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Opinion Editorial Task force needed to referee hospital battle Last week, The Amarillo Independent reported that Baptist St. Anthony's Health System had lured away from Northwest Texas Healthcare System the group of board-certified emergency physicians that staffs Northwest's Emergency Department. Although Mary Barlow, BSA's director of corporate communications, said she didn't know if the hospital would apply for designation as a high-level trauma center, the Independent obtained a copy of a BSA memo that John McKissack, one of BSA's administrators, wrote on March 5 that read, in part: "As we launch our efforts to Create The Future of Emergency Medicine in Amarillo , I am pleased to inform you that we are ready to begin the staging process for a new BSA HELIPAD. The HELIPAD will be located on top of the existing Physician's Parking Garage." The memo also told the BSA community that the hospital will obtain "a new state-of-the-art helicopter." The city of Amarillo issued a building permit for the helipad last week. Why build a helipad unless the hospital will seek a trauma center designation? This is the second time within a few months BSA has announced plans to compete with a Northwest clinical service that is acknowledged to be excellent. This go-for-the-jugular competition will hurt the medical community, compromise medical and clinical education in Amarillo and throw the poor in Amarillo to the medical wolves. If the city can work with Center City Amarillo to help shape downtown development, there is a precedent for the city to influence other business activities in this community. The Amarillo Independent urges the Amarillo City Commission to appoint a task force that includes representatives of the business and medical communities to oversee a community-based needs study. The goal would be to recommend a compassionate, cooperative and rational medical system for Amarillo. E-mail
comments about this story Posted: March 13, 2008
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