North Naples Dr. Porcelli doesn’t respond; Patients want records

NORTH NAPLES, Fla.- WINK News has been flooded with e-mails from patients who say a local doctor closed his office with no notice, leaving them without prescription refills or their medical history.

Patients of Dr. James Porcelli have been desperately trying to find their medical records and get their prescriptions filled with no luck.

The office signs are gone and the is door locked. Patients say it has been about two months since anyone has heard from him.

Some patients e-mailed WINK News saying they had to schedule an emergency appointment with another doctor so they could get their prescriptions filled.

Arden Bless has been a patient of Dr. Porcelli’s for eight years.

“I’ve called, the phone is dead,” said Bless. He feels abandoned saying, “I couldn’t get my prescription. My medication is important. I need it every day for the rest of my life.”

Bless is one of eight people associated with the office to e-mail the Nightbeat. Five of the e-mails came after we aired a story about Porcelli’s employees claiming they didn’t get paid (since the story aired both received a check). The latest e-mails were all from patients, desperate for help.

In the e-mails, one patient claimed Porcelli owned them money. WINK News reached out to the doctor who responded in a text message. He said there was a billing issue and the couple has since been credited for the mistake.

In other e-mails there is discussion of the empty office, non-working telephone number and how they can get their medical records. Bless says he needs his and it would be costly to go to a new doctor without his medical history.

“There is no animosity between myself and him. I just really want my records,” said Bless.

We reached out to Dr. Porcelli, who responded in a text saying “We are engaged in an aggressive campaign to notify patients of the new location via phone and e-mail.”

With two months since any last communication, some patients are wondering why the doctor never called.

“I don’t know what happened to him. I really don’t. I hope he’s okay, I hope he has my medical records, I want them back,” said Bless.

Porcelli says if patients need to set up appointments, request refills or request medical records call the new office number 941-206-2630.