When he was seven, Laurie Davis’ son was struggling. Davis credits Dr. Justine Bunka for figuring out what was wrong when other doctors and behavioral specialists could not.
“Dr. Bunka was the one physician that was willing to hold our hand and go through the process of looking into medication, and ADHD and getting a neuropsych evaluation so we could get him diagnosed [with] autism and ADHD,” Davis said.
“Without that extra step from a doctor, he would still be having a lot more trouble in school than what he is today.”
Dr. Bunka worked at Bronson's Rambling Road Pediatrics. But she stopped diagnosing young patients for Bronson Healthcare on Jan. 29. Not because she wanted to, but because she and her colleague, Dr. Randall Dyk, were fired.
When Davis learned this on social media, she signed a petition demanding that Bronson reinstate both doctors. To date, more than 3,600 people have signed on.
Her firing happened in between appointments with patients. After seven years of service, Bunka said she was given only a few minutes to gather her things before she was escorted out through the lobby in front of patients and staff.
“It felt like the administration wanted to scare people,” Bunka said.
Bunka said Dr. Dyk, a Kalamazoo native who practiced at the clinic for 22 years, received the same treatment a few minutes after she was walked out. Dyk declined to be interviewed for this story.
Bunka chose not sign an agreement with Bronson that would have prohibited her from talking about being fired.
“I wanted to be able to let my patients know that this was not me that just left them. I would not do that to my hundreds of patients,” Bunka said.
She said when she asked why she was being terminated she was told she "did not fit the culture."
“I'm not even sure what ‘the culture’ means. Because I saw many patients during the day. I worked really hard and I had great patient satisfaction scores. So, I'm not even sure why that doesn't fit ‘the culture’ or what culture they were talking about.”
Bunka said she suspects that she and Dyk were fired after questioning changes she said lowered the quality of patient care.
“These changes included reducing the time we could spend with patients, reducing the time we had for answering messages and phone calls, and no longer allowing us to round in the newborn nursery where we would normally see our patients right after they were born,” Bunka explained.
She said the two doctors were not alone in questioning the changes. Some of their colleagues voiced the same concerns. Many have signed the petition to reinstate both doctors.
Several Bronson employees told WMUK they support the doctors but have not signed the petition because they fear retaliation.
“I know that certain employees would feel scared to sign it, to put their names on there,” Bunka said.
“I think ‘Bronson Positivity’ means not saying anything that’s not positive about Bronson. That’s the goal,” said one employee, referring to a term the hospital has used in public relations campaigns. That employee said they did not sign the petition and asked not to be named out of fear of losing their job.
Laurie Davis, whose son was diagnosed with ADHD and autism, said Bronson took a week to tell patients their physicians no longer worked there.
“They’re presenting it as though it's a way to give us better care and more efficient care, to fire our trusted doctor, so we're not quite buying what they're selling,” she said.
Sarah Davis, who is not related to Laurie Davis, is the legal guardian of a transgender teen.
“Bunka was one of the only pediatricians in the area who provides, and is knowledgeable enough to provide, gender-affirming care," Davis told WMUK.
She called Bunka’s firing a loss for the whole community.
“Unless there’s some miracle and Dr. Bunka returns to Rambling Road specifically, I don't believe we will be going back to the practice.”
In an email, a Bronson spokesperson confirmed the pediatricians no longer work there, but would not say why.
Supporters of the doctors plan to rally in Kalamazoo Saturday at 11 a.m. outside of the Kalamazoo Public Library.
