By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
A San Antonio cardiologist who says he has many patients in Del Rio has asked the hospital board for an exception to a hospital operating rule so he may see those patients at the facility.
Dr. Salvatore Barbaro asked for the exception and expressed his
concerns about the restrictions on privileges at the hospital during the citizen comments portion of the hospital board’s regular meeting, held Wednesday, May 22, at Val Verde Regional Medical Center.
Barbaro said he has been practicing cardiology in Del Rio since 2016. Even though he is allowed privileges to help patients in San Antonio and Eagle Pass, Barbaro told the board he cannot receive privileges at Val Verde Regional Medical Center.
“The problem is I can’t get privileges here. There is a (section) in the bylaws that says if you resign while under investigation, you can no longer receive privileges here,” Barbaro said.
Barbaro said he had resigned from a position at the hospital in the past, and he explained to hospital board members he was “under intense political pressure” to do so at the time.
Barbaro said the Val Verde Regional Medical Center is one of the few hospitals he has encountered that has this regulation in place. Barbaro added he is concerned about patients in Del Rio who have to travel to other cites to have procedures that could be done in their hometown.
Barbaro added he has done more procedures in 2023 in other cities than the total amount of procedures he has done in Del Rio with “almost a zero-complication rate.”
“It’s upsetting to me that these patients have to travel. I don’t care about me; I care about my patients. I think it is really unfair that these patients in Del Rio have to be held by some bylaw,” Barbaro said.
“I understand (the bylaw), and I respect the medical staff, but I am asking for an exception so I can apply it to the normal channels,” Barbaro added.
The board members made no comment following Barbaro’s presentation.
