Sources said Rosenthal was planning the changesto the clinic as an attempt to save money at thefinancially strapped UHS.
And, sources said, Zuromskis left UHS in partbecause he thought Rosenthal was puttingcost-cutting above adequate care for Harvardstudents.
"He hopes the demand will lessen if he cutsback on the staff of urgent care," one sourcesaid. "If the new system makes it more difficultto use, then it will save money."
Sources also said Rosenthal might not try toreplace Zuromskis in another effort to cut costs."It is a financial issue," another source said."There are cost-cutting controls in effect."
Rosenthal, who said UHS was "financiallysound," denied that the changes were part of aplan to increase efficiency, not cut costs, andsaid he now hopes to replace Zuromskis.
Rosenthal has hired Dr. Rosemary Pomponio, aphysician at Boston University Health Services, asa temporary physician.
"There is a plan being worked on [to replacethe doctors], but I don't think I can say at thistime what the details are," said Dr. CharlesWeingarten, chief of medicine at UHS.
UHS administrators are scrambling to fill bothZuromskis's and Conant's responsibilities.Weingarten said he and Rosenthal have offered tosee more patients.
"Zuromskis did quite a lot," Weingarten said."His loss will be felt very significantly."
But Rosenthal said that doctors would not beworking more time in order to fill Zuromskis's andConant's shoes.
"Doctors will better utilize their time,"Rosenthal said. "We are reapportioning the hours,not adding more hours."