Children’s bankruptcy update

hearing on the el paso children’s hospital bankruptcy which lasted about six hours! university medical center c-e-o jim valenti was asked to explain the comments he made under oath about having the support of 80-percent of the pediatricians in the community. as we reported, more than 60 doctors affiliated with children’s signed a public letter saying they do not trust valenti or support a u-m-c takeover. on the stand, valenti said, “nowhere in there did i say 80 percent of physicians supported jim valenti. that 80 percent referred to an approximation for referring physicians in our community… “…i’ve had a lot of sleepless nights on this. i know what was stated. i need to provide more context.” valenti also admitted under the u-m-c rescue plan, children’s would not be independent. but he said they never, ever characterized it as a takeover and the goal is to fulfill the promise made to voters in 2007. bob, the judge also heard from a pediatrician and children’s hospital founding member. doctor carlos gutierrez testified a takeover by u-m-c would be devastating. he said, quote: “i am so fearfu a decision like this will set things back tremendously in pediatric care in el paso. we are going to lose at a bare minimum half of those sub-specialists we have recruited over the past five years.” the judge took in all this testimony and said he’d make a ruling by thursday on whether he allows u-m-c to present its plan to salvage the bankrupt hospital in court, or whether el paso children’s is the only one with the exclusive right to present a plan. el paso electric says it needs