Dallas’ White Rock Medical Center halts EMS intake amidst workforce reduction

Dallas, Texas – White Rock Medical Center temporarily ceased receiving patients via emergency medical services this past weekend after reducing its workforce by nearly 35% due to ongoing litigation involving the former owner. The pause was implemented “out of an abundance of caution” to ensure that the 158-person layoff didn’t compromise patient care at the Level IV trauma center, according to Terry Fokas, White Rock Medical Center’s general counsel and chief restructuring officer. The hospital originally employed 460 staff members before the layoffs.

Fokas predicted that White Rock would resume EMS patient intake by Wednesday. The North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council, overseeing trauma and emergency health systems in the region, acknowledged the EMS transport halt.

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“Our role is to ensure that this information has been sent to EMS agencies and other hospitals who are affected,” said NCTTRAC director of information and support services Jacob Seil. “We can confirm that this information has been posted in the appropriate communications platforms.”

The hospital has undergone multiple ownership changes and rebranding throughout its history. Most recently, it was acquired by Heights Healthcare of Texas from Pipeline Health last fall. Originally established in 1958 as Doctors Hospital, it became Baylor Scott & White Medical Center White Rock in 2016.

California-based Pipeline had acquired the hospital from major Texas healthcare players Baylor Scott & White Health and Tenet Healthcare, who jointly owned the facility for about two years. Pipeline declared bankruptcy in 2022 and later sold two Chicago hospitals in 2023.

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Heights Healthcare, which owns five hospitals in Houston, is now embroiled in a legal dispute with Pipeline in a Dallas County court over the acquisition of the medical center. The recent layoffs, according to Terry Fokas, were linked to the financial burden of the litigation. Pipeline’s spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

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