UMC CEO Jim Valenti holds first town hall with staff; talks El Paso Children’s
It’s been a while, but today University Medical Center CEO Jim Valenti spoke with ABC-7 about the situation with El Paso Children’s.
As ABC-7 extensively reported, UMC says Children’s owes it nearly $90 million,and now the two group are working on a deal that resolves that debt.
Valenti met twice Wednesday with the hospital’s staff to talk about fiscal year 2015 and of Children’s Hospital.
“What we’re trying to do is really strengthen Children’s on the business side of it, on the reimbursements,” Valenti said.
UMC and Children’s are still working to finalize an agreement. UMC would like to be apply for medicaid reimbursement on behalf of Children’s for up to $2 million. But without a deal between the two hospitals, those federal reimbursements can be taken advantage of.
“We feel very optimistic,” said Javier Gonzalez, a UMC director who attended the town hall. “It doesn’t affect us as far as staffing on the contrary, I think this is going to be a very good relationship. We’re so close together, it just makes sense we work together.
At the meeting were some highlights, including a fatter budget for 2015 and 2016 due to newly approved medicaid supplemental reimbursement.
“It’s millions of dollars,” Valenti said. “About a million dollars per month. So it’s a very important development.”
That injection of revenue may benefit employees. Valenti told him and the others he’s looking into merit and market salary adjustments. UMC is also looking forward to the opening of three additional clinics, as well as a new nursing unit at the hospital and nearly complete renovations.
Although the deal Children’s hangs heavy over Valenti’s head, he’s encouraged.
“We all believe in the Children’s hospital, we all believe in the mission, Valenti said.
This town hall meeting isn’t a regular event. Valenti said he wanted to do it this year in honor of Hospital and Nurses Week this month.
UMC and Children’s set a deadline of Friday, May 15 to work out the agreement. Another UMC board meeting will be held Monday, May 18 at 3 p.m. There members could possibly take action and announce any updates on the deal.
