State of the Hospital-Danville Regional Medical Center: "Cloud of controversy..."

Saturday, January 20, 2007

"Cloud of controversy..."

Kudos to Coy Harville for "re-igniting" the controversy...along with all those concerned citizens and physicians who have written letters to the editor...I think we will start hearing more from the "employees" (remember, not associates any more) who work inside the walls of DRMC and really see what is going on with the current state of the hospital. We'll take a bright beam of light on this situation any way we can get it.

One tough job
Danville Register and Bee [editorial]
January 21, 2007

Credit Coy Harville with re-igniting one of the most bitter controversies in the Dan River Region - the sale of Danville Regional Medical Center and the formation of Danville Regional Foundation.
Harville isn’t the only local resident angry about the issue - or more correctly, issues - but he is the most prominent critic to speak publicly on the matter. Harville is a member of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors and was recently voted the board’s chairman.
In a letter to the editor published Jan. 4, Harville wrote about Danville Regional Foundation’s plan to hire a consultant to help determine the projects the foundation should support.
“Among other things, this clearly shows that these people had no idea of what to do with the $200 million when they decided to sell our hospital without a word of community input,” Harville wrote. “They just wanted the money - and put that ahead of us having a good hospital.”
Since that time, others have written letters to this newspaper complaining about the sale of Danville Regional to LifePoint Hospitals Inc. and the establishment of Danville Regional Foundation. It’s a good bet those letters reflect the community’s true sentiment - and ongoing frustration.
Since Harville’s letter was published, the foundation also has announced the search for a new chief executive officer - a move sure to create even more consternation among those in the community angered by the sale of the hospital, LifePoint’s management of Danville Regional Medical Center since the sale and the fact that the same men who made the decision to sell the hospital are now members of Danville Regional Foundation.
The foundation responded to Harville - but just barely - in a Jan. 7 column by Chairman Dr. B.R. Ashby: “We can debate forever the merits of selling the hospital and the manner in which it is being operated, but that is in the past. We are focused on the future.”
That line won’t satisfy the people angered by the events of the past few years, and for good reason. The merits of selling the hospital were never publicly debated. The hospital sale was presented as both a necessity - and a done deal. The public was never sold on the original problem, which was the hospital’s long-term financial viability in the changing world of health care.
At the same time, the first round of Danville Regional Foundation grants has shown the group’s work has the potential to transform this community for the better. Having $200 million to advance the health, education and well-being of this community and its residents is a tremendous asset. Over time, the Danville Regional Foundation’s grants will make a big difference.
It’s unfortunate the members of Danville Regional Foundation have never adequately addressed the controversy that surrounds their actions, both past and present, and tried to win the hearts and minds of the people they claim to serve. The Danville Regional Foundation’s first CEO will take the reins of a group that will make this community better - but will do so under a continuing and well-deserved cloud of controversy. That’s a shame.

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Letter to Employees, February 7, 2007

Dear DRMC Associates, Physicians and Volunteers: Thank you for all your efforts to provide healthcare to the citizens of the Dan River Region. Providing healthcare, saving lives, and improving the quality of the lives of our friends, family and neighbors is a high calling, and you are answering that call each and every day. Delivering on the high expectations of those we serve is a tremendous responsibility, shared by everyone – physicians, nurses, technical and support staff, volunteers, managers and administration. It’s no secret that to be successful in meeting this responsibility, we must work together. We have seen in our Emergency Department the good things that can happen when staff, physicians and management work together effectively. The reduction in wait times and fewer patients leaving without treatment are ample proof. You should all be proud of this accomplishment. It is our hope that all of us on the hospital team, and indeed the entire community, can come together around Danville Regional and make it a source of genuine pride and positive economic activity for this area. Coming together is way overdue. When Mr. Bill Carpenter, CEO of LifePoint and three other corporate officers were in our hospital in January, they openly apologized for mistakes made at the onset of the hospital sale. Knowing what they know at this point in time, they would have definitely done things differently. LifePoint has committed the support and resources needed to make DRMC a hospital of which we all can be proud. In addition, we, as leaders in different areas of the hospital, commit our time and energy to that same goal. The important thing to remember is that on one person or small group can make this hospital successful. It will take the support and commitment of every single one of us who are connected to DRMC in any way. We need your help to make this happen. Going forward won’t be easy. Any organization of this size and complexity has issues. But it is time to move on, and move ahead. Constructive suggestions are always OK, and in fact welcomed, because there is almost always more than one “right way” to accomplish goals. Bitter, destructive criticism isn’t OK. There’s a reason they call it “holding grudges,” because the only person who feels bad is the one holding them. It’s time for us to let these go. Good things can happen if we channel our energies on positive activities. Never has this been more important than now. During 2006 and 2007 $26 million is being invested to create some good things – the build out of the 5th and 6th floors, the new radiation/oncology equipment, addition of PACS and a new state of the art CT machine. These improvements, coupled with your caring approach, will provide better, more complete care for our patients, close to home. Recent patient satisfaction scores have improved, and will continue to improve as long as we focus our efforts on providing the best care for our patients and support for each other. We also fully recognize the importance of improving staff and physician satisfaction, and the positive impact this will have on the patients we serve. We also have a big challenge that will require everyone’s best – our Joint Commission accreditation review, which will occur sometime in the next couple of months. When you think about it, it is not a stretch to say that the lifeblood of this community is dependent upon Danville Regional maintaining Joint Commission accreditation. Joint Commission accreditation is a key to the continued success of one of the largest employers in the region, and the place where the majority of our citizens come to receive healthcare. An accredited hospital makes the community more attractive for residents who already are here, and also for those people and their employers who are looking for a good place to live, work, play and invest. It also directly impacts the livelihood of all associates and physicians. We need to place a tremendous amount of importance and urgency around preparing for Joint Commission, because accreditation is vital to all of us. While some might think loss of accreditation hurts LifePoint, the real losers are those of us who live and work in this community. We must join together to protect one of our most valuable community assets. Our region’s economic recovery depends on it. So we go back to our original points: we are fortunate to be in a position to serve others, which is a tremendous responsibility we accept every day. All of us want to make this a better place to work, and a better place for our neighbors to receive treatment. We are committed to supporting you and know that together we will make DRMC the very best it can be. We appreciate each of you. Sincerely, Dr. Betty Jo Foster Chairman, DRMC Advisory Board Arthur M. Doloresco President/ CEO Richard A. Smith, M.D. Chief of Staff

State of the Hospital-Danville Regional Medical Center

Saturday, January 20, 2007

"Cloud of controversy..."

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Letter to Employees, February 7, 2007