Thanks to one of our regular contributors, I received a copy of the email letter from Jess to members of the medical staff. Here you go...from mid-July...
"Dear All,
Sorry I cannot be with you tonight. I would appreciate you all discussing how to deal with members of the Medical Staff who continue to misrepresent issues about the hospital and its future. For example, there are continued statements about the hospital being sold and even who is buying it. This is only serving to create more uncertainty among the staff and community causing much more damage locally than it is Lifepoint. It might be a good reminder for folks that we are a $2.4B company that can survive and actually do quite well even if a few of our hospitals do not. Lifepoint has no plans to sell DRMC.
Establishing competing businesses such as an ambulatory surgery center would be a lengthy COPN process and even if successful would further erode the economics of the hospital leading any owner with little choice but to reduce services. This might benefit the owners of the competing business while those who depend on the hospital for their practices would lose out.
While some might want something different the choices we have are to work together and collectively move DRMC in a positive direction or allow divisiveness and untruths to create a no win situation for us all. I trust you will take the cooperative approach and try to convince your colleagues to do the same.
We are committed to working with you and the Medical Staff and expect the DRMC executive team to fulfill that commitment. Thanks for taking time to serve on Medical Staff Action Committee. I know we can accomplish much with a shared vision of making DRMC the hospital of choice for the citizens of the Dan River Region. Take care and please let me know how I can help.
Jess"
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32 comments:
Hmm,certainly nothing threatening therein. So, what was all the noise being made about this letter?
Just the usual "pot stirrers" who cant stand it when something positive; or in this case, "not negative" occurs in the Lifepoint saga.
I agree that I do not sense a threatening tone in the e-mail either; however, messages such as these do possess an underlying tone that can be perceived as threatening. ....
"I would appreciate you all discussing how to deal with members of the Medical Staff who continue to misrepresent issues about the hospital and its future."
"It might be a good reminder for folks that we are a $2.4B company that can survive and actually do quite well even if a few of our hospitals do not."
"Establishing competing businesses such as an ambulatory surgery center would be a lengthy COPN process and even if successful would further erode the economics of the hospital leading any owner with little choice but to reduce services."
Once again, Lifepoint points their finger at the medical staff, associates and the community as the reason for their failure. I am resolute that their poor business practices are the reason for their failures and someone needs to sit up and take notice.
Stock at $28.05 today, but don't worry they'll do fine even if one or two of their hospitals aren't successful.
Maybe I am reading it wrong, but to me it appears to be very condescending and threatning. Perhaps I am gun-shy and I cannot imagine any Lifepoint exec writing a nice letter.
Yep threatening,in a stealthy way but threatening.
Of course it is a threatening message....it's an ultimatum of sorts.....these are brutal people, and we can look at their record with us and know they can never be trusted.
Is lfpt trying to hold the medical staff accountable for what individuals may say or do? Are they passing the "buck" on fostering goodwill to the medical staff? Can they ever be successful in this town? Stay turned for the continuing saga of "How 5 men screwed 65,000 people at 1 time".
How is this threatening? He is asking for support and dealing with the gorup of physicians who are constantly stirring up staff with misrepresentations and lies. he is asking them to work as a team to better this situation and not undermine the efforts.
I hate to tell but the physicians are telling the staff the truth that comes from behind the scenes. These physicians are very credible and everything that they have disclosed to us before has come to fruition.
And undermine the efforts of what? Telling the truth. Lifepoint has severely weakened our credibility and our morale. These physicians are trying to give us substance for the reasons the way things are.
The only good thing that has come from this Lifepoint imposition is that the physicians and nurses are united on the subject of proper patient care.
You are seriously deluded if you thing Jess' motive is to have a united front for something that continues to be damaged.
I met Jess Judy last week, and I think he is a terrific guy. No reason to be beeting up on him.
The devil would not mean to your face now would he? Same goes for these snakes in the grass slithering around the DRMC commons.
Sure he would if he could. But I don't think the buck should stop here.
We didn't invent this war. It's been going on for some time. And it will continue unless we all stand up to stop it and start making changes.
