Buffed up...1/9

The new administrator for PRMC is not new to Essent, nor Hud. As a matter of fact, he even fell on his sword for both about five years ago. Essent was being investigated for collusion in the bidding process for property. Richard's resignation was meant to pacify the authorities. Since then his fortunes, or the fortunes of those he worked for, haven't been the greatest: His last position was CEO for a hospital(under Cambio management) that went chapter 11. He was also in the Crossroads debacle, and doesn't this press release sound familiar:

Doctors Hospital To Become Crossroads Regional Hospital
More than 200 entries submitted during name change contest
WENTZVILLE, Mo. - Doctors Hospital will change its name to Crossroads Regional Hospital effective July 1 following a community-wide contest to select a new name for the hospital that reflects its service to this growing area.

Hundreds of entries were submitted for the hospital's new name, 37 of which were a variation of "Crossroads". Scott Schultz of Wentzville submitted the winning name. He will receive a one-year membership to the Greater St. Charles County YMCA.

"We were delighted to see this level of community participation," said Richard Salerno, vice president of hospital operations for Essent Healthcare.

Also about Crossroads purchase:

Richard Salerno, Essent's senior vice president of hospital operations, said
Doctors Hospital's 1999 financial results appear to be in line with 1998, when
the 94-bed hospital made a $1 million profit on $18 million in revenue.

So then comes the question as to what happened to the hospital when Essent got it? Which year out of the five did they actually make money? The first, or the last?

No stranger to Texas, between his position in Essent and lately with Cambio (Baptist and Carraway assignments) and, Richard was CEO of North Austin Medical Center, then senior vice president of operations for Austin Surgical Hospital.

But he and Hud have even more of a history, Arcon comes to mind, his resume reflects ARCON Regional Vice President and that Arcon 'sold off' its outpatient facilities. Possibly so, but under court direction, and the Texas clinics a year after they closed.

In the corporate world, you either progress, or you are sloughed off into a corner. Richard progressed up (and past) the CEO position that our facility would have commanded over 10-15 years ago. And now, going from a 615 bed facility to at best less than half...one might say it's not only his last chance, but PRMC's as well, with Essent.

Eat your heart out, Snooze...and the Nashville Business News....

Knizley in the Wind?...3/13

Andrew Knizley, CEO of PRMC has his walking papers...but maybe he doesn't know it yet!

Who does know? Most of E$$ent.

Richard Salerno, will be taking care of our little problem in Paris, despite having some baggage of his own.

Richard just left a sinking ship, a little late, however, since the hospital had already gone under. Carraway Medical, a 615 bed facility, filed Chapter 11 in September, at which time Dick was the COO. They're in the midst of being purchased by a group of approximately 54 physicians.

In the interm, he's been made the CEO--at least on their website. Rumor has him seen in extensively in Nashville.

Guess Andrew needs to pack up his Rolls.... Guess Essent just spat....

...But We Aren't Laughing...1/21

No matter how you slice it, dice it or saute' it...Hud is a dud. So, consequently, Essent is a joke!

Management,...what management?! PRMC could not possibly be handled any worse. Where is our fearless leader, Andrew? How come the only person we ever hear from is Cheryl Perry? Is anyone at the helm of PRMC or...are we just drifting with the tide?

PRMC should be the most updated and profitable hospital in the N.E.Texas area. Instead, it is the least likeliest place preferred for treatment. Our own Paris community shuns us!

Someone once commented that the blog is just a place for gossip. NO! It is a medium for expression of legitimate concerns and/or problems by both staff and concerned patients and community members.

If, indeed,Essent management is listening...Please express your concerns! Does Essent really expect to profit --

• from a facility with a constant turnover in staff?


• from a facility with out dated equipment?


• from a facility with no permanent Doctors/Radiology?


• from a facility that does not pay their employees/no pay raises?


• from a facility that has no reward or incentive program to maintain a "higher standard"?


• from a facility that does not help employees maintain licensure that is needed to be employed?
• from a facility that does not listen to employees, pt family members, or patients?

And this is but a few concerns. I love to care for people. It is what I do for a living.

Yet, at this facility I am held back by either too much politics or dunder-headed policies made by people who have no idea what they are doing! At one time people wanted to come here for treatment and care...not anymore. Essent is capable of turning this place around. So, either spit or get!

(From the mailbox, and get might be the operative...stay tuned!...frank)

Back to Rio Rojo...1/15

What are those big boxes being brought into Paris Imaging? Could it be a belated X-mas present...well, in a way. It's the new Gamma camera for their nuclear medicine addition! When hardly anything in PRMC x-ray is generating income except nuclear medicine studies, it's hard to ignore. This could cut heavily into the revenue stream.

