Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
WLOSer Russ Bowen picked up on the the Mission Hospitals postings here and did a short report Monday night. Bowen quoted a statement from Mission, with the organization acknowledging tensions between the hospital and doctors, but refusing to address “anonymous” comments.
Documentation posted here shows this issue is far from a few anonymous people complaining. The hospitals Board of Directors has set up a special committee to investigate, while a number of high-profile physician practices have expressed their concern in a letter to the hospital.
But when is a blogger going to get a little respect? Bowen simply referred to “Internet postings” in his story. Damn.
Go here to view Bowen’s story:
Tension is high at Mission Hospital. It acknowledges “unease and friction” between its doctors and the hospital. This comes as concerns in the community and internet postings suggest a dispute between doctors and the administration. News-13 asked Mission to address concerns about the hospital’s current leadership and direction. They issued this statement: “It is Mission’s policy not to respond publicly to anonymous comments. What we can tell you is that this is a time of unprecedented change in healthcare, and that’s frankly causing some unease and friction in relationships between physicians and hospitals across the country. Mission is no exception, and as a result, we are continuing to communicate directly with physicians to ensure that we’re addressing their concerns.” The hospital would not confirm any specific actions it’s taking to address those concerns.
Mission CEO Joe Dumbmore is out. He resigned today. yeah!
Some of these issues are disturbing to say the least. I have had several experiences with Mission and all have been good with the nursing staff. I have felt tension in the physicians but that may just be my perception after the comments I have read. I do think the hospital needs to have their highest concern to be quality of care and I beleive it does. However, the administrative staff should periodically review the physicians’ performance, evaluations and patient opinions. If not already the doctors need to be screened as the other employees are on a regular basis. I think the results would be suprising.
Evelyn, Please look at the list of people who are on the board of directors at Mission. They have money and power. They hired JD. I, like you, wish that we could step forward. However, this is ugly and scary – and most are afraid to come forward. This is not just a Buncombe County problem. It was the physician leaders in Haywood, Jackson, and Swain Counties who decided to go with Carolinas because they could not trust or stomach the deception and bullying from Mission administration. Months ago hospital leaders from the region went to Mission’s board – and their concerns fell on deaf ears regarding how JD was bullying several organizations.
As far as the media is concerned, keep in mind that Mission’s marketing department will pull advertising the minute a story in the Asheville C-T or on WLOS sounds the least bit negative. This has happened in the past – and it will happen again. The C-T is downsizing as we speak. They cannot afford a large hit. WLOS tries to be true to what good journalism should be, but they are in the same situation when Mission is probably in the top three in terms of revenue for the station. Sad, but true.
Everyone knew who Russ meant.
"perhaps someone will step forward…"
Evelyn: to give you an example of how JD deals with local physicians that are not interested in being bought out by the hospital-
"I will crush you."
That’s a quote from a supposedly mature businessman (JD) to a leading physician who said he wasn’t interested in a buyout.
Or another one:
"Why should I hire you and pay for your experience when I can get someone just out of training for a lot less?"
That’s a quote from a MH administrator to an experienced trauma
surgeon interviewing for a position at Mission. The visiting surgeon terminated his interview process at that point and wrote a letter to the MH board warning them that they may not be headed in the direction that they thought. He told them he did not want to become part of a medical system that had so little interest in quality. Soon thereafter, the head of the MH trauma (after years of building MH’s trauma service) resigned in protest over this and other problems with administration. He took another job for less money. I guess there goes the greedy doctor theory.
The MH administration tried to label this kind, hardworking gentleman a ‘problem physician.’ I truly hope the MH board had better sense than to believe these lies.
and then there’s the quote from a MH board member when asked about a hospital policy that made physicians less efficient :
"we want them to be less efficient. that way, we won’t have to pay so to much for them when we buy them out."
Given this kind of posturing and bullying, perhaps you can understand why individuals have been reluctant to step forward. JD has mastered the kind of slur tactics to which only sleazy politicians lower themselves.
He keeps saying that Asheville physicians are nervous about integration. If you look at the results of a recent Buncombe County Medical Society physician survey, you would realize how ridiculous that accusation is. Few physicians in town have any intention of being ‘integrated’ into Mission. There is almost no trust of the present administration.
Then there’s the ever popular, ‘doctors are anxious about the changes in healthcare.’ In the early 90’s, when Hilary Clinton was holding her top secret meetings to make sweeping changes to US healthcare, no one in Asheville was going after Mr. Burgin. Why would anxiety about healthcare reform manifest itself as complaints about MH administration?
It’s just not logical. But then this entire situation isn’t logical. We have enjoyed one of the premier medical communities in the country. We have historically attracted some of the best doctors from the best programs around the country. That is no longer the case. No one with a choice would come to practice in Asheville these days…
Congratulations on your success in getting wider media attention to this important issue–no doubt the community will benefit from your leg work and persistence.
The comment from Mission, reported by WLOS, is, of course, spin and disembling. The issue has nothing to do with the nationwide health care debate–it has to do with questionable practices of senior management at Mission Hospital. Too bad the doctors, employees, and residents don’t have a spokesperson to put a face to their side.
Perhaps someone will step forward. The public, and your readership, really need a focal point(s) upon which to build a case for reform at Mission–something Mission’s board will be unable to ignore or deflect with PR spin.
Keep up the good work.
Interesting comment from Mission. "It is Mission’s policy not to respond publicly to anonymous comments." If that is true then why do they take action against employees based on anonymous letters in their own internal fascist rag Dr. Sig? Or accept other anonymous forms of communication and then begin an "investigation" but no one is ever privy to the anonymous comments. At least here Mission knows what they have been accused of doing which is more than the employees have been given by the Mission Human Resources department!
So WLOS uses about 60 seconds on the 11 o’clock news Monday night to present Mission’s side of this story and saves its advertising dollars with ther hospital.! Did anyone else notice the the AC-T had not one word on the topic in Tuesday’s edition?