Pauls Valley City Council To Decide Fate Of Hospital

City council is meeting right now in a special session to discuss the fate of the hospital.

Right now, staff at Paul's Valley General Hospital is working without pay.

Over the years, the hospital has been poorly managed.

"Laboratory schemes. Pharmacy schemes. Different types of schemes to make money and a rural health system because of the reimbursement system. And then they don't pay attention to collaborations. And what happens is what's happening here,” said Frank Avignone with Alliance Health Partners.

Patients have lost faith in their hospital.

A new management company, Alliance Health Partners, was brought in in June, but that hasn't been enough time to affect real change. So, the hospital needs between $600,000 and $2 million to remain open. Without it the hospital will close.

The next closest hospital is in Purcell, a half hour away. That may be a possible death sentence for someone needing emergency attention.

Hospital management says $2 million will keep the hospital open for 120 days, long enough for the hospital to become viable.

News 9 spoke with the city manager. He expects city council to vote against closing the hospital.