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Recent resignations leave gap in Carthage Area Hospital administrative team
[August 31, 2011]

Recent resignations leave gap in Carthage Area Hospital administrative team


CARTHAGE, Aug 31, 2011 (Watertown Daily Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- There are two sides to every story.

In a recent management shuffle at Carthage Area Hospital, at least three administrators left earlier this month simply because they resigned, according to CEO Walter S. Becker.

But two of those former employees say there is more to the story. Former Chief Information Officer Philip "Skip" Edie and his wife, former Patient Accounts Manager Candy L. Edie, said they felt as if they were pushed out by Mr. Becker.



"The final stroke was Brett Sicola, former CIO at Elizabethtown Community Hospital," Mr. Edie said. "He found himself out of work and sent me a resume. Brett took a phone call from Mr. Becker in my office about being interviewed for my position. That was a calculated effort to remove team management." Mr. Edie said his letter of resignation was for one reason: he no longer wanted to work at the hospital under the reign of Mr. Becker.

"I had been working with Mr. Becker since last July to establish an electronic medical records system, and at some point he had made a decision," Mr. Edie said. "He essentially carved me out of my own operations and took it on himself." He said he gave Mr. Becker his letter of resignation Aug. 17, with four weeks notice, but was escorted off the premises soon thereafter.


Meanwhile, Mrs. Edie said she had been working vigorously over the past year to help the hospital straighten out its billing and cash-flow problems. Suddenly on Aug. 19, Mrs. Edie said, Mr. Becker had the Information Technology Department review and limit her access to that information.

She, too, gave her four weeks notice, but was escorted off the premises within 10 minutes of informing Mr. Becker of her resignation Aug. 19.

When reached by telephone Tuesday, Mr. Becker said both Edies left "on their own accord," and a week apart from one another.

He would not comment further on their departure.

The Edies, however, are not the only administrative personnel to resign this month. Former CFO Mark B. Hills left Aug. 5, saying he was just ready for a change.

Mr. Becker denied there is any common theme in the recent management shuffle.

"It's coincidental," he said. "About every four to five years, once one leaves, a few do. One leaves and it's a ripple effect, and then you're stable again. Many times people rotate from one hospital to another." Mr. Edie said that theory is far from the truth at Carthage Area Hospital.

"The board members and Mr. Becker are going to stick together," he said. "Us not being there is another good reason to reset the clock." While both Mr. and Mrs. Edie hope to remain in healthcare at a hospital or other healthcare facility somewhere in the north country, Mr. Becker is searching for a new patient accounts manager and CFO. Mr. Edie's position will not be filled, and will be absorbed by the four people currently in the information technology department.

Recruitment for the CFO and patients accounts manager position will be slow, Mr. Becker said, so the board can take the time to pick the perfect matches for the hospital.

As for the CFO position, Mr. Becker said he'd like to see someone assume that role who is well-versed in healthcare, has dealt with Medicaid reimbursement changes and has spent time in an administrative position at a hospital.

Other recent administrative changes include the resignation of Primary Care Administrator Zachary K. Chapman, which Mr. Becker said was due to financial reasons. He has been replaced by Robert Bloom.

Roger Bull, who had previously been the hospital's supervisor of Patient Care Services, was named the Patient Care Services administrator about three months ago, according to Mr. Becker.

Joseph W. Millard was also recently named the administrator of the future Meadowbrook Terrace, an assisted-living facility to be run by the hospital.

While Mr. Edie said he recognized Carthage Area Hospital's financial and management troubles are far from over, he has hope that current staff may help change things around.

"Under different circumstances, I'd even consider going back to Carthage," he said.

___ (c)2011 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) Visit Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) at www.watertowndailytimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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