<![CDATA[Dr. Caroline Hartridge, DO - Blog]]>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:02:45 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[​Why I Surrendered My New York State Medical License — And What I Want You to Know]]>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:26:18 GMThttps://www.drhartridge.com/blog/why-i-surrendered-my-new-york-state-medical-license-and-what-i-want-you-to-knowI have been sitting with this post for a long time. Not because I don't know what to say, but because I wanted to say it right. I wanted to wait until I was on the other side of the acute grief of it — the loss, the exhaustion, the disorientation of having a career dismantled — and could speak from a place of clarity rather than just pain.
I'm there now. So here it is.

​What happened

In 2023, the New York State Department of Health's Office of Professional Medical Conduct brought disciplinary charges against me. The allegations included practicing medicine with negligence on more than one occasion and failing to maintain accurate patient medical records.
I want to be very clear about what actually happened — because the public record does not tell the full story, and my patients deserve the truth.

The majority of the patients named in this investigation did not want their files turned over to the DOH. They told me so directly. I chose to honor that. I chose to respect their wishes and their privacy over my own legal convenience — because that is what patient-centered care actually means. It means the patient comes first. Always. Even when it costs you.

The files that were ultimately submitted were deemed incomplete. I will not pretend the documentation was perfect — running an independent integrative practice is not the same as working within a hospital system with dedicated administrative infrastructure. But incomplete is not the same as negligent. And a physician who protects her patients' privacy is not the same as a physician who harms them.

Why I surrendered

I surrendered my New York State medical license in 2025. I want to be honest about all the reasons why, because I think other physicians need to hear this.

​I ran out of money. Fighting a DOH investigation is extraordinarily expensive. The legal fees, the administrative costs, the time — it consumed everything. I was simultaneously navigating serious personal health challenges, including malaria complicated by cholecystitis, and an unexpected twin pregnancy. I was exhausted in ways I don't have adequate words for.

It was also relentlessly stressful. Every attempt I made to meet the stipulations imposed by the board was rejected or deemed insufficient. I was on a treadmill that was designed, it seemed, not to rehabilitate but to exhaust. At some point, I had to choose between continuing to fight a system that had already decided its outcome, and preserving what was left of my health, my family, and my ability to continue serving people in whatever capacity remained available to me.

I chose life. I chose my children. I chose to keep going.

That choice cost me my New York license. I will not pretend otherwise. But I will also not pretend it was a simple admission of wrongdoing — because it was not. It was a survival decision made by a human being who had been ground down by a process that is, in my view, deeply broken.

The bigger picture

Those of you who have followed my work know that I have spent years speaking about the need to exit — or at minimum, critically interrogate — the traditional medical paradigm. I believe the current system too often prioritizes compliance over care, documentation over relationship, and institutional liability over patient sovereignty.

What happened to me is a direct expression of that dysfunction.

The charges against me did not originate from patient complaints. They did not emerge from harm. They emerged from a regulatory environment that has been increasingly weaponized — particularly in the context of vaccine management and the post-2020 medical landscape — to silence physicians who practice outside the mainstream, who ask questions, who put their patients' wishes above bureaucratic protocol.

I am not alone in this. There are practitioners across New York State — and across this country — who have faced similar actions. Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers who tried to practice with integrity and were punished for it. Families who were caught in the crossfire. Patients whose records and privacy became instruments of institutional overreach.

What comes next

I am currently working with Chad Davenport to build a case against the NYS Department of Health on behalf of the practitioners and families affected by what I believe is a pattern of vaccine-management-driven overreach. This work is in its early stages, but it is happening. If you are a practitioner or a patient who has been affected by similar actions and want to be part of this effort, please reach out.

​In the meantime, I am continuing to do what I have always done — help people heal. Through Hartridge Healthcare Consulting LLC, I am offering integrative health consulting, plant-based nutrition guidance, Reiki, corporate wellness programs, and more — via telemedicine globally and in person in northern Georgia. My New York license is gone. My knowledge, my training, my experience, and my commitment to you are not.

I did not leave medicine. Medicine — as it is currently institutionalized in New York State — left me.

I treat systems, not symptoms. I always have. And the system that needs the most urgent attention right now is the one that is supposed to protect patients and practitioners alike — but has forgotten what that actually means.

