U.S. Hospital used for Mexico's infighting!

I just thought you might want to know how this city's hospital is being used.

Thomason CEO seeks help after 3rd lockdown
By Aileen B. Flores / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 07/13/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT

Jim Valenti, CEO of Thomason Hospital, held up a copy of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which is the federal law that states no trauma patient seeking medical treatment can be turned away, and a copy of the National Security Advisory Security System, which the hospital will use to determine its level of security when appropriate. (Vanessa Monsisvais / El Paso Times)Related: Find more on the violence in Juárez. With his hospital forced to take heightened security measures for the third time this year, Thomason Hospital CEO Jim Valenti on Saturday called on elected officials to stop the trend of people shot in Juárez seeking medical treatment at the county hospital.
Valenti acted after a Mexican police officer with multiple gunshot wounds, apparently another victim of the ongoing drug war in Juárez, was taken Friday night by ambulance from one of the ports of entry to Thomason Hospital's Level 1 Trauma Center.
Once again, sheriff's deputies stood guard outside the hospital with assault rifles, doors were locked, and all visitors to the hospital had to be screened by through a metal detector.
Thomason officials said the officer was the third wounded Mexican police official to be taken to Thomason. Since January, 11 victims of the drug-war violence have been treated at the hospital, seven of them U.S. citizens.
This should be a signal that elected officials and law enforcement agencies need to take some action, Valenti said.
"This trend is disturbing our doctors and nurses, medical students and patients," Valenti said. "We need the assistance of federal, local and state agencies. A month ago we had a similar situation, and our prediction is that this is going to continue."
Mayor John Cook said Saturday he understood that the situation was putting a burden on the ability of the hospital to operate and take care of its patients. Cook said federal, state and local officials would have to meet and find a solution to "a very disturbing trend."
In response to Valenti's request for assistance, U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said the Merida Initiative was "a major step in addressing the escalating violence in Juárez."
Reyes said the Merida Initiative, recently signed into law by President Bush, would provide Mexico with training, equipment and intelligence to reduce drug-related crime.
Reyes said it would also give Mexico's judicial system support and resources that could lead to more drug-related prosecutions.
County Commissioner Veronica Escobar said the Thomason Hospital board members and the Commissioners Court would meet July 24 to discuss the "pattern" of bringing drug-related shooting victims to El Paso.
"It appears there may be a significant effort to provide safety for certain individuals who are victims of the drug war," Escobar said.
She said El Paso is the only border city where wounded Mexican officials are taken to receive medical care, even though other Mexican cities along the U.S. border are having similar violence.
According to Thomason officials, the hospital did not accept those patients in transfer. The decisions to take the patients to the hospital were made when emergency medical technicians assessed the patients and determined they required Level 1 trauma care.
Thomason is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the region. Under federal law, medical personnel are required to provide immediate treatment to such patients, Valenti said.
Thomason officials said the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires a U.S. hospitals to stabilize any patient brought to its emergency room needing trauma care, regardless of the patient's ability to pay or national origin.
"Mexican citizens aren't different than the United States citizens," said Valenti, who added that cost isn't the issue. "Thomason is receiving reimbursements from the majority of these cases."
Friday night, three El Paso police units escorted the ambulance to Thomason, where El Paso County sheriff's deputies implemented heightened security.
"We aren't providing protection to the individual. We provide extra security for the patients, staff and visitors," said Deputy Eduardo Placencia, Sheriff's Office public information officer. The added security will continue until further notice, he said.