LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Dr. Amber Coon, an OB-GYN in Lubbock for 12 years, said she is closing her practice after a dispute over hospital-employed physicians.
Coon said she and Dr. Amy Richards are the only two UMC Physicians-employed OB-GYNs in Lubbock, separate from Texas Tech Physicians. She said Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center has to sign off on privileges for doctors to work inside the hospital.
“You have to have the hospital credentials and privileges, as well…that’s where the problems have come into play,” Coon said. “UMC Physicians actually, I feel like, has done a good job supporting me and my clinic staff in the outpatient setting.”
Dispute over employment
Coon said TTUHSC was upset she and Richards were employed by the hospital because it felt the hospital was supporting direct competition.
“The new department chairman is very strongly opposed to hospital-employed OBGYNs,” Coon said. “And so, he has renewed this argument, has even come to me and other providers saying, these jobs are not going to be an option anymore.”
Coon said she started in private practice with Dr. Susan Devine. She said when Devine retired, UMC Physicians offered to partner with her to keep the clinic running and help with administrative tasks.
She said for various “financial or political reasons,” several private providers in her call group started leaving it a few months ago. She said she asked if UMC Physicians could bring in new doctors to help build the group back up but wasn’t given a solution.
“The only way I can relax or leave town or have a weekend off is knowing that my patients are still going to be well taken care of,” Coon said.
Coon said she feared TTUHSC would remove her hospital credentials solely on the basis of removing competition.
“And then the reason I finally decided to come and speak out is that then Texas Tech Physicians went even further and they’re trying to eliminate those positions completely so that UMC Physicians can no longer employ even those two, that very small concession that they had been given,” Coon said. “We should be doing everything we can to work together to try and help that, not arguing over who’s going to employ the doctors.”
Patients report difficulty finding care
Coon said her Facebook post about the situation has been shared more than 2,000 times. She said she sees posts every week from women several months into pregnancy who can’t find a doctor.
“Every day. Legitimately, every day,” Coon said when asked how often she has had to turn away callers because she is full.
Caroline Jones, a certified nurse midwife and clinical director at Held Midwifery and Wellness in Lubbock, said the business delivered eight babies its first year open and more than 50 the next.
“We definitely have seen an increase of calls coming in saying I don’t know where I want to deliver, or that I even want to be at a birth center or out of hospital, but I can’t get into an OB, or if I can get in, I can’t get seen until 20-plus weeks,” Jones said. “And so, we’ve gotten calls just inquiring about early pregnancy care.”
Amber Coon said her Facebook post about the situation has been shared more than 2,000 times.(KCBD Graphic)
Jaylin Stevenson, who is 24 weeks pregnant, said she still hasn’t been seen by a doctor. She said she previously went to Dr. Richards.
“I was excited, I’m like hey, she’s been my doctor, she’s delivered my first two. I would love for her to continue to do that,” Stevenson said. “And then they broke the news and said unfortunately, she’s not taking more patients because she’s leaving her practice.”
Stevenson said she started going down the list of Lubbock OB-GYNs.
“And I’m hearing the same thing: they’re full until May, they’re full until June,” Stevenson said. “And I’m like wow, I’m due in January like that’s kind of scary, is there anyone available?”
Stevenson said she had complications including preeclampsia and gestational diabetes in previous pregnancies and is worried about using an on-call doctor for delivery.
“Your life is basically in someone else’s hands and your child’s life is basically in someone else’s hands,” Stevenson said. “So, that’s kind of scary just to know what their experiences are, have they dealt with this before, what happens if an emergency happens and you need to be rushed in for a c-section.”
Responses from UMC and TTUHSC
UMC Physicians issued a statement sharing Coon’s concern about access to OB-GYN care in West Texas. Vice President of Business Development Aaron Davis said UMC Physicians, Texas Tech Physicians and other providers all have a role to play in meeting that need. Davis said UMC remains committed to working with TTUHSC and Texas Tech Physicians to find solutions that expand access and focus on patients.
TTUHSC issued a statement saying it understands patients are concerned when they hear physicians may be leaving the community, but facts are important. It said Coon was never a TTUHSC employee and it cannot speak to why she is discontinuing employment with UMC Physicians. It said at no time was there any threat to remove her hospital credentials. It said OB-GYN Department Chair Dr. Sal LoCoco has recruited 15 obstetricians and other women’s health specialists in two years.
“He did come to both myself and Dr. Richards and offer us positions there. But like I told you before, private practice has been my heart,” Coon said. “I love to deliver my own patients. It’s my passion. It’s my favorite part. The look of relief that is on their face during this super scary hard time when I walk in is just, it’s everything. It’s what I want in this career.”
She says that wouldn’t be the same if she took a job with TTUHSC. She says it operates with a 24-hour on-call schedule, where that doctor who is on call for the day delivers all of the patients who come in.
Coon said she is afraid speaking out will hurt her chances for employment.
“The statement I made I felt like had to be made, but I am absolutely afraid there’s going to be repercussions,” Coon said. “I may not ever be able to practice at UMC again if they decide. And I’ve been there for a long time. So, yeah, absolutely.”
Stevenson’s friend was able to call her doctor, who is going to be able to squeeze her in, after Coon’s post was shared. She says it’s an example of why awareness about maternal health care shortages is important.
Full statement from UMC:
“UMC shares Dr. Amber Coon’s concern about access to OB/Gyn care in West Texas. Our community needs more physicians, and we believe UMC Physicians, Texas Tech Physicians and other providers all have an important role to play in meeting that need.
We appreciate Dr. Coon’s many years of service to our community and passion to serve patients. UMC remains committed to working collaboratively with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Texas Tech Physicians to find solutions that expand access to care and keep the focus where it belongs – on the patients and families we collectively serve. UMC’s priority is to serve the community and ensure patients of West Texas have access to timely, high-quality care. We believe UMC Physicians has an important role in helping recruit and retain physicians needed for our community for OB/Gyn and other specialties.
We are hopeful that our organizations can work collaboratively toward that share objective.”
-Aaron Davis, Vice President, Business Development
The following statement was made on behalf of TUHSC:
“TTUHSC remains committed to expanding access to OB/GYN care by partnering with UMC.
OB/GYN services at UMC are currently provided by the TTUHSC Department of OB/GYN faculty and other private OB/GYN physicians.
We understand that patients are concerned when they hear that physicians may be leaving the community, but facts are important. Dr. Coon was never a TTUHSC employee, and we cannot speak to Dr. Coon’s reason for discontinuing her employment with UMC Physicians. However, she expressed no interest in joining TTUHSC’s Department of OB/GYN when asked. At no time was there any threat to remove her hospital credentials.
TTUHSC continues to pursue a partnership with UMC to expand our obstetrics practice and women’s health specialty services in Lubbock. UMC has stated, however, that it prefers to retain control of a separate obstetrics practice.
Since becoming the OB/GYN Department Chair in 2024, Dr. Sal LoCoco has successfully recruited 15 obstetricians and other women’s health specialists. We believe building on that progress through collaboration with UMC offers the best path to expanding access and meeting the community’s needs.”
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