Thread: Tx-Thomason CEO seeks help after 3rd lockdown

Thomason CEO seeks help after 3rd lockdown
By Aileen B. Flores / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 07/13/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT


Jim Valenti, CEO of Thomason Hospital, held up a copy of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which is the federal law that states no trauma patient seeking medical treatment can be turned away, and a copy of the National Security Advisory Security System, which the hospital will use to determine its level of security when appropriate. (Vanessa Monsisvais / El Paso Times)Related: Find more on the violence in Juárez.

With his hospital forced to take heightened security measures for the third time this year, Thomason Hospital CEO Jim Valenti on Saturday called on elected officials to stop the trend of people shot in Juárez seeking medical treatment at the county hospital.

Valenti acted after a Mexican police officer with multiple gunshot wounds, apparently another victim of the ongoing drug war in Juárez, was taken Friday night by ambulance from one of the ports of entry to Thomason Hospital's Level 1 Trauma Center.

Once again, sheriff's deputies stood guard outside the hospital with assault rifles, doors were locked, and all visitors to the hospital had to be screened by through a metal detector.

Thomason officials said the officer was the third wounded Mexican police official to be taken to Thomason. Since January, 11 victims of the drug-war violence have been treated at the hospital, seven of them U.S. citizens.

This should be a signal that elected officials and law enforcement agencies need to take some action, Valenti said.

"This trend is disturbing our doctors and nurses, medical students and patients," Valenti said. "We need the assistance of federal, local and state agencies. A month ago we had a similar situation, and our prediction is that this is going to continue."

Mayor John Cook said Saturday he understood
that the situation was putting a burden on the ability of the hospital to operate and take care of its patients.

Cook said federal, state and local officials would have to meet and find a solution to "a very disturbing trend."

In response to Valenti's request for assistance, U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said the Merida Initiative was "a major step in addressing the escalating violence in Juárez."

Reyes said the Merida Initiative, recently signed into law by President Bush, would provide Mexico with training, equipment and intelligence to reduce drug-related crime.

Reyes said it would also give Mexico's judicial system support and resources that could lead to more drug-related prosecutions.

County Commissioner Veronica Escobar said the Thomason Hospital board members and the Commissioners Court would meet July 24 to discuss the "pattern" of bringing drug-related shooting victims to El Paso.

"It appears there may be a significant effort to provide safety for certain individuals who are victims of the drug war," Escobar said.

She said El Paso is the only border city where wounded Mexican officials are taken to receive medical care, even though other Mexican cities along the U.S. border are having similar violence.

According to Thomason officials, the hospital did not accept those patients in transfer. The decisions to take the patients to the hospital were made when emergency medical technicians assessed the patients and determined they required Level 1 trauma care.

Thomason is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the region. Under federal law, medical personnel are required to provide immediate treatment to such patients, Valenti said.

Thomason officials said the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires a U.S. hospitals to stabilize any patient brought to its emergency room needing trauma care, regardless of the patient's ability to pay or national origin.

"Mexican citizens aren't different than the United States citizens," said Valenti, who added that cost isn't the issue. "Thomason is receiving reimbursements from the majority of these cases."

Friday night, three El Paso police units escorted the ambulance to Thomason, where El Paso County sheriff's deputies implemented heightened security.

"We aren't providing protection to the individual. We provide extra security for the patients, staff and visitors," said Deputy Eduardo Placencia, Sheriff's Office public information officer. The added security will continue until further notice, he said.

Aileen B. Flores may be reached at aflores@elpasotimes.com;

546-6362.


http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_9865628

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Reyes said the Merida Initiative, recently signed into law by President Bush, would provide Mexico with training, equipment and intelligence to reduce drug-related crime





What fantasy land does Reyes live in?

This is something which needs attention NOW. Any good which might possibly come from Merida would not be realized for at least a year....probably more. And that's only IF Mexico seriously intends to use the initiative as intended by our government.

They don't.

So, basically, what Reyes is saying, is that Thomason, and any other effected hospital, can hold their hands on their as.....errrr, umm, back pockets.........and wait for NOTHING.

And, in the meantime, what's going to happen when one of the cartels decides they're fed up with their targets being hidden behind hospital walls and start going after them? A few deputies with high powered rifles and hospital security are no match for these people and we're going to have a tragedy on our hands.

In response to Valenti's request for assistance, U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said the Merida Initiative was "a major step in addressing the escalating violence in Juárez."

Reyes is an idiot. Valenti is asking that Mexicans involved in gun battles over drugs to not keep coming to his hospital because it is putting the hospital staff, doctors, nurses and patients in danger. TAKE THEM TO MEXICAN FACILITIES! This has NOTHING to do with that STUPID Merida Initiative that gives Mexico even more money, weapons, and training to expand their drug cartels.

It is a matter of keeping the hospital safe. Laws need to be changed so that we wont have to keep accepting Mexico's wounded drug runners.

I live in El Paso and am getting sick of this situation. What people don't realize is that Reyes, Escobar and Cook are not interested in protecting the citizens of El Paso. Escobar is one of our county commissioners who, during one of their meetings, made it very clear she is against the fence and fights for the rights of the "undocumented." She is very clearly more interested in helping Mexico and Mexicans than helping Americans. Cook is a panderer who insists upon calling Juarez our "sister" city and does not see reality....the violence is spilling across the border already and actually has been for years here in El Paso. Rep. Reyes "used" to be all for border security when he was BP Chief, but now that he is a politician he has forgotten about the "little" people here in El Paso he is supposed to protect. This is a despicable place to live with anti-American traitors all over the place.

Originally Posted by butterbean

In response to Valenti's request for assistance, U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said the Merida Initiative was "a major step in addressing the escalating violence in Juárez."

Reyes is an idiot. Valenti is asking that Mexicans involved in gun battles over drugs to not keep coming to his hospital because it is putting the hospital staff, doctors, nurses and patients in danger. TAKE THEM TO MEXICAN FACILITIES! This has NOTHING to do with that STUPID Merida Initiative that gives Mexico even more money, weapons, and training to expand their drug cartels.

It is a matter of keeping the hospital safe. Laws need to be changed so that we wont have to keep accepting Mexico's wounded drug runners.

You are right on the money, butterbean! It won't cost us to change that law. It will save us MILLIONS and protect OUR citizens.

Failing that, the trauma center should close its doors and move further away from the border. We don't owe Mexico NADA!

Mayor John Cook said Saturday he understood
that the situation was putting a burden on the ability of the hospital to operate and take care of its patients.

Cook said federal, state and local officials would have to meet and find a solution to "a very disturbing trend."

Talk about hoping the problem goes away here's the guy . That hospital should already have had a "City Board Meeting" on this very bad issue. They treating Mexican police for Gods sake. I'm not aganist any police recieving care that they need . But these are from another country , there are issues . Juarez doesn't have hospitals ? but i guess that would be a major sercuity issue over there [/quote]

Valenti, who added that cost isn't the issue. "Thomason is receiving reimbursements from the majority of these cases."

Denial of reality. Cost is obviously one of the major issues. Even if not to his hospital, ultimately the American taxpayers get soaked for this. If the Mexican government had any pride, integrity and just a shade of competence, they would: 1) stop this violence & 2) reimburse American taxpayers.

Mexican citizens aren't different than the United States citizens," said Valenti,

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yeah they are. There is a big difference between citizens of Mexico and citizens of the U.S.