Shannon Hospital Faces Criticism During Tuesday's COPA Meeting

SAN ANGELO, TX — Shannon Medical Center held its annual public meeting regarding its Certificate of Public Advantage, or COPA, on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.

Shannon’s COPA has allowed it to operate as a monopoly health care provider in the San Angelo market since it purchased its only competitor, San Angelo Community Medical Center, in 2020.

Each year, Shannon must apply for renewal of its COPA with the State of Texas, and it is required to hold a public meeting as part of that process.

On Tuesday, after Shannon officials spoke about the hospital’s positive impact over the last year and vision for the future, two members of the public criticized the organization and expressed concern about Shannon’s quality since the merger four years ago.

CoCo Simpson, a former candidate for county commissioner, was particularly critical of the hospital.

“Listening to all of this stuff sounds super great for Shannon. My blood is boiling, because every single week I talk to another person who has been harmed. I have a handful of friends who have been killed by Shannon,” Simpson said.

“It’s really a lack of health care from Shannon, and it’s time Shannon has competition. Any one of those metrics that you put up there as y’all’s goal will be much better hit by having competition.”

Simpson said she believes Shannon has some excellent providers who have also been hurt by the merger.

“They’re stuck working here. You’ve left them absolutely no choice but to work at Shannon. Y’all have run off all of the individual providers that want to be on their own with laws that require hospital privileges,” Simpson said. 

“I hope and pray that four years has been long enough for Shannon having a monopoly over San Angelo. It’s time some other people come in and help.”

Becky Chandler, who said she is a lifelong resident of San Angelo, also spoke about her concern regarding a shortage of primary care physicians.

She said her husband was in the middle of being diagnosed for Parkinson’s disease when his PCP suddenly left. She said they were contacted by Shannon and told he would have to find a new PCP because no one could absorb him.

“It felt like we were just thrown out into the ocean without a lifeboat,” Chandler said. “There should be a safety net for established patients to be able to be absorbed into medical care for existing conditions.”

She said her husband found another doctor, who doesn’t believe he has Parkinson’s after all.

Now, her husband has a new PCP at Shannon, but he is waiting until November for his first appointment, she said.

Shannon officials did not respond to the comments, but they will be included as part of the State’s renewal process.

Shannon CEO and president Shane Plymell opened Tuesday’s meeting by speaking at length about Shannon’s accomplishments over the last 12 months.

He said Shannon serves about 300,000 people over a 24-county area with clinics as far away as Del Rio, Big Spring and Ozona.

Plymell said Shannon completed its cancer center, a pharmacy, office building and parking garage on the south campus.

Shannon also finished its expansion of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital downtown.

He talked about additional beds that have been added to the hospital's main campus, with more planned for the future, along with beds that have been added to River Crest Hospital, which was also recently acquired by Shannon.

There are plans to improve Shannon’s ability to provide mental health resources, he said.

Plymell said Shannon has partnered with Angelo State University and Howard College to help develop providers they hope will stay in the Concho Valley.

Shannon has also started a family practice residency with Texas A&M.

Dr. Michael Wood, Shannon’s Chief Medical Officer, spoke about awards and recognition Shannon has received in the last year, while Dr. Kelly Koenig talked about Shannon’s efforts to recruit and retain employees.