We just have to start looking in the right directions for positive changes that are bigger than us all.
not all physicians are motivated by the common good. There are a few very loud ones who have thrived ont he controversy and enjoy telling tales that stress and discourage the staff. One has stated his primary motive is to watch this hospital fail and drive LifePoint out of town. should not his motive be to work to provide the care needed to the community? Not everything they are saying is truth.
"I met Jess Judy last week, and I think he is a terrific guy. No reason to be beeting up on him. "
Please tell me you're kidding.
How many more lies do you have to be told before you see the truth ?
Now careview is being put on hold by the new self proclaimed slash and cut CFO on something that Jess had approved and we were told was a done deal so who's lying ?
Oh I forgot, it's lifepoint none of them can tell the truth.
is the carevue rumor true?
Yes, it's true Carevue has been axed because the CFO is trying to cut costs. I didn't realize this was the Walmart we were working for.
Since we all know technological advances are not supported by Lifepoint, I wonder if Mr. Anderson (CFO) has worked with Ms. McDaniel (CNO) to look at areas that could be improved upon to help the efficiency in CCU so the department might possibly be able to function without the Carevue system?
How silly of me... I keep forgetting that Lifepoint doesn't worry about the implications of their decisions..... lest we forget the removal of the highly advanced computer systems we had in place prior to Lifepoint.
Exactly. Meditech is so advanced that the ICU nurses went back to paper charting.
And I understand that Most of the time they don't have secretaries and CA's especially at night and on weekends.
How efficient (and dangerous) is that.
As a nurse in ICU, I can say that great strides have been taken to regain our old way that worked just fine.
Tammy, who stepped in when no one else would take this job on, has reimplemented a CA for day shift 7-3 during the week. However, the evening, night, and weekend shifts are without a CA; this is better than a year ago when there was no CA and a secretary for less than 6 patients.
The secretarial situation is also better. We now have 24 hour coverage; there are the occasional lapses and gaps but much more efficient than one year ago.
Staffing grid ICU no secretary for "certain" census.
ICU grid covers a minimum of 4 patients and with those 4 patients there is a secretary. There has been unusual circumstances when they have been pulled for a census of 3 or less but that is a rarity.
ICU is the one area in this hospital where they have worked towards great improvements and Tammy has done a great job from the start. The level of care is excellent in this department. The problems lie in the many of the other patient care areas. Tammy sets a wonderful example for other directors to follow. She is engaged, knowledgable and has a passion for her work. She is not passionate about the latest flavor of Starbucks. she works hard when she drinks her coffee. We thank GOd for her everyday in CCU.
"Tammy has done a great job from the start. The level of care is excellent in this department. The problems lie in the many of the other patient care areas. Tammy sets a wonderful example for other directors to follow. She is engaged, knowledgable and has a passion for her work. We thank GOd for her everyday in CCU."
Well said... Tammy has done wonderful since her reign began. Maybe that's why I can't understand the other problems with the other units; because ours have mostly been taken care of!!
Maybe this Tammy should run for President, with all those noble qualities.
I don't think she is a politician/she is too honest for that! but I do think the others who seem not to commit or hold themselves accountable need to follow her example. Many of the nursing units (which RUTHless keeps saying are fixed!) are in deep trouble due to a lack of leadership and support. The nursing directors on the whole seem not think accountability pertains to them. They are arrogant and condescending to staff. This tone is set from the top.
She is not passionate about the latest flavor of Starbucks.
So , HOW is it going for the STARBUCKS group?
I just heard about another cost-cutting strategy today. Some non-nursing departments are no longer paying time and 1/2 for overtime.
Even the STARBUCKS flunkies are beginning to see through RUTHless' thin veneer.
Time and a half over 40 hours is federally mandated. Not paying overtime, if you are not classified as management, is against the law. I know, I was involved in a class-action lawsuit with a former employer that did not pay time and a half for overtime and they got into a lot of trouble. Not only did they pay a hefty fine, they had to go back 5 years and recalculate everyone's wages. Even for employees that no longer worked there, but, were employed during those 5 years. So, not paying overtime for hours worked is against the law and in the long run can be very costly.
Federal law they must pay time and a half for non exempt employees over 40 hours.
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