Erlanger has lost more than $17 million this fiscal year. Hospital Authority Trustee Jim Worthington said Erlanger’s financial distress began under the administration of Jim Brexler, who he claims “did not want physicians to have any say-so on anything that went on in the hospital,” according to the report. He mentioned the former CEO’s opposition to physician satisfaction surveys. When the board finally required a survey to be taken, the results were “deplorable,” according to the report.
Mr. Worthington said competing hospitals courted the dissatisfied physicians and surgeons. “And with the doctors went the money. That’s what killed us,” he said. He also mentioned Erlanger’s current CEO, Charlsetta Woodard-Thompson, is “doing everything she can to try to get the [physicians] to come back, but it’s next to impossible,” according to the report.
Mr. Brexler retired in November 2011.
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