Doctors Memorial Hospital - Part 5
A new modern facility with a history of management and monetary problems. What solutions are available for the betterment of health care in Taylor County? Each week I will post a specific question or comment for discussion concerning our hospital. I ask that your comments be civil and directed to the specific issue raised for that week. Should you have any questions that you feel should also be addressed beyond those presented forward e-mail them to me and they will be considered for future postings. DMH employees are welcome to participate with anonymity. The future of our hospital should be taken seriously by all of us and your input is valuable.
Part 5 - The DMH Board of Directors have again changed directions on management of our hospital. Initially back in March of this year, they showed interest in a TMH management agreement and met with the folks from TMH who offered to provide interim management until a long term agreement could be consummated. The DMH Board subsequently backed off and decided to go it alone by hiring their own CEO and thereafter interviewed several applicants for the position eventually narrowing it down to two. TMH subsequently offered to assist by undertaking final evaluation of DMH's perspective applicants and DMH agreed. At this time an agreement was entered into for TMH to provide interim management pending final evaluation and selection of DMH's new CEO. Now it appears that DMH has reversed directions again and is once again considering a long term management agreement with TMH wherein TMH will provide the CEO and other management staff. If this is the final direction that the DMH Board elects to pursue and I say "if" as they may change their mind once again, then the following questions are put forth. Give your opinion as this is your hospital and it's future affects your health and possibly your life.
Questions:
Part 5 - The DMH Board of Directors have again changed directions on management of our hospital. Initially back in March of this year, they showed interest in a TMH management agreement and met with the folks from TMH who offered to provide interim management until a long term agreement could be consummated. The DMH Board subsequently backed off and decided to go it alone by hiring their own CEO and thereafter interviewed several applicants for the position eventually narrowing it down to two. TMH subsequently offered to assist by undertaking final evaluation of DMH's perspective applicants and DMH agreed. At this time an agreement was entered into for TMH to provide interim management pending final evaluation and selection of DMH's new CEO. Now it appears that DMH has reversed directions again and is once again considering a long term management agreement with TMH wherein TMH will provide the CEO and other management staff. If this is the final direction that the DMH Board elects to pursue and I say "if" as they may change their mind once again, then the following questions are put forth. Give your opinion as this is your hospital and it's future affects your health and possibly your life.
Questions:
While it is understandable that the DMH Board Attorney will advise the Board appropriately, should not the County Attorney be involved with the County Commissioners subsequently giving their seal of approval also on this long term contract?
We have relied entirely on the DMH Board of Directors in years past and the problems have worsened. Our financial interest has also increased substantially in the past year and any decision made must be fundamentally sound for we can no longer afford to prop up poor management. Should the TMH proposal be posted on the County website whereas we the people have ample opportunity to review it and present questions and/or suggestions not only to the DMH Board but also the County Commission?
We have relied entirely on the DMH Board of Directors in years past and the problems have worsened. Our financial interest has also increased substantially in the past year and any decision made must be fundamentally sound for we can no longer afford to prop up poor management. Should the TMH proposal be posted on the County website whereas we the people have ample opportunity to review it and present questions and/or suggestions not only to the DMH Board but also the County Commission?
Yes, why should just one attorney be able to build up hours and make money! LOL!
Ye, put the whole document(s) in the sunshine. Pat and present DMH Board Members have demonstrated their inability to manage the facilities and live up to their fiduciary responsibility. End this 'ole boys club of potentates and charlatans and give the citizens the opportunity to address questions to and about their own hospital. DMH does not belong to the DMH Board, BOCC, or any individuals....it belongs to the tax-payers.
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Sunshine is needed. An outside audit by the state of FL should be completed for the last 5-10 years. TMH may want to back out.
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Blog moderator comment in 2008:
BlogModerator wrote:
I disagree that the county is subsidizing a service for the poor since DMH has implemented a policy of pay before service in the ER unless it is a proven emergency. The county is subsidizing a poorly run hospital in a community that is not large enough, or economically able to support it. I bet if the feds came in like they did at Nature Coast, we would all probably be shocked at what they are hiding and probably angry at the lack of accountability.
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So, when are the feds coming in? What are they hiding? Yes Yes. DMH belongs to the tax payers. Where did all the money go? Who will be held accountable?
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Did the county attorney and commission approve the TMH proposal as suggested by the moderator? What is going on at DMH?
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Answer to Michael - As usual publically the county commission nor the county attorney approved the agreement between DMH and TMH prior to execution by the DMH Board. If approval was given under the radar then an obvious violation of the Sunshine Law is evident. How can five commissioners sit on their buff and not be concerned as to the investment in DMH and the public concern that we the people have concerning this matter. What next and when will the commission show responsibility ????
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The DMH Board does not have to get approval from the BOCC or their Attorney
the Hospital is a independent Corporation. But I was told the DMH 's Board / their lawyer did show the agreement to the Commissioners thru the County Administrator. This agreement is good for us employees.
Please stop cutting it down. We need our jobs. TMH has the resources and money to keep us afloat. WE NOW HAVE A FULL TIME ceo WHO IS THEIR EVERY DAY... Doctors are coming and people are now using the hospital we had over 25 admits last week. It has been a long time since that many people has been admitted . So please help us do not hurt us..... Tell the good thing not just the BAD....
