By Rick Harvey
Eureka Springs Times-Echo
Disgruntled former employees of the Eureka Springs Hospital want to make sure recent controversies stay on the minds of city council members.
At the city council’s regular meeting held Monday, Jan. 13, a handful of ex-staffers peppered the council with questions and comments regarding issues that have been ongoing for more than two months, stemming from what current and former employees call a “toxic” work environment, with some even pointing to alleged illegal activity.
“I want to say I hope you had nice holidays, but now we need to get back to business,” Liz Collins, a registered nurse and former compliance officer at ESH, told council members at the Jan. 13 meeting.
The controversies at the hospital were brought to light after the hospital commission held a series of special meetings to make personnel changes in November. Former CEO Angie Shaw was terminated Nov. 1 and has since received support from many current and former employees.
During three special meetings held Nov. 4 the commission then terminated Jessica Petrino, the hospital’s former chief director of nursing, put chief financial officer Cynthia Asbury on a 60-day Performance Improvement Plan “to be monitored by the commission,” and named human resources director Jodi Edmondson acting CEO.
All decisions were made effective immediately and with no explanation from commissioners, who went into executive session to discuss each position before returning to announce their decisions.
Many current and former hospital staff members and city residents spoke to the council during meetings in November and December, calling for the resignations of Asbury and Edmondson, along with then-hospital commission chair Kent Turner.
Weeks after former commission vice chair Barbara Dicks resigned at the urging of Mayor Butch Berry after emails between her and Turner revealed potential violations of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Turner agreed to step down during a December city council meeting. He was later encouraged to stay on board while the commission was working with a Little Rock attorney to respond to a slew of issues discovered during an audit by the Arkansas Department of Health.
While Turner remains on the commission, Sandy Martin took over as chair of the commission on Jan. 1.
“Mr. Mayor, you did not accept Mr. Turner’s resignation,” Collins said at Monday’s council meeting. “At the time, the commission was responding to the state survey and developing a plan of correction. That is done. He is no longer chair and he needs to be removed for his actions, violations and allowing things to progress to this level. Mr. Mayor, you also stated that the investigation into a lot of allegations, these allegations are on both sides. None of us know. I have suggested that he look at the underlying issue of what’s going on. … I’m asking if that has been followed up on and if not, if that can be done, because that really is where it all began, with the employee treatment and how things were being handled. That’s where this demise began.
“If this were a court of law, a case for toxic and hostile work environment will be proven beyond reasonable doubt by many current and former employees. This was also acknowledged in an article from former vice chair Barbara Dicks that stated … ‘I just hope we don’t end up in a toxic workplace lawsuit. You and I have both known for one-and-a- half years this s**t is going on. I don’t want to lose my assets over this. They can have my ass, but not worth losing assets.’
“And another place Ms. Dicks stated, ‘we just have to weather the storm of Eureka politics.’ ” While Collins called for the resignations of Turner and Asbury, others who spoke at the Jan. 13 meeting felt the council had moved past the issue.
“I am here tonight to make sure that the issues with ESH stay in front of your minds, and you all know how important it is to stay diligent on the issues in front of you,” said Tina Adams, the hospital’s former laboratory director and infection control officer. “Kent Turner was asked to resign at the last meeting and is still on the commission. His actions and performance have said it all and he needs to go. He acted the same as Barbara Dicks, and she was asked to resign. He should be treated no differently.”
Adams said Turner wasn’t truthful in his December report to the council.
“I have heard the hospital is still on divert for trauma because we cannot offer blood,” she said. “What does this mean? When I was there, we could get emergency release. I believe it is in your best interest to investigate this and not to take Kent’s word since he has lied to you all on many occasions. Like the last time he spoke and said the lab was up and running. That was a lie. They were running samples to Mercy in Berryville that night. He also said that the reason that Jodi and Cynthia were not at the last meeting was because they were working on the state survey. Again, that was a lie. Their cars were gone from the hospital before the meeting ever started.”
Stepping in sooner, rather than later, is something the council should do, Adams said.
“I cannot emphasize enough that ESH lost a lot of knowledge and great employees due to two people that are still there and still causing staff to quit or wanting to quit,” she said. “How can the city continue to get money from the state when they have lost almost all their outpatient services? When will that income stop? Remember, you as city council members have a right to dissolve this commission. It is beyond repair, and it is time to act before all hope is lost.
“You have all the power to stop this toxic, violent workplace. Per Barbara Dicks’ comment to Kent Turner, ‘I hope we don’t end up in a toxic workplace lawsuit.’” Former hospital employee Richard Webb echoed the comments of Collins and Adams, saying he felt the council hasn’t and wasn’t going to step in and take any actions on the issues.
“At the last council meeting, we spoke and I asked how you all wanted to be remembered — as leaders of this community, as leaders who did the right thing and protected the innocent victims and held the guilty accountable, or leaders who ignored the cries of the innocent victims and continued to protect the guilty,” Webb said. “Well, I think we have our answer. So, Mr. Mayor, you blocked Kent Turner’s resignation knowing that he had broken numerous laws and you’ve done nothing to stop what’s going on. So, I think at this point it’s obvious that you all plan on doing nothing about any of it.
“The guilty of either being allowed to simply step down, retire or even being promoted with no consequences for their actions and the unlawful actions have been allowed to continue. … I think it’s time for all the past and present employees that were wronged or still being wronged to unite and take action to right all the wrongs since no one here cares enough to do it. Also, I believe it’s time for new community leadership. Just remember when it all comes crashing down at least you were all given a choice, which is more than any of us that were done wrong were given.”
COUNCIL RESPONSE
When asked at the Jan. 13 meeting for agenda items for the council’s next meeting scheduled for Monday, Jan. 27, at least four council members said they wanted to address the hospital situation.
“I would like to put on our next meeting agenda, at least like the people said earlier today, we need to keep the hospital issue front and center,” council member David Avanzino said. “It’s really frustrating because I feel like I’ve got one side of the story, and that’s from former employees, but I have nothing to go on from the other side of the story, if you will. It’s very frustrating …” Berry asked if the council wanted a hospital commission update from Martin at the next meeting.
“I’d like to get an update,” council member Steve Holifield said.
“Yes, hospital commission chair at the next meeting,” Avanzino said.
Council member Harry Meyer said he would also like Dr. John House, who recently made a proposal to take over hospital operations, to attend the next council meeting. Meyer also said he wanted the council to vote on the hospital commission.
“I’d like Dr. House to come if he can,” Meyer said. “I want to vote on hospital commissioners. I asked [Turner] to resign and he said he would, and then he didn’t resign. And he obviously lied to…” Berry then cut Meyer off, saying “we’re on agenda right now. You want Dr. House to be here?”
“Yes, I do,” Meyer responded.
“He’s a private citizen. I really don’t have any authority to make him appear,” Berry replied.
“Ask him if he would. Of course he doesn’t have to,” Meyer said.
Berry then asked Meyer why he wanted House to be at the meeting.
“He was rejected by the commission and he wants to help the city,” Meyer said. “I want to know why.”
“He was not rejected,” Berry responded. “I’m not sure what you want Mr. House on the agenda for.”
Meyer replied: “To see if he’s got answers to our hospital problems. He’s offered to take over. He’s offered to help.”
The discussion ended with Berry saying that House was still “dealing and talking” with the hospital commission.
