted Ninov, “You will not be meeting with my husband.”
A police report filed the same day Schofield sent Ninov that text states that Schofield and Jorgensen owed the students $7,500, which the students said they still have not received. Schofield and Jorgensen have also not paid the town $3,111 spent on relocating the students after Schofield’s arrest, Assistant Town Manager Dan Riviello said last week.
Schofield did not return a call for comment for this article.
Nadle did not respond to inquiries regarding the status of Jorgensen’s patients. Jorgensen had told the Independent that he saw up to 750 patients and that he was the primary-care physician for between 20 and 25 patients receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy.
According to OCHS’s website, Dr. William Shay in Provincetown and Dr. Kelly King in Harwich Port specialize in gender-affirming care. Mental health counselor Lisa Bacon in the Harwich Port office also lists gender-affirming care as a specialty.
“The state of medical care on the Outer Cape is already very poor in terms of access and services,” said Venden this week. “This is definitely going to have an effect.”