I'm still here. And I'm just getting started.
With love and without apology,
Dr. Caroline Hartridge, D.O. 
​Founder, Hartridge Healthcare Consulting LLC Mind · Body · Spirit
drhartridge.com · @drcarolinehartridge]]><![CDATA[Practice and Life Update(s)]]>Tue, 18 Oct 2022 07:30:30 GMThttps://www.drhartridge.com/blog/practice-and-life-updates
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Greetings,
I am going to try using the Blog platform as a newsletter to patients and beyond.

​Let's start with some fun stuff:
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1) DISCOUNT CODE (!) for Sauna Blanket from HigherDose: DrC30 for 30% off through the end of October 2022. DrC15 for 15% off from thereon.

I like to be warm. I like to sweat. I also prefer passive, low impact exercise which allows me to multitask. The HigherDose infrared sauna blanket combines science backed technology with clever design to bring the sauna experience into your own personal burrito. I set mine at 9 (highest setting), let it warm for 10 minutes and then slide in (wearing sock, sweatpants and a hoody to amplify the heat), pop on a podcast or Nextflix and relax deeply for 45-50min until the blanket turns itself off. Heart rate elevated, sweating into puddles, body flushed-a full session in the blanket is like run-in 3-4 miles, stimulates collagen growth and lymphatic release. 

This blanket is the jam. I use it 3-5 times a week and consider it an essential part of my wellness plan.

I do not receive any financial benefits from this...I just really wanted you all to have access to it.

​
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Post sauna blanket session
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That isn't water
2) Borehole update:
April through July 2021, I was invited to Zambia for medical volunteering with very short notice. Thanks to the flexibility and support of my patients and family, I was able to fulfill this lifelong dream of being a volunteer doctor in a remote rural area. I enjoyed the experience so much, a few days into my stay I asked to be put on the waitlist to return. For perspective, there are normally doctors lined up to do this gig for 2.5 to 3 yrs out. Because of the extenuating circumstances of COVID they had a last minute cancellation and I was able to step in a fill it.

April through July 2022, there was another opening/cancelation and I was invited back to the South Luanga Valley of Mfuwe, Zambia.  This second trip I had a bit more notice, allowing for my family and I to plan a Safari prior to the start of my stint. My parents, daughter, sister and significant other and my best friend from high school all joined me in Zambia for 10 days of safari bliss. It was epic. We saw lions and leopards are fist few drives (I didn't see the big cats my whole first trip)! I will try and link to my father's video of all the pictures and video's here.

We (the adult kids, me and my sister etc) wanted to extend our gratitude to my parents for facilitating such an amazing trip. My parents are the type of couple to silently pick up the tab of a table of police or firemen, to make sure everyone feels welcomed, valued and taken care of, to share their home, their experience and hard earned resources. Taking their lead, we figured the best way to honor them is to pay our gratitude forward.

I asked our safari guide Chris (we had the same gentleman for over 14 drives in a week) to join us for dinner one evening at the lodge. Casual conversation lead to us learning his wife and children had to walk over 200meters in the bush among the animals (this can be dangerous) to obtain clean water for their home. I asked what they would need to get water near their home. He answered with a borehole (this is like drilling for a well). Chris added that placing a borehole near his house would actually benefit 7 to 8 other houses in the area. Funding a borehole with our "thank you" gift money felt more in line with what my parents would want anyway. So, myself, my sister, her partner and my friend all agreed to finance the borehole in my parent's name.

However, as anyone in construction would tell you: double the budget and double the timeline. Things are no different here in Zambia. When the quote came through it was over double what we had discussed with an additional phase proposed afterwards. Committed to the project, but far from able to fund on our own, I reached out to my patients for support.

And, did you ALL deliver. I am humbled and awed by the grace, compassion and action of my patients. It is an honor and pleasure to be over service to you all. Check out what we were able to do together!!!
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A local artist was commissioned to personalize the borehole cover
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Borehole
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Water holding tank
2) cont. There is an additional phase of the plumbing to rig water flow into the homes rather than have them come to the, now, very nearby borehole. I will be fundraising an additional $2500.00 for this portion of the project. If you are keen to participate, please email me at drcarolinehartridge@gmail.com.

3) TINY LIVING 
If you have been to my Brooklyn office location, you know I live in a tiny house. Like a legitimate, seen it on HGTV, built on a 30ft trailer with a 6ft gooseneck by hand, by my father. This tiny is as unique as they come with beautiful finishes and eclectic art. 

