Maverick County Citizens lose top-notch Cardiology Group due to Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Medical Committee’s Denial of Hospital Privileges

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015

Over 60,000 Maverick County citizens lost a contract for extensive and sophisticated cardiology services previously unavailable in the community with one of the State of Texas’ premier Cardiology Group, Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio, Texas, negotiated by the Maverick County Hospital District because the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Medical Committee, comprised of local physicians, denied Methodist Healthcare System hospital privileges at the private, for-profit Fort Duncan Hospital Regional Medical Center, announced MCHD Chief Executive Officer Terri Contreras-Patlan in her Administrator’s Report at an October 6, 2015 meeting.

According to Medical News Today, the number one cause of death in the United States today is heart disease or cardiology-related medical problems with a total of 611,105 deaths in 2013.  Heart disease causes one in four (25%) deaths in the United States today.  Thus, the need for cardiology services in a community are of paramount and extreme importance and required.

At the MCHD Board of Directors meeting held on October 6, 2015, Board member Ricardo E. Calderon requested CEO Terri-Contreras Patlan to provide the Board with greater details on why Mr. Keith Rigdon of Methodist Healthcare System had advised the local hospital district on September 28, 2015 they were withdrawing from their contract previously approved by the Maverick County Hospital District Board of Directors to practice cardiology in Maverick County and Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center.

CEO Contreras-Patlan advised the MCHD Board that the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center’s Medical Committee, headed by Chairperson Dr. Hector R. Trevino, had denied Methodist Healthcare System’s original application for hospital privilieges at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center, shocking Contreras-Patlan and local healthcare providers.

After originally denying Methodist Healthcare System’s original application, Methodist Healthcare System was asked to reapply for hospital privileges but the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center’s Medical Committee delayed a second decision causing Methodist Healthcare System to withdraw its cardiology services to Maverick County due to the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Medical Committee’s lack of support and mishandling of its hospital privilieges application.

CEO Contreras-Patlan noted that the lack of approval of Methodist Healthcare System Cardiology Group’s hospital privileges by the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center’s Medical Committee dissuaded Methodist Healthcare System from practicing in Maverick County due to the local Maverick County Medical Community lack of support and referral of patients to the specialty cardiology group.

MCHD Board member Ricardo E. Calderon stated that the withdrawal of Methodist Healthcare System Cardiology Group was a devastating loss and a travesty to the citizens and taxpayers of Maverick County who desperately need professional cardiology services in the community.  Calderon noted that it was Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center CEO Richard Prati whom had approached and requested the Maverick County Hospital District to assist them hire a cardiology group to service the community’s cardiology needs, but was at a loss for the unconscionable behavior of the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center’s Medical Committee denial of hospital priviliges to one of the best cardiology groups in Texas.

CEO Contreras-Patlan stated that the local Medical association, also headed by Dr. Hector R. Trevino as President, was concerned that the entry of Methodist Healthcare System Cardiology Group into Maverick County may open the door in the future to other medical specialties which may compete against local doctors.

Acting MCHD Chairman Juan Manuel Farias stated that the Maverick County Medical Association feared competition from other medical providers as the primary reason for denying the top-rated Methodist Healthcare System Cardiology Group its hospital privileges at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center.  Farias added that he personally asked Dr. Hector R. Trevino, the Chairman of the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center’s Medical Committee, if there were any problems with Methodist Healthcare System Cardiologoy Group’s application for hospital privileges and that Dr. Trevino had told him there were no problems.  Farias added that there was ” a lot of undermining” by the local Medical association whom fears competition from new or more physicians coming into the community despite a severe shortage of physicians, especially specialitsts, in Maverick County.

Board member Ronald Hixson, whom together with Farias serve on the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Advisory Board, stated that the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center’s Medical Committee had denied Methodist Healthcare System’s application for hospital privilieges and “dragged their feet on the second application” causing them to withdraw from our communiity.  Hixson added that the MCHD should conduct an investigation to find out exactly what happened.  Hixson noted that this decision has a huge negative effect and impact on our community and that local primary physicians oppose progress and growth of healthcare services in Maverick County.

Calderon stated that this decision questions the contractual relationship between the Maverick County Hospital District and Universal Health, the parent company of Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center.  Calderon added that why should the Maverick County Hospital District commmit taxpayers’ financial resources in hiring new specialists for Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center if it can not guarantee hospital privilieges to our physicians.

Calderon noted that the Maverick County Hospital Distirct policy is to work with all healthcare providers for the benefit of our citizens and to fulfill the meddical needs of the community.  Calderon raised the point that the Hospital District approved contracts with most local doctors for its voucher program, but does not understand why the local Medical Association does not reciprocate by supporting the hospital privileges of its specialists such as Methodist Healthcare System Cardiology Group.

Farias  added that the Maverick County Hospital District should  maybe consider terminating its voucher contract program  with local  doctors.

Hixson stated  this decision jeopardizes the relationship between the Maverick County Hospital District and the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center.

Calderon requested  that Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center CEO Richard Prati and Dr. Hector R.  Trevino be inviited to the next Board meeting  to provide an  explanation.