EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Memorial Medical Center CEO John Harris will be retiring this month, according to the Las Cruces Bulletin.
The community newspaper says Harris’ departure comes after the Las Cruces hospital was accused of refusing treatment for cancer patients among other allegations by the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) last month.
As we have previously reported, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez announced last month that the NMDOJ will be launching an investigation into the hospital after it allegedly refused to treat cancer patients, denied or required full upfront payments from several uninsured or Medicaid-eligible patients, failed to screen patients for financial assistance, and denied medical services to patients which violates New Mexico law.
Patients who were denied care at Memorial Medical Center were “forced to seek treatment in Albuquerque and other cities as their healthcare needs were, and still are, dire,” the NMDOJ said.
NBC News broke a story about the hospital denying care to cancer patients in June, which resulted in a press conference being held by the NMDOJ in July.
Torrez said his office has “investigators and litigators getting to the bottom of how that moral failure occurred.”
Memorial Medical Center also provided a statement last month, saying:
“Memorial Medical Center was surprised to learn of this investigation by Attorney General Torrez during his press conference today. We remain committed to expanding access to care and being a good community partner in Las Cruces and Doña Ana County and will be cooperating fully with this investigation.”
Harris had previously overseen five hospitals in Southern California and had served as CEO of hospitals in several western states for nearly 40 years before joining LifePoint Health, the corporation that operates a chain of hospitals including Memorial Medical Center, according to the Las Cruces newspaper.
The NMDOJ is urging any individuals who have experienced similar issues with Memorial Medical Center or other hospital facilities to come forward. For more information or to report a complaint, call (505) 490-4060 or visit their website at www.nmdoj.gov.
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