Ohio Health Director Dr. Ted Wymyslo is returning to private practice after three years with Gov. John Kasich's administration. Kasich's press office announced yesterday that Wymyslo will leave at the end of February.

Ohio Health Director Dr. Ted Wymyslo is returning to private practice after three years with Gov. John Kasich's administration.

Kasich's press office announced yesterday that Wymyslo will leave at the end of February.

The announcement comes only a few weeks after Wymyslo drew fire for ordering an abortion clinic near Cincinnati closed for violating a new state law. Clinics now must have transfer agreements - required of all ambulatory surgical centers in Ohio - with a local hospital to accept patients if necessary. The law also bans public hospitals from entering such agreements.

The new requirement thrust Wymyslo into the middle of the abortion debate, giving him much influence over whether abortion clinics in Ohio can stay open and positioning him for criticism from those on both sides of the debate. Supporters of abortion rights didn't like his decision to close the clinic while some abortion opponents complained he took too long to decide.

Shortly after the resignation was announced, NARAL Pro-ChoiceOhio urged supporters in a tweet to "call Kasich NOW and tell him new dir must put health over politics."

Kellie Copeland, executive director of the organization, said the timing of the announcement raised questions about Wymyslo's reasons for leaving.

"You have to wonder if he wasn't acting fast enough" for abortion foes, she said.

Mike Gonidakis, executive director of Ohio Right to Life, commended Wymyslo's service.

"Dr. Wymyslo worked tirelessly for all Ohioans, and we can be proud of what he accomplished to ensure that abortion clinics were held to the highest health and safety standards. Dr. Wymyslo demonstrated that he was the right person at the right time to make Ohio a healthier state to raise a family," Gonidakis said.

Kasich also praised Wymyslo and said a replacement will be named by the end of the month.

"The strides Ohio is making in health care are because we're putting the needs of people first, and we're being good stewards of Ohioans' resources," Kasich said in an emailed statement.

"We've done it with the help of sound thinkers with front-line experience like Dr. Wymyslo and I'm sad to see him go but I respect his desire to return to his first passion, which is practicing medicine and working with patients."

Wymyslo was not available for comment yesterday.

He was the second member of Kasich's cabinet to leave abruptly in the past month. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Nally resigned in January.

In an interview with The Dispatch shortly after accepting the director's post, Wymyslo said he hoped to use his position to promote a new model of care: patient-centered medical homes. Under the model, primary-care doctors oversee their patients' care, coordinating with specialists, pharmacists and other health providers. Doctors are paid for keeping their patients well instead of based on how many patients they see, which supporters believe will lower costs and improve care.

Wymyslo, a Dayton-area primary-care doctor, used the system in his own practice.

ccandisky@dispatch.com

@ccandisky