The TINY is available for short and long term rental, as well as for sale (serious inquiries only may email me). My vision is to establish a home base in New Hampshire, near my daughter as she approaches high school, while maintaining my practice in New York, same as it is now: dominant telemedicine with selected in person appointments available (Sayville and NYC metro area). 

4) TELEMEDICINE ONLY until JANUARY 2023: God Bless the Bats
April 2022 I was back in the well appointed "doc" house in Mfuwe, stoked for another three months of volunteering. Long story short, the house was infested with bats (hundreds) and I needed to be relocated for an unknown amount of time in order for repairs to be completed. The accommodations in the valley are mostly for people on safari or the community who lives here, i.e limited. I ended up 40 minutes away from my original location (near the game park) at a short term housing rental (near the Airport) called Just Africa. One of my neighbors was the project manager for the local hospital build. 

When and where I least expected it.

I fell in love with the valley last year, and fell in love in the valley this year.
For the first time in my life, I am embarking on an adventure with no plan other than to be  in the flow of and surrender to love. 

(As I type this, I realize the smell of queso may be wafting from the screen. But, if you know, you know and all the silly love songs make so much sense.) 

I have adjusted the telemedicine hours from 11-4 to 9-2 in order to accommodate for the time change. In person appointments will resume in January 2023. Click here to access appointments.

With love and gratitude,
​Dr. Caroline Hartridge
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]]><![CDATA[Last full moon of 2019]]>Fri, 13 Dec 2019 19:31:26 GMThttps://www.drhartridge.com/blog/last-full-moon-of-2019Welcome to my blog! Honestly, the idea of a blog was neat, but execution has been intimidating and taken almost a year. Stepping into new patterns, I have asked for and embraced help (from my closet to filing) over the past few months, including this blog. I also thought it would be fun to hear about my practice or recommendations from another person's perspective. So, I have invited patients, colleagues and friends to contribute to my posts. 

This first post is from Melissa Mortimer, a patient, friend and essential oil colleague. I have been recommending essential oils to patients since the start of my practice. After three years of exploring the market, Young Living Oils consistently surface with a quality and reliable range of products. Scroll to the bottom of the post for a link.:
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I met Dr. Caroline Hartridge over two years ago at a holistic salt therapy spa. I hardly recognize the person I used to be. I was recovering from a concussion from a car accident and knee deep in anxiety and depression. I just moved back to Long Island from Washington, DC and I was in the midst of a life-changing transition. Meeting Dr. Hartridge was yet another sign from the universe that I was on the path to healing. She helped me see the strength within myself and the power of holistic healing. With Dr. Hartridge’s help, I felt empowered to take care of myself physically, mentally and spiritually. Through her guidance towards a more plant-based diet, the use of CBD oil and other natural remedies, I began to see incredible shifts. 
 
The last two years of my life has been a phase of transformative healing. Through energy work, yoga, whole foods, movement, meditation and essential oils, I am living a life I once dreamed about. I became a certified yoga teacher and did additional training in restorative yoga---a deeply relaxing practice suited for any phase of healing. Fascinated by the chakra system and energy healing, I became a Reiki Master and I am grateful to be able to share healing with others. After embracing my intuitive gifts, I help empower others to see their own unique offerings to share with the world. It is truly a ripple effect when we link arms in healing. We raise the vibration of the planet as we each step into our power. 
 
I am grateful and excited to link arms with Dr. Hartridge through Young Living essential oils. Together, we look forward to educating others about the power of plant-based medicine. The oils, supplements, skincare and household products have helped me live a more natural life, which positively affects every area of my well-being. Essential oils are the life force of plants--the powerful essence that contains potent healing energy. From migraines and sleep support to aches and pains and relaxation, essential oils are a powerful plant based alternative. Although essential oils seem to be everywhere right now, just as with food, quality matters. Young Living has the highest processing standards, their “seed to seal” guarantee, and their vitality line of ingestible oils are certified Non-GMO. 
 
If you are ready to embark on a more natural lifestyle, we would love to help guide you. To learn more about starting with Young Living, click here. https://www.youngliving.com/vo/#/signup/new-start?sponsorid=19419415&enrollerid=19419415&isocountrycode=US&culture=en-US&type=member

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