OBGYN Public Notice from UMC

OBGYN Public Notice from UMC

Ladies and Gentlemen of our Community,

I’d like to add some much-needed clarity regarding the practice of OB/GYN services at UMC. Since our inception, UMC has fulfilled a legislative mandate to care for the citizens of Lubbock County.  UMC also serves as a teaching hospital for the learners of TTUSOM (School of Medicine).

Physicians who practice throughout UMC Health System are either:

  • Employed by TTUSOM to practice within UMC Hospital,
  • Employed by UMC / UMC Physicians to practice, mainly in primary care settings, or
  • Community physicians in private practice who perform procedures / provide care at UMC. 

Regardless, all physicians must:

  • Be credentialed – i.e. background & qualifications verified – by UMC to practice medicine.
  • Hold privileges – i.e. authorization – to practice their scope of practice at UMC.

Whereas these requirements are common to every hospital, the following is not:  

100% of doctors who practice at UMC Hospital(s) and Urgent Care Clinic(s) must hold a Clinical Faculty Appointment, granted only by TTUSOM.

What does this mean for OB/GYN services?

In 2021, to improve access to OB/GYN care, UMC requested that TTUSOM allow UMC Physicians to establish their own OB/GYN practice. TTUSOM granted Clinical Faculty Appointments to Dr. Richards and Dr. Coon. Upon their recent resignations, TTUSOM notified UMC Physicians it will no longer grant these necessary Clinical Faculty Appointments to replace Dr. Richards and Dr. Coon as employees of UMC Physicians.

As a result, UMC Physicians can no longer provide their own OB/GYN practices to help meet this need in our community. 

Texas Tech Health Sciences Center stated they remain “committed to expanded access to OB/GYN care by partnering with UMC…however, UMC prefers to retain control of a separate obstetrics practice.” 

UMC stands firm on this: Clearly, there is adequate demand and need for both TTUSOM and UMC Physicians to offer OB/GYN services within our community and region.

I believe and am hopeful that a solution will emerge as discussions continue. We are working diligently to improve OB/GYN access for our community, now and for the long term. 

Mark Funderburk, CEO & President

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