The trial of Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz began this week, with opening statements and jury selection taking place on Monday. Ortiz is accused of poisoning IV bags at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas which resulted in the death of one of his colleagues and several other injuries. Ortiz experienced significant previous discipline from the Texas Medical Board and law enforcement, and much of the prosecution’s case is based on video footage of Ortiz replacing IV bags in warmers outside rooms where patients were poisoned with nerve blockers and anesthetics. According to the Dallas Morning News, Ortiz’s defense lawyer said his client has been swept up by confirmation bias and the media storm that followed the injuries in the summer of 2022.
North Texas-based Tenet Healthcare Corporation has finalized the sale of six hospitals and associated operations in California. The deal includes transferring four hospitals in Orange County and Los Angeles County to UCI Health following approval from the University of California Board of Regents. Among the facilities included in this transaction are Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center, and Placentia-Linda Hospital. Additionally, Tenet has concluded the sale of its two San Luis Obispo hospitals and related operations to Adventist Health, encompassing Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, Twin Cities Community Hospital, and associated facilities.
Texas Oncology, one of the largest community-based oncology practices in the United States, has unveiled its involvement in pioneering a potential breakthrough treatment for resected high-risk melanoma patients. The study is underway at two Texas Oncology sites, Texas Oncology-Austin Central and Texas Oncology-Baylor Charles. With over 2,500 patients enrolled in more than 150 active clinical trials at 53 locations statewide, the organization hopes to enroll approximately 1,089 patients across more than 165 sites spanning over 25 countries globally. Texas Oncology is facilitating patient access to breakthroughs in cancer treatment while also helping drive the progression of discoveries in cancer diagnosis, prevention, and therapy modalities.
Dallas-based Steward Health Care plans to sell its physician group to Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. This move is part of Steward’s proactive efforts to enhance its financial stability, including addressing overdue bills and rents. If approved, this acquisition by Optum would result in physicians across Steward’s nine-state network becoming part of the largest employer of physicians in the United States. A significant milestone in this plan was the recently secured financing agreement, injecting $150 million in additional liquidity.
Dallas officials are advocating for the redevelopment of a vacant Oak Cliff hospital into housing for people experiencing homelessness, as reported in the Dallas Morning News. Christine Crossley, the city’s homeless solutions office director, presented to City Council members about transforming the 12-acre South Hampton Road site of University General Hospital (which shuttered in 2014) into a 100-unit facility tailored for youth, families, or seniors facing homelessness. This space would provide housing, vital wellness, health services, and skill-building classes to empower residents. This may serve as potential for additional development on the site, envisioning market-rate homes, commercial retail, restaurants, or other private ventures to complement the housing initiative. In 2022, the City Council allocated $6.5 million in bond funds to acquire the property, aligning with efforts to address Dallas’s homelessness crisis. Balancing community concerns with the urgent need to address homelessness, Dallas officials are navigating a complex landscape to forge a path forward that serves the best interests of all stakeholders.
Author
