The University Medical Center of El Paso (Texas) Board of Managers has approved a term sheet to keep financially struggling El Paso Children's Hospital operating in the community, according to an El Paso Times report.
University Medical Center listed general provisions of the term sheet, which include "commitment to continuation of the El Paso Children's Hospital," "continuation of separate license, governance and CEO," "consideration of the debt," and "authority to UMC to help ensure the future success of the children's hospital."
UMC Board of Managers Chairman William Hanson said, "Our priorities are to ensure high quality patient care and to preserve healthcare jobs, while maintaining the fiscal integrity of UMC."
The children's hospital has until Feb. 27 to accept the proposed agreement, and any tentative agreement between the children's hospital and UMC will go before the El Paso County Commissioners Court for approval.
In the meantime, the UMC Board of Managers has also authorized the termination of certain administrative/support service contracts with El Paso Children's Hospital, impacting about 33 UMC positions, beginning in no less than 30 days, according to a news release.
If El Paso Children's Hospital does not accept the proposed agreement, UMC will make sure that all of the UMC workers in these particular positions serving the children's hospital will be absorbed into current, similar vacancies and other vacancies made possible through normal attrition at UMC, the release reads.