Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
The entrance to University Medical Center’s trauma unit and emergency room is shown in 2009.
By Kyle B. Hansen (contact) 
Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 | 7:36 p.m.
Related documents
Sun archives
- 11 appointed to UMC Hospital Advisory Board (11-22-2010)
- Commissioners OK contract to study UMC transition (8-18-2010)
- Call for help overseeing UMC fails to drum up many volunteers (7-8-2010)
- Lawsuit filed over UMC patient records leak (7-3-2010)
- Man indicted in probe of UMC privacy leak (4-28-2010)
- Source may hold key in solving UMC patient data leak (3-8-2010)
- Another UMC breach surfaces with theft of computer hard drives (3-5-2010)
- UMC’s financial condition spurs talk of sale (8-12-2010)
- Inquiry backs horror story of pregnant woman neglected in UMC’s ER (1-5-2009)
- Second suit blames UMC in death of premature baby (1-5-2009)
- UMC: Patient info leaks likely date back to July (1-25-2010)
Problems at University Medical Center may force the hospital’s closure, but county commissioners decided Wednesday they needed more time to consider a consultant’s recommendations before taking any action.
The region’s only public hospital faces an operating deficit of more than $100 million by 2014, a report from FTI Healthcare said. Commissioners approved a contract with the consulting company in August to study the possibility of transitioning UMC to a teaching hospital.
If major changes are not made, the hospital would be forced to “significantly reduce clinical scope or close within three years,” the report said.
But commissioners were unable to reach a consensus on the report’s recommendation to turn the hospital over to a 501c3 “public benefit corporation.”
Most commissioners seemed to support the idea but said they needed more time to look into it before taking any action.
The consultants said the 501c3 would allow the county to set up a board with more expertise in health care to oversee the hospital, freeing up county officials to worry about other issues.
It would also establish a foundation that could raise money and recruit doctors better than a county hospital, consultants said.
Commissioner Larry Brown said the suggestions are in line with other recommendations over the past two years, but the report brings a new urgency to the need for change.
Commissioner Steve Sisolak said the report left the commissioners in shock but was hesitant to move too quickly.
“You can’t eat an elephant in one bite, and I think we’re trying to swallow the whole thing,” he said.
Kerry Shannon from FTI Healthcare disagreed.
“You really are at a crisis point,” she said.
Sisolak said, “I’m not convinced we can do this all this quick, but I’m willing to listen.”
Commissioner Mary Beth Scow said it makes sense to set up a foundation to run the hospital, and the urgent need presents a good opportunity.
“I think there’s an opportunity here to make change that will benefit so many people,” she said.
Commission Chairwoman Susan Brager said the board needed to act immediately. “We can’t stand still,” she said.
But Chris Giunchigliani said the commission needed to be careful and study the issues more closely.
Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, who is the chair’s the board when it acts as the hospital’s board of trustees, said he thinks the group has already acted too quickly on some recent changes.
“I don’t see how we can move this haphazardly,” Weekly said. “I don’t think we’re ready.”
In the end, the board didn’t take any action on the report, instead directing the hospital’s staff to set up a joint meeting for the commissioners to discuss the suggestions with a newly created hospital advisory committee.
The advisory board is scheduled to hear the consultants’ report on Feb. 9, but the soonest the two groups could meet would be March, UMC CEO Kathy Silver said.
Brown asked the hospital’s staff to also look into the possibility of closing the hospital. He said he didn’t think it was a good idea, but he wants to know the implications for the community.
If they weren't having to pay medical for illegals coming in to get dialysis or having babies the hospital would probably keep their doors open. Our country is stupid bill Mexico for medical for their citizens if they can't pay for it then community service for life or at least till they pay off their bill.
I was here last month. EVERY patient was a Mexican illegal with three or four sick children. When our nurse was asking the mother what she was feeding them, the Mexican mothers would say "pigs feet and sunny D juice."
I felt so bad for the nurse. She really wanted to help the children but since the Mexicans use food stamps to pay for junk food for their kids, they will always get sick and there is nothing these doctors can do.
Is there a way we can stop Mexicans from getting free food, free schooling and free health care?
About time to try and recoup millions by billing Mexico for their citizens. I have no doubts that they would do the same for their illegal population as they take a hard stand on it.
By the way, this is a major reason why Arizona is passing their laws. The lies about racism defies common logic that states and counties are going bankrupt and every cost savings idea should now be on the table. Stop the pandering politicians who are looking for cheap votes off the backs of taxpayers.
What can I do to help this hospital? My nurse is a wonderful person. She has always (though I admit we rarely see her apart from checkups because we eat healthy and exercise) been a caring person who is a valuable part of this community.
She is obviously over-run with Mexicans and has her hands tied (as does the entire hospital - hence the millions of dollars of debt). I hate to see good people suffer...so depressing.
If anyone has any ideas how to stop these Mexicans please post. Please! Is this happening to other hospitals?
Close the ONLY Level One trauma center that services ten thousand square miles??? Oh, I get it, we need a new sports arena instead.
Well, we'd better plan a new building for the coroner because all the warm bodies that should have gone to UMC will be going there instead.
One by one the lights went out in the Valley, until soon...
This country is run by a plutocracy of rich people who don't want to pay any taxes.
they also don't want national health care.
This hospital is only loosing money because we do not have national health care.
The problem is rich people taking all the money- this is not problem with the rest of us who have no health care.
It is time to take back the money from the rich people.
Yes, the illegals are running our social services into the ground. I've always said, "build the wall."
But the political reality is, those that are already here, are already here. And as others have pointed out, the larger issue throughout our nation is that AMERICANS --and I mean citizens and those here legally-- are increasingly forced to turn to public emergency rooms when they get sick. Just look at Amber's example. Amber, why is "(your) nurse" at UMC? Are you one of the many Americans doing without basic health coverage? Please correct me if I'm wrong. But heck, even Wynn employees here in town are seeing their hours slashed, precisely so that Steve no longer has to pay health benefits.
You think a safety net of basic health care covering all would be expensive? Keep trying what we really have now! It's worse! The bankrupting of UMC is just another example of what's wrong. YES, we have an illegal immigrant problem. And I repeat --build the wall. But we'll get nowhere, telling ourselves that's all there is to it. It's far deeper. We have the most expensive, most inefficient, 'unofficial' socialized health care, RIGHT NOW, because we're trying to ignore the problem. Basic coverage and preventive care available at clinics would eleviate much of the stress at places like UMC, and on our taxes. Don't forget, America, the only industrialized country in the world that does NOT provide universal coverage, is the country paying the MOST (in both real dollars, and in percentage of GDP) of its treasure on health care. Time to get smart about this, my friends.
The American Indians found out what happens when you don't control immigration. ...