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Regency Employee: Hospital Forced To Close
Regency Employee: Hospital Forced To Close 10/19/12
Robert Guaderrama
rguaderrama@cbs7.com
October 19, 2012
ODESSA, TX - Continuing coverage tonight on a specialty hospital, that's been operating out of Medical Center Hospital. Regency Hospital Odessa announced they are closing their doors, leaving employees without work. Regency, which offers care for patients who need to stay at the hospital for long periods of time has been operating on the 6th floor of MCH, but they will be shutting down and some say the closure was forced.
"I think Mr. Webster is not being truthful about the renegotiations that he was surprised by this, he fully forced regency into this," said Regency Employee.
Remarks about Medical Center Hospital's Chief Executive Officer William Webster coming from an employee of Regency Hospital who asked we keep his identity anonymous as he is now looking for a new job in Odessa’s small medical community.
The employee, who we'll call Clay Stephens says MCH officials dragged out the lease negotiation process all to time regency out.
"For them to close on December 15th, they would have to announced it October 15th so try we're forced into having to make this announcement since they had not gotten the lease renewed by Medical Center," said Stephens.
Stephen's is talking about the warn act which requires companies with more than 100 employees to give 60 days notice prior to mass layoffs or closure.
Regency officials tell us, "When alternative space could not be located, we began to process of closing down our operations."
Stephen's main concern is the patients, who will now be limited on where to go for long-term acute care.
"We don't have the capacity with the one hospital in midland to handle the demands that are here, these are families who come to Odessa to get this treatment, Midland is a smaller hospital than we were so now these families are gonna have to travel to the next closest long term acute care which is Lubbock," said Stephens.
But MCH tells us they will continue to care for acute long-term patients as they explore options in replacing regency. As for the space on the 6th floor, hospital officials say, "With regency closing, we will now begin to explore our option for the space. At this time a decision has not been made."
Regency officials tell me that they are still willing to continue discussions with MCH regarding the renewal of their lease. Though we were not granted an interview with MCH officials, hospital staff tell us they are working to get us more information