VBMC doctors vote ‘no confidence’ for administration

HARLINGEN — Nearly 150 doctors who have privileges at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen considered a resolution Monday night stating the physicians have “no confidence” in the hospital’s top executives.

At a meeting of the hospital’s medical staff, Valley Baptist’s doctors voted on two statements: one expressing support for 16 emergency physicians who recently submitted their resignation from the hospital, saying the loss of the group from the hospital reflects “poor administrative leadership” by senior administrators; and another approving a “vote of no confidence in Valley Baptist Medical Center’s senior administration.”

“There was a feeling that this was an important matter,” said Dr. Karl Frey, an oral surgeon who chaired the meeting, about the vote.

Earlier this month, Valley Emergency Physicians LLP, a group of emergency-room doctors affiliated with the hospital for 15 years, resigned from the facility, effective in December.

A public outcry followed, with hundreds of comments posted on Valley Morning Star’s Web site as well as comments appearing on The Monitor and Brownsville Herald Web sites.

Many of the sites’ visitors said they were Valley Baptist employees frustrated with the management of the hospital. A few staff members have commented on the record, saying they were unhappy with the administration and its utilization of the Six Sigma quality-improvement program.

The doctors voted by secret ballot on the resolutions, and some were spotted marking “agree” to both statements.

Before the results of the vote were announced, a reporter in attendance was asked to leave the meeting by a VBMC official who said it wasn’t open to the press.

Physicians who were contacted after the meeting either declined to comment on the record about the vote or could not be reached by press time Monday.

Valley Baptist officials would not comment specifically on the results of the physicians’ vote, but submitted a statement from the hospital’s board of trustees.

“We hear the doctors’ concerns, and the board looks forward to working with management and physicians on the issues they have raised,” the statement said. “Our main goal is for Valley Baptist Health System to continue to provide the highest quality of care for the communities we serve.”