So, let's lay it out, Paris Imaging has the newest and fastest equipment in town, including:

1. ultrasound,


2. digital mamography,


3. diagnostic x-ray,


4. CT,


5. MRI,


6. and now nuclear medicine.
   
   Guess the Boyz are back in town....

Updates...1/4

Austin Craun and Greg Schonert may be looking outside the healthcare industry. Rumor mill has Black River Capital interested in the boys. Both had REIT experience prior to Essent, so it isn't too great a stretch...is it?

Zurich American Insurance has been looking at our Northeastern brethern.

Partners Healthcare Systems Inc and one other has been checking out Dr. Rimas Maurukas. Is he looking for a new affiliation? One would hope that they would be a bit wary, as the investigative process hasn't ended.

I have no idea why so many folks from so many countries are searching for the same string of items: "Paris Essent Hud". But, I've had hits from Estonia, Iran, Vietnam, Korea, USSR, and a great number from the 'west' as well. Someone must be passing around an email that has to be titilating.

Oh, and Vestar Capital has been checking us out. That probably means that Essent burns the midnight oil trying to do a risk analysis...hey guys, it's all at risk!

We (Suddenly) Live In a Truly Global World

As the article states, global trade is not new. Read more here.

And may you bust many borders in 2007!

Giving Thanks in the New Year...1/3

I received this e-mail the other day. I do spell check, and in some cases reformat as needed.

Frank,
I never realized what all I had to be thankful for, until I started my new job. I was in shock when I was terminated from PRMC, having worked there for a number of years. You get into a rut, not wanting to make a change, and you find all sorts of reasons to not hop the fence. They made it for me. And, because I was there so long, I had no other history that a new employer would verify. The flighty might have an advantage.

I would say the main reason I got the job is recommendations that former co-workers had given me (they had wanted me to switch years ago, but I thought that things would 'get better') and they now worked here.

But, I was hired and immediately started seeing differences: They actually solicited my opinions! They were happy to see me! I was made to feel I had worth! And they checked back later, to see if during my initial time I had seen anything that they could do better---I was blown away. And the people were so darn cheerful, and so am I, in retrospect.

I see more and more people here that used to work at PRMC, and while I welcome those who join me, I worry about those that are left. Make the move before the move makes you!

There's at least one more of my fellow co-workers joining us, and the commute gets old, but maybe we'll start a Paris expatriate community. (There would be several, I would imagine....frank)

Another, which was quite similar, gets added:

Frank,
The expatriate mentioned in your newest article is me. I couldn’t have written a better explanation of how welcome I’ve been made to feel, and I haven’t even started my new job yet!! HR at PRMC could learn a thing or two about how to treat people.

Disclosure seems to be their forte rather than cloak & dagger politics. Not to mention department heads have exactly the same attitude. The motto seems to be “We want you, are extremely pleased you accepted the position and we are behind you 200 percent!” After trying to relearn how to live in the normal world, the attitude seemed unreal, and once again I am looking forward to working in a hospital atmosphere.

I grudgingly admit that PRMC put such a damper on my outlook of things, it was hard coming back from all of the disillusionment forced upon me by Essent's policies. I thought I had lost my desire or capability to function in that environment ever again.

But with the New Year, fresh starts do happen. As mentioned in the article, I was forced to leave as well, but not through blatant dismissal, it was more insidious, it was through position elimination and an offer to continue at a much lower level, all the time requesting that it would be appreciated if I would use my licensure for the benefit of the department. Certainly I should have no problem with that. How demeaning!

Pretty much the credo of a now ever present problem in Paris. I tried moving onto other things, but apparently, healthcare is in my genetic structure, not to be denied. I was terrified that I would not be able to land a job at any other healthcare provider, as the referrals, again, would only be through fellow co-workers and contacts made during my position at Essent. It truly was a worry on my part. However, happy endings do exist, as the position was offered and I was ecstatic over the prospect.

So I happily start my New Year, with a fresh and upbeat state of mind. Much engendered by a company and Administration that practices what they preach. I still hold a great deal of resentment over the state of affairs here in Paris, and probably will for a very long time. And I will fight to be the first in line to cheer Essent's departure. Hell, I’ll even learn to play drum cadences to help them march out of town! Again, thanks for a much needed vehicle for folks to voice their opinions and vent.

I have no problem in your use of this email, edit as you wish. At this point I would be willing to get a magnetic sign to put on my car extolling the virtues of Essent/PRMC, just not sure if I could get the print big enough! HA!

However, don’t use the name, I still have great friends that work there, and would be afraid Essent would vent on them as a result of my opinions. Truly a sad state of affairs!
Happy New Year, and please continue the blogsite, it is good for our souls!

This was sent by a blogger, which kind of represents our reaction towards PRMC:

I guess we r stuck hear with E$$ent!

The New Year has a tradition, that being resolutions. I hope this year Essent resolves to re-evaluate and move on--without us!