A hospital CEO’s tenure is marked by acrimonious dealings with the community and experiences “differences” with staff physicians. The hospital Union President says that the CEO’s departure will make the 25-bed hospital a friendlier, more approachable atmosphere.
Nope. It’s not Bath Community Hospital’s CEO, Jason Paret. But he was close by.
When Carolyn Riley surprised the Trinidad Area Health Association board of directors by submitting her resignation as CEO of Mount San Rafael Hospital, Jason Paret was waiting in the wings. Paret, who was the hospital’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer under Riley was named interim CEO.
Like Yogi Berra would say, “It’s deja vu all over again.”
An eerily similar scenario is being played out now in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Only now, Paret is the CEO. A long-term physician, Jim Redington was given what amounts to a forced termination when his contract wasn’t renewed approximately two months ago. Since then, the 25-bed hospital’s Board of Directors and CEO, Paret, have kept mum about what was the reason for ending the hospital’s relationship with Redington which had spanned more than two decades.
On Tuesday, the silence started to change. About 500-600 angry residents of Bath County and the surrounding region gathered in the county’s only high school. They came hoping to hear some answers and explanations from Paret and the board, but they were met with only silence. Speaker after speaker praised Redington’s service to the community and many gave personal examples of how Redington had repeatedly gone the extra-mile to provide healthcare to themselves, a family member or a friend.
The board meanwhile sat silent and motionless, other than to occasionally repeat the same refrain, “We'll answer what questions we can, when we can.”
Many in rural Bath County are suspecting that Redington’s termination was a smoke-screen manufactured by the Board and Paret to divert attention from other motives. Several speculate that the hospital officials are negotiating a bargain sale of the hospital to either of two large health care facilities — Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital or Lewis Gale — both located in Roanoke, Virginia.
A sale to either of the Roanoke hospitals could line the pockets of Bath Community Hospital’s Board of Directors in the form of shares and stock-options. Paret would almost certainly stand to benefit as well through an appointment to a management position in the purchasing hospital.
Maybe Yogi was on to something after all.
Source
The Pueblo Chieftan
And several phone calls
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