HMS Board of Directors
Statement Regarding May 3 Provider Letter
May 20, 2025

This statement is issued by the HMS Board of Directors following our review of a letter dated May 3, 2025, signed by several healthcare practitioners. The letter raised concerns about HMS's leadership and suggested that the current administration is contributing to a decline in healthcare services across Grant and Hidalgo counties.

The Board takes all feedback seriously - particularly concerns related to patient care. As always, such concerns are subject to appropriate internal review. However, we want to emphasize the following:

     - HMS does not and will not discuss personnel matters in public forums. This protects both staff privacy and the integrity of any internal processes. A public forum is not the appropriate venue for discussing sensitive operational matters, particularly those related to patient care or personnel. As such, the HMS board will not be meeting with signatories in the proposed May 28th public meeting.
     - Provider turnover is inevitable in healthcare and in any organization of HMS's size. HMS is always actively recruiting and onboarding new providers to ensure the community continues to receive high-quality care.
     - When HMS received the May 3 letter, Board Chair Carmen Acosta extended an invitation to every signatory to meet privately with the Board of Directors and share their concerns in a confidential setting.

Every signatory of the letter was invited, but to date, no one has responded.

The Board remains committed to ensuring equitable, accessible healthcare for all residents of Grant and Hidalgo counties. For over 30 years, this Board has overseen HMS through periods of significant adversity. Healthcare—especially rural healthcare—is inherently complex and challenging, but HMS has consistently demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and dedication to the communities we serve.

The HMS Board of Directors

REBUTTAL to this letter:

I posted the following in response to HMS’s statement. HMS deleted it.

 This is Don Stephens MD. Don’t let them. Come to the meeting and express your concerns. HMS belongs to the community and only the community can take it back. HMS is not a $270,000 a year welfare check.

Don Stephens, MD