And the saga goes on... 7/13

I received this email and had some qualms. I read the interview with the hospital's former CEO in the local paper and was going to email some of the folks that had been sending me the basis for my posts. Was curious about his departure. David Kreye was the new CEO, and I can't believe even he would do this. (Note: Apparently it was the facilities director that wrote in. I am duly corrected, and appreciate the input.)

My great uncle was one of the founding physicians at our little hospital and my father practiced there for nearly 50 yrs.

I managed the facility for nearly 22 yrs. and considered it my own and treated it as such. I guess you could say I cared about the place. Having grown up here makes you feel a part of a unique fraternity that honestly shares something with those who have come before.

At any rate, we were feeling the wolf's breath the past few years and in 2005 decided to look for someone to purchase us. Several look-sees came but no one bit. Along comes Essent in early 2005 and after much "due diligence" and careful research decide to buy us. Well the sale was consummated and on Oct. 11, 2005 they officially took over. The new CEO asked me to come up to his office that morning and said it was about to happen.

Not knowing what was in store I agreed to hang around. The first person to be escorted from the building was our HR person. In a brief span of time, almost 10% of our workforce was summarily erased from the books that morning. In short, they were not asked to join the new company.

Shortly after this a poll was taken throughout the hospital to create a new name for the hospital. After much suspense the official winner was "Southwest Regional Medical Center". Imagine that, a name overwhelmingly approved by the recently deposed board of trustees, the medical staff, the hospital staff, and the community at large! Think of it: A little hospital that has been known since the early 1930's as Greene Co. Memorial Hospital. WOW! what a leap of faith! Tim Leary would have been proud.

I could see the standards we have lived by would be slowly eroded in the name of "moving forward”. They do not like the speed at which the bureaucrats who regulate us proceed so they have chosen to circumvent their authority and proceed with total disregard.

The community meanwhile has recoiled at many of their activities and especially the continued release of many long-term dept. managers. These events have generated a great deal of doubt in their leadership. What would you think at seeing a want-ad for 3 new dept. manager positions at the same time from a hospital with only 54 beds? Perhaps this is the transition of converting from not-for-profit to for-profit.

I think our community expects more than this from an institution who has been a presence in various forms since 1907. I have seen many good people let go because they would not speak the party line. My concern is for the folks who go to this institution to receive medical care. Stay tuned, I think other things are in store for us...

I really have a problem with this: How someone could be so devoid of character as to parade the firing of staff before the administrator that had been there for over 20 years. Essent certainly knows how to pick 'em--how well we know, he was here first.

Oh, by the way, GCMH was a union shop. SEIU, if I'm not mistaken. Look for the union label....