In an email blast to several news organizations, David Saucedo announced that he filed a complaint against the El Paso Children’s Hospital on October 5. The complaint was filed with The Join Commission. The Joint Commission is a non-profit organization that accredits hospitals. Without a Joint Commission accreditation, a hospital loses its ability to receive payments from the services it provides to its patients from commercial insurances and Medicare. Without the accreditation, the children’s hospital stands to lose the federal payments it relies on.
The Saucedo complaint references their lawsuit, including the Mayes’ affidavit and the resignation letter of EPCH’s Director of Quality, Risk Management, Patient Safety and Accreditation. The El Paso Politics previously reported on the lawsuit, the affidavit and the resignation.
David Saucedo is asking The Office of Quality Monitoring to give his complaint “a high priority quality incident of immediate and serious concern”. In his letter, Saucedo is requesting “a for cause, unannounced and unscheduled, survey” of the hospital “to be conducted as soon as possible.” [3]
Local Pediatricians Concerned
The Saucedo complaint letter included an undated letter submitted to Cindy Stout, the El Paso Children’s Hospital CEO and to the hospital’s board. The letter, signed by six physicians, expresses “worry about the future of the pediatric community,” and how they “can continue to trust El Paso Children’s Hospital with the continued care” of their patients. [4]
The physicians are concerned that EPCH is “driving [medical] specialist away.” [4]
The physicians also wrote on their letter that they “are not happy with the decisions made and the uneasy feeling of what else can we expect in the future,” from the children’s hospital.” [4]
UMC Annual Reports Shows Decline
According to the University Medical Center of El Paso (UMC) 2018 annual report, the El Paso Children’s Hospital, of which UMC is the sole owner, reported losses of almost $9 million in 2017. [1] In its 2019 report, UMC did not include information about any losses at children’s.
However, the 2019 UMC annual report seems to show a drop in the number of licensed beds, 354 in 2018 to 122 in 2019 and a drop in physicians practicing at the children’s hospital, 479 to 268. [1] [2].
When El Paso Politics becomes aware of a Joint Commission visit of El Paso Children’s Hospital, we will report it, as well as any outcomes of the complaint.
Footnotes:
- University Medical Center of El Paso 2018 Annual Report.
- University Medical Center of El Paso 2019 Annual Report.
- David Saucedo to Office of Quality Monitoring, Division of Accreditation Operations, The Joint Commission, October 5, 2020
- Letter signed by six doctors, “El Paso community physicians,” to Cindy Stout, El Paso Children’s Hospital CEO and El Paso Children’s Hospital Board, undated.
After seeing the vicious attack on one of the best Doctors in El Paso, Dr. Canales, I’m glad Saucedo lost his election for Mayor.