UPDATE: Campbell Health Systems rejected the E$$ent overture and selected CHS to lease their hospital 6/8.
Campbell Health Systems seems like a nice, little, non-profit (county owned) hospital. They're apparently starting to look at the bottom line and worrying a bit. Probably thought that looking into a management deal, or a lease from a for-profit would reduce the drain to the taxpayers/government.
Our experience with an external management team was with what is now our "North Campus." They got into trouble when the folks from Presby-Dallas came in with an attitude that they knew how to fix things. They went from making a little to losing a lot. The hospital had a building program on track to expand the physician offices--that went off track when there was no need and plenty of vacancies. Raising rent and demanding 3-5 year leases didn't do them any favors. That actually started the cascading effect that landed us with Essent.
1. The Parker County Hospital District board of Directors will receive information from administrators, employees, and medical staff members of Paris Regional Medical Center, as well as, past and present members of the Paris Regional Medical Center regarding Essent Healthcare and other groups that have submitted proposals to lease Campbell Health System. The Parker County Hospital District Board of Directors will not vote on whether to lease the Hospital to any entity during this meeting. THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL SESSION ONLY.
2. Executive Session: The Parker County Hospital District Board of Directors will enter into Executive Session Pursuant to Section 551.071 and 551.072 of the Texas Government Code. The following will be discussed:
A. Consultation with attorney regarding potential lease of real property located at 713 E. Anderson, Weatherford, Texas3. Return to Open Session (There will not be a vote on any item)
4. Adjourn
In a way, you can't blame them, sloughing off the responsibility to a for-profit for making the changes that are needed puts a buffer between them and the actions (staff reductions, salary compressions, and the like) of their "tenant". And half million dollar expenditures for CTs kind of took the wind out of their sails, along with room modernizations. The sixth floor here probably impressed them--if so, they impress easily.
May I suggest that before they go down that road, which leads to an outright sale, they take a deep breath and look at other hospitals that have remained non-profit, but were able to make the changes in operation and attitude that would increase their efficiency. The largest barrier is the attitude that "we don't have to make a profit..." Sure you do, it's just the way you spend it that's different. On salaries, equipment, indigent care, or whatever, instead of dividends.The organization that supports them is not a money tree, so self-sufficiency is the goal, not working on an allowance. Both parties resent it--the payers that they have to keep supporting it, the payees that they have to keep asking for it. Deep pockets help, but selling your soul to Essent doesn't.
They might do better there than in Paris, however. They were more comfortable in that size hospital--although Crossroads was that size and they were only profitable in one year out of five...and Wentzville, Mo has some interesting similarities to Weatherford. Hopefully they don't have the same fate.
13 comments:
Seller be ware---your selling your soul to the devil with this one. They are the wolf in sheeps clothes.
I am a citizen of Paris, Texas I have no ties to Essent.
After reading this site, then going on to Joint Commission and reading the problems to be corrected, I will no longer go to Essent.
This site is all over town and why the Paris News isn't reporting this puzzles me. Our town is in trouble if we lose essent, you would think the city big wigs would be trying to intervene and help find a good buyer. Good Luck
Your encouragement is appreciated. The answer to your question is: Money. The hospital has been in bed with the paper because of the amount of column inches it buys.
One of the editors was so outraged at "secret" meetings of the school board, yet lets the topic of the hospital go by....
Remember when Christus let all the docs go from Lamar Medical? That and staff comprised over 100 people suddenly unemployed. Not a word in the paper.
The only way RRVR can get a news release in the paper is to buy space, but E$$ent can do it when they want--and gee, wasn't the PR guy a former employee of the Snooze?
Considering the number of column inches purchased by the hospital, you wonder how much was paid for advertising and how much for influence....fac_p
I'm not going to update the date on the "victim" post for a couple days--it changes the link that I sent to a Weatherford reporter, so bear with it.
I Campbell does sell out to e$$ent here is a link that the current employees may find useful
http://www.seiu.org/faqs/faq_whatisseiu.cfm
By the way, there have been over 700 comments contributed to this blog--that isn't just former employees w/sour grapes.
Most are just concerned advocates for the hospital, or should I say for the way the hospital should be.
And, I was just thinking, what if I put in a post soliciting suggestions? Currently, the hospital doesn't ask for or want them, but you never can tell, it might help the folks that are still hanging on.
If I was investigating the possible 'new' group as potential buyers, I'd want a bit more than to be glad-handed by a bunch of trained seals.
I'd like to talk to a couple of people that were leaving--possibly had given notice and were at the last of their time. I'd like to see exit interview records--and what had been implemented as a result.
I'd probably like to see some floor personnel that had been awarded their 10, 15, or 20 year pins--and see what they had to say.
I'd come in on a Friday or Saturday night in ER and see how things were handled--or not.
I'd want to know the good with the bad--and have the chance to see it first-hand.
I'd ask my own staff what problems we had, and see how they'd been handled by the new folks....
...and I'd find out the fears of my staff and see if those had come to fruition.
That's why it's called due dilligence...and an investigation.
Update: 6/8/06 - Campbell board chose Community Health Systems over Essent.
WAY TO GO CAMPBELL!!!!!!!!!!
You've just saved your hospital, and community a whole lot of grief.
Wasnt Community Health one of our options? I could be wrong.... If so it will be interesting to watch and see what happens with Campbell
Apparently Essent has squared off against Community Health Systems (CHS) before.
One very good thing about CHS is that it is publicly traded, meaning that its books are subject to review, something that Essent has avoided.
Ha.........yeah, public scrutiny, something Essent DEFINITELY doesn't want. Dirty little secrets with these folks are preferably kept in the closet.
Some thorns (blogsites) are best KEPT in the paws of roaring beasts!
And with regards to the Campbell board, Congratulations, you have saved your community from a disastrous healthcare situation!
Congrats to the folks in Weatherford for their use of common sense, and good luck in their partnership with Community Health. I know nothing of them, so I have no opinion one way or another.
Ah yes, George Kimbrough....the PR flack of PRMC. He was a lousy reporter with the Snooze, and he's no better as a flack with PRMC.
Just wondering......evem with the Snooze taking money from E$$ent to advertise, what would it take for someone with curiosity and stones to dig into this story? Assuming, of course, there IS somebody at the Snooze with either feature.
Let me assure you, no one at the Snooze is going to write anything but the company line. No granite fixtures there. Hamilton and Grax both are pro big business. And E$$ent is what? Well they're not into health care so it must be big business.
Besides, Hamilton is too busy looking for positive adverbs and adjectives to use in columns praising Vest and Williams to be doing stories on real issues.
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