Physicians at Seton Medical Center Daly City go unpaid

Representatives for AHMC Seton Medical Center did not respond to multiple requests for comment. 

But San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa said that the hospital owner — who controls both Seton Daly City and the Seton Coastside — assured him that there should be a new staffing vendor in place by Nov. 18 and that they were working to resolve the problem. 

“There’s clearly a problem here. Everyone who works deserves to be paid. It’s disappointing that NES has been unable to pay its emergency physicians at all the hospitals nationwide,” Canepa said. “I’m in conversations right now with AHMC and they have assured me they have hired a new vendor.” 

One hospitalist, or inpatient doctor, at Seton Daly City, who declined to be named for privacy reasons, said physicians had been in conversations with Seton staff for more than a week with little progress and he had little expectation he would be receiving the money he was owed. 

“I’m disgusted. I feel disgusted. You would anticipate a higher moral character in a hospital setting. It’s just embarrassing. It makes me sad. The only people that are going to suffer are the people here,” he said. “The people at AHMC can easily take care of this problem.” 

There had been discussion throughout the day about a walkout by the facility’s physicians or a full closure of its emergency room, which did not come to fruition but was a situation to which the county was alerted. 

“San Mateo County Emergency Medical Services is monitoring the situation closely and is prepared to work with our state partners overseeing Seton to make sure that anyone seeking emergency care is served,” Emergency Medical Services Director Travis Kusman said. “The county’s 911 system triages patients to the closest available hospital appropriate to deliver the care they need.” 

Canepa acknowledged that AHMC Healthcare was responsible for issues in its facilities. It was recently sued by California Attorney General Rob Bonta for closing its coastside emergency room, which he — alongside local and state leaders — alleged was a breach of contract. 

“At the end of the day, AMHC is responsible. That is important. They’re responsible. … There’s lots of issues right now, from the attorney general to a plethora of issues at the hospital. I’ve had very candid and open conversations with the owner of the hospital with my dissatisfaction,” Canepa said. “I’ve been dealing with this issue since 2008.” 

Problems with the hospital system — which often serve San Mateo County’s vulnerable populations — have been so systemic that further discussion on the county purchasing Seton Daly City would be appropriate, Canepa said. 

“It’s worthy of again exploring, maybe the county acquiring this hospital,” he said. “I’m looking forward to these conversations.”