Thanks for letting me write.
96153
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You know now you are hearing from the employees. Maybe all you critical hypocrits(speeling sorry) will shut up and stop complaining. If you would take your heads out of your asses maybe you would do some research and see what would happen if we did not have a hospital. Just on the poverty care are we saving millions a year, I would rather pay a little every so often than alot each year. Someone from the financial department should just lay it out on here for everyone to read. Your lives must be miseriable to just complain all the time. I bet you all live in total despair all the time. Maybe a new leaf for the new year, say nice things and people will be nice to you. But maybe that is just to hard for you all to do, your lives must be pathetic.
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Since DMH is an independent corporation, STOP going to the BOCC to get funds to bail them out of a financial disaster. You can't have it both ways. Either you are INDEPENDENT or you need to be under the laws of SUNSHINE. What do you think?
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The hospital needs to do something, some kind of campaign to fix its public image. I've been fortunate to never have needed their services, but from what I've heard...you don't want to end up in there. No disrespect intended to the workers...just something marketing/CEO needs to address to attract more business. Does the hospital have a website?
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The DMH has a contract with the county. So everything must be done under the sunshine laws. What are the details of the TMH agreement. Taxpayers have a right to this information. There must be something to hide. This is worse than nature coast.
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There is nothing to hide attend the meetings everything is read aloud. Everything is discussed , the newspaperis there. Just because you did not attend the meetings does that mean there is something hidden. Everything is a public record. We as employees are not afraid why are you so negative??
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I just happen to agree with what the Blog moderator wrote: "I bet if the feds came in like they did at Nature Coast, we would all probably be shocked at what they are hiding and probably angry at the lack of accountability."
Not negative. Just face the facts. Was, and is, everything being handled properly at DMH. It might be worse than nature coast.
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So, Day to Day "Knowledge", any bets on the outcome of a state or fed audit? THe tax payers should know exactly where all their money went? Yes Yes, the Blog Moderator and concerned citizen wants it all in the sunshine. Anyone else?
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It is all a house of cards being built by a few potentates and charlatans. The only way to see who is really benefiting is to follow the money trail. Other than those benefiting by this county tax-payer supported jobs program....there lies the fat cats.
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It is posted at the hospital and on the hospital website there is going to be a Hospital Board Meeting at the hospital on Jan 26 2010 at 6:00 PM.
It is open to all of us employees and the public. Why don't everyone who has questions be there and ask the Board the question of where the County money is being spent on. They have shown us and the Board of County Commissioners ( at the last meeting ) where the money is and how it is being spent... We need our jobs, the rumors are there are going to be some jobs cut, but the Board says NO and it is making a small profit.. keeping everyone working, so.
Please stop stirring the pot, SO help us.
We have had more patients in the last two months , than in the previous three months. So we must be doing something right.. When you have No extra Money there is No money to hide. We have a good board of men who are trying.
A diversified board with a lot of business experience and Hospital management help from TMH . Doctors from TMH are coming to DMH with a new clinic, TOC will be coming back to DMH, a Urologist, and Cardiac doctors are coming to the DMH clinic at the hospital from TMH. A lot of good things are happening slowly. We are changing our attitudes on the floor and in the offices attitudes are changes. You have to be here every day to see our turtles move but we are moving.
Please stop the Bashing and present positive things and attitudes.. We need our 5% pay back and want our 6 years of no raises to come back too.
Help us do not Hurt us.
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Why do you have no money when millions in taxes were given? Where is the blog moderator in all this mess? Bringing the feds in was a bm idea. Why did you get no raises in 6 years while physicians and board members got a lot of stuff in the past? How much is now TMH getting? Until you answer these questions, DMH workers get nothing back. You asked for help. here it is.
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What makes u think they are not already here.
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We have had no raises because we had no money in that last 6 years.
The old Board and old CFO & CEO broke us, spent all our money on high paying administration and off shore insurance companies ( bogus) and no up keep of equipment, allowed to many cousins and son's in laws to be hired over 200 employees. Then once we were broke and going to close ,they all left off the board (and CEO & CFO quit).
Then in Sept 2008 the new board was appointed ( by the way the Board gets no pay or perks.. ) and the County Commission (THEN) gave the money to keep the hospital open and buy equipment ONLY , not salaries or raises. Mr. Byrne's was CFO (and running the hospital really) and the new board bought new equipment and started paying off the past due debts with the money the new equipment ( CT) Mamo, MRI coming ) and the 10% cut in pay ( then resented back to a 5% cut in pay) adjusted the books to see a way how we could get out of debt. Then after holding the hospital above water for 1 1/2 years TMH partnered up with DMH for management services only .
AS I heard at the board meeting, The new CEO gets paid by DMH,for his salary he has to live in Perry) once there is enough money he will hire a Chief of Nursing to help build revenue and recruit new Doctors and make new Clinics then once we have money to manage get a CFO. Then we the employees can get our 5% back and start getting raises like we normally did .The past is gone. I have to look forward and try to keep the hospital open , I need my job, my family needs my job & income ..
Now there is the help.. keeping our jobs
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