CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Nueces County Hospital District held its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday afternoon. One of the items on the agenda to discuss was Christus Spohn's Emergency Medicine Residency Program.
Dozens of physicians, residents, and community members packed the house. Even Christus Spohn CEO Dominic Dominguez, who did not attend Monday's Committee meeting, showed up to speak before the Hospital District, this time with a shift in tone.
"I look forward to working, if that is the will of the hospital district, on any opportunities that we can work out," Dominguez said.
The Hospital District said they are willing to step in to help fund the residency program in an effort to keep quality and indigent care for the community.
"If there’s a way, we can find a way for this board to pay for a certain percentage of the program. I’m just throwing it out there, but I think that’s another solution," Nueces County Hospital District board member Arthur Granado said.
Public officials also showed up to the meeting to show support for the keeping of the EM Residency Program. Precinct 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney said the quicker the Hospital District can give a response, the quicker a solution can be found.
"I would ask that you call a special meeting as soon as possible to make that vote and make it in public so the community knows, because I know how strongly you all support indigent care and this will affect indigent care," Chesney said.
As attorneys from Christus Spohn and the Hospital District iron out details, they are in disagreement over whether or not the cancellation of the EM Residency Program would be a violation of Christus Spohn's contract with the Hospital District. That contract says Christus Spohn must have at least two residency programs that meet contractual requirements.
Christus Spohn and the Nueces County Hospital District will meet within the next couple of days to go over the costs of the program in an effort to find solutions.
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