epcounty.com - Commissioner Precinct 2

El Paso County Commissioner Pct. 2
Veronica Escobar

Thomason staff wants changes at county level
By Erica Molina Johnson / El Paso Times
El Paso Times

Thomason Hospital's medical staff banded together Tuesday to support the hospital's administration and urge the public to take a stand against corruption and demand changes at the County Commissioners Court, three members of which have been implicated in a wide-ranging FBI investigation.
The hospital's chief of staff Dr. Alan Tyroch read a letter signed by 121 medical staff members to the El Paso County Hospital District's Board of Managers at its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon.
"We the medical staff of Thomason, are proud to have played a role in the hospital's remarkable turnaround," Tyroch read.
"However, we are also deeply concerned that these successes are being jeopardized by recent events involving certain members of Commissioners Court and Thomason's Board of Managers.
"These have drawn negative attention to our hospital and threaten to derail its progress," he read.
The letter came days after former County Commissioner Betti Flores pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit mail or wire fraud, admitting trading her votes on various issues for money.
One count stated that Flores received a bribe in exchange for her vote on part of the underwriting contract for Thomason's $120 million bond issue as well as underwriting other county contracts.
Flores was among 17 county officials, individuals and businesses implicated in a public corruption conspiracy in June by John Travis Ketner, the former chief of staff to County Judge Anthony Cobos, when he pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud or bribery.
Others who appear to be implicated as unnamed, uncharged co-conspirators in Ketner's "information" were County Judge Anthony Cobos, Commissioners Miguel Terán and Luis Sariñana and Thomason Hospital board member Arturo "Tury" Duran.
Duran was appointed to the board in 2006 by then-commissioner Flores, and is accused of being the "bag man" in instances of bribery.
At the meeting Tuesday, Duran said he appreciated the medical staff's letter but would have preferred that it be addressed to the board rather than the citizens of El Paso.
"We are responsible as a board to shield all of you from the politics and policies," Duran said. "In the last several months, I've seen a lot of political activity in this staff. You focus on the care, take care of the patients. Our job is to support you, (so) leave the politics and policy issues to this board and policy leaders in this community."
After the meeting, County Commissioner Veronica Escobar, who attended, took issue with Duran's statement.
"The last thing we need as a community is anyone trying to discourage civic engagement. They have every right to defend the integrity of the hospital," she said. "I was very proud of the medical staff for standing up for Thomason Hospital and (hospital President and CEO) Jim Valenti."
The medical staff's letter described the effects of the recent FBI public corruption investigation and the guilty pleas.
"The refusal of the court to follow the recommendations of its own blue-ribbon panel in selecting hospital board members, and the allegations of misconduct, both public and private, by certain commissioners and board members have created distractions and uncertainties that make it increasingly difficult for Mr. Valenti and the medical staff to focus on the hospital's mission," Tyroch read.
Cobos reacted to the letter during the meeting, placing focus on the blue-ribbon committee and its report.
Earlier this year Cobos assembled the committee to review best practices in the selection of members to the Thomason board.
He named lawyer Martie Jobe to head the committee. She has also been connected to the corruption allegations by Ketner and Flores.
Jobe filed a defamation lawsuit against Ketner last month.
"The blue-ribbon committee was not my idea, but we moved forward," Cobos told the board and room filled with hospital staff.
"We have followed the recommendations of the blue ribbon committee almost exactly."
He conceded that some changes were made to the recommendations, including making his second appointment to the board an at-large position.
"If we followed it exactly, we would probably still have four vacancies on this board," Cobos said.
The letter also called for the community to:
Appeal to the Commissioners Court to put politics aside.
Tell the court that the old days of using Thomason Board appointments for political patronage are over.
Demand that the court follow the recommendations of its blue-ribbon panel and appoint only qualified, responsible hospital board members whose presence will enhance, not detract, from the hospital's mission and who endorse the fiscal transparency and responsibility instituted by hospital CEO Valenti and his administration.
Notify board members that they are expected to collaborate with, not against, the hospital administration.
"Only in this way can we ensure that the progress made at Thomason endures for future generations of El Pasoans," Tyroch read.
The letter was met by applause and support from Valenti and several board members.
"I've never been more proud of our medical staff as what I've been now," board member Dr. Carlos Gutierrez said. "What you have done is something I have never seen in my life. You care so much about this hospital -- you do see some things at risk and don't want to see them go down the tubes."