A letter dated March 24, 2011, from HMNMH President & CEO Roger Seaver to the Medical Executive Committee (MEC) asked for “corrective action” against a “disruptive” physician; me. The release of this confidential letter to the West Ranch Beacon (WRB) from someone in the Administration mirrors the clandestine individual known as “Deep Throat” during the Watergate affair. Now Santa Clarita has Mayogate with their own colluding “Deep Ear, Nose, and Throat”! All kidding aside, the MEC has waved confidentiality allowing me to openly discuss this letter.
The accusations were twofold: I breeched confidentiality of Dr. John Cocco in one of my WRB articles, and as Treasurer of the Medical Staff, I have not performed the duties of the office. Both are incorrect as Dr. Cocco read and approved my article before posting, and I have yet to receive any written queries concerning financial information from the Medical Staff.
This is clearly an Administration attempt to thwart free speech affecting my ability to accurately report healthcare problems at our community hospital through the WRB. Our Forefathers would be appalled, and I will continue to act as a whistleblower to protect patient care.
Reiterating the understanding where “balance of power” at Henry Mayo is amongst the MEC, Board of Directors, and Administration, Roger Seaver and the Board are trying to overpower physicians and take over the MEC by any means possible.
In the 23 years I have been on Medical Staff, there have been no letters like this from any CEO. But since January, there have been three: to the Chief of Staff, Secretary, and Treasurer. All accuse us of being “disruptive” physicians. The Administration was unsuccessful swaying the election of MEC members in December, so now they have resorted to making false claims and accusations in removing us from office, and even from the Medical Staff. Who will be next?
The Santa Clarita Valley must understand this critically important reality: The MEC’s fight for good patient care is a barrier against the Administration and Board’s poor healthcare decision-making.
Throughout the country, hospital Medical Staffs have been quietly taken over by Administrations, but California law keeps them at bay by recognizing self-governance of physicians. There have been efforts to skirt around this issue by Administrations, and some Medical Staffs in California have fallen because of legal costs.
The foresight 11 years ago to hire legal representation for the Medical Staff allowed maintenance of self-governance. Recently, the hospital Board enacted many “Resolutions”, one of which decreased staff application fees and forced refunds to applicants with the intention to deplete the Medical Staff Treasury.
In this chess match, the Medical Staff increased their annual dues as a stopgap and the Administration has taken issue with this increase. Physicians are fighting to prohibit business people from making medical decisions, but ultimately this depends on access to legal representation.
What is at stake: patient care. The Medical Staff and MEC feel patient care is compromised at our hospital. The Administration and Board are not only attempting to remove experienced and well-trained physicians from the Medical Staff, but also: equipment and supplies are constantly in shortage on the medical floors and ORs; building security and patient safety are often breeched; credentialing of personnel in procedures and newly set-up computers is lacking; inadequate nurse staffing is disguised under “team nursing”; and insufficient operating room capacity and scheduling mentioned in previous postings.
The financially conflicted Board of Directors is looking the other way as they work to crush the MEC, so I implore our elected officials to come forth to ask questions and gain insight about our hospital. Where is Mike Antonovich, Cameron Smyth, Sharon Runner, Tony Strickland, Buck McKeon, and the City Council? The MEC barrier is not impermeable, and our representatives must help shore it up. Who will save those who save you?
When the British called our Forefathers “disruptive” colonists, it did not stop them from fighting back. I proudly stand with my MEC colleagues as “disruptive” physicians for the right of our community hospital to have the patient care “We the People” deserve.
Gene Dorio, M.D.- Guest Commentary
Gene Dorio, M.D., is a local physician. His commentary represents his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon. You can also see more of Dr. Dorio’s commentaries on Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hosipal at http://hospitalrantandrave.blogspot.com/
1.Kathy Salisbury Says:
ReplyDeleteApril 8th, 2011 at 8:12 am e
I was just recently at an event where our Mayor was giving a City update. I stood up at that event and asked her point blank if she and the coucil knew about the horrible things going on with Admin throwing doctors out and everyone tied in together monetarily, etc. etc. She says no, we are not aware of that and we don’t really get involved with what goes on inside Henry Mayo but I can tell you they have expanded and there is a wonderful parking lot. She starts telling me and the other people there about the expansion. But this is the same person who voted that people should park backwards in Newhall. We do deserve better. Unite and conquer!
2.April 8, 2011 – Daily Brief | SCVTalk.com Says:
ReplyDeleteApril 8th, 2011 at 9:48 am e
[...] Dr. Gene Dorio compares his posts on WRB about internal Henry Mayo personnel drama to Watergate’s Deep Throat disclosures to Woodward and Bernstein WRB [...]
3.Steve Kassel Says:
ReplyDeleteApril 8th, 2011 at 11:13 am e
This sort of special interest top-down business would not happen if we had a single payer health plan. Physicians for a National Health Plan, http://www.pnhp.org, and CaliforniaOneCare.org have sensible plans that eliminate excess profits at the expense of lacking patient care and physician exploitation. For those readers who immediately draw up the “propaganda entrained” criticism of SOCIALISM, well single payer is NOT socialistic as doctor and other health care providers would compete for business and be paid per patient hour. Police officers, fire department, the military are pure socialistic systems… taxed pay their salaries! Lets get real, the health care system is decaying and change beyond what Congress and the Health Care Industry settled on is NOT going to fix much beyond coverage for younger adults, coverage for the uninsured (who are going to pay Blue Cross, etc for their coverage) and the elimination of corporations to allow persons to die becalaritans interested in starting a SCV general health care reform group, please contact me at s@kassel.us
4.Dan Nellson Says:
ReplyDeleteApril 8th, 2011 at 1:23 pm e
Dr Dorio- thank you, for continuing to be the brave whistle blower on what is happening at Henry Mayo. Most of have heard about and been scared that these types of issues in which care was compromised were ongoing at the hospital, and have been the case for years. I think it is absolutely terrible the way the Hospital Administration is treating you and is trying to silence you and the other doctors. We realize that the doctors must be vigilant and advocate for the patients when there are problems in the care and I can’t believe that our elected officials are not looking into the matter yet? Why not? I hope they act soon.
5.Zacks Says:
ReplyDeleteApril 8th, 2011 at 2:11 pm e
I agree with the other comment. Where is Mike Antonovich, Cameron Smyth, Sharon Runner, Tony Strickland, Buck McKeon? This is one of our town’s most serious concerns, the hospital care problems, why are they so noticeably silent? This a serious issue and the politicians are no where to be seen or heard from. WIth all the talk of medical reform and improving health care, why not do something right here, an investigation to try to improve on the problems raised about things going on at Henry Mayo hospital.
6.Alan Ferdman Says:
ReplyDeleteApril 8th, 2011 at 2:52 pm e
Dr. Dorio should be commended for his continual efforts to improve health care services within Santa Clarita and particularly at Henry Mayo. For many years Dr. Dorio has been a patient advocate even when it has posed risk to both his career and livelihood.
7.Bill Reynolds Says:
ReplyDeleteApril 8th, 2011 at 4:49 pm e
It’s very obvious who the true hero is here. Thank you Dr. Dorio for all that you do providing healthcare to your individual patients and for the “healthcare” that you are trying to achieve for our entire community. BRAVO!