Our hospital board has made disastrous decisions: firing the Olympic Medical Center emergency department against the recommendations of medical staff and the community, and hiring Darryl Wolfe as CEO with no prior experience in that role. Wolfe resigned in the middle of our financial crisis.
Hiring an interim CEO at great expense, who works here 3 1/2 days a week, flies home on weekends, with OMC sharing the expense and is known to improve finances by firing staff and other drastic measures which impact health care.
Our board believes they know more than those on the frontline; our input is ignored.
We could have hired current chief physician officer, Allen Chen, MD, as CEO. He is highly qualified, already knows the institution and wouldn’t disappear in a few months. He has helped organizations thrive with improved care. He is greatly respected by the medical staff.
We are all fearful of a private equity firm controlling the hospital. They cut costs, increase work of providers and have higher death rates, infections and surgical complications as result.
Gerald Stephanz Jr., MD, a kidney specialist, is an excellent candidate.
While running the free clinic, has given me medical advice over the phone for kidney patients in the hospital at no charge, is a clear thinker skilled at running medical centers, is strongly supported by medical staff and will not accept a stipend or benefits from OMC.
Carleen Benson, MD, and Laurie Force, ARNP can also move the board to listen to clinicians and the community.
Larry Gordon
Port Angeles