Amarillo, Texas-based Northwest Texas Healthcare System has closed its two freestanding emergency departments in Amarillo due to hospital contractor NES Health's inability to meet coverage requirements.
NES Health is a physician-led organization that specializes in emergency physician staffing and outsourced hospital management solutions.
"It is unfortunate that NES, the contract provider for emergency services, has been unable to meet its coverage requirements, resulting in intermittent closures of our freestanding emergency departments," a spokesperson for the health system said in a Nov. 21 statement shared with Becker's.
While the physicians involved in the pay issue work at NWTHS's freestanding EDs, the health system does not employ them or pay their salaries.
"NWTHS became aware of a payroll issue with the contractor provider and we continue to assist with this unfortunate situation," the statement said. "We appreciate the expertise, talents and dedication of the independent physicians who provide care to patients at our hospital and will do all possible to ensure that access to quality care is maintained by NWTHS."
News of the closures come after emergency department physicians at Daly City, Calif.-based Seton Medical Center, have also gone unpaid for around two and a half months.
MedPage Today reported in early November that NES Health had cited its "temporary shortfall in monthly revenue" as the reason why its contracted physicians were not receiving pay. Up to 30 hospitals nationwide have been affected by the pay issues, David Canepa, San Mateo (Calif.) County board of supervisors vice president, said in a Nov. 13 statement shared with Becker's.
Patients who need emergency care have been directed to the emergency department at NWTHS's main hospital.
Becker's has reached out to NES Health for comment and will update this story should more information become available.