Summa Health board pledges to enact 5 changes to address physician concerns

Following a controversial changeover of emergency room staff, the board of Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health System promised Sunday to make changes to address concerns among physicians and other staff, according to a report from The Plain Dealer

Advertisement

Summa Health abruptly switched ER physician groups on New Year’s Day when a contract expired with longtime partner Summa Emergency Associates. On less than a week’s notice, the health system began staffing emergency rooms across several locations with physicians from US Acute Care Solutions, a national emergency medicine group. Since then, physicians voted “no confidence” in system leadership and President and CEO Thomas Malone, MD.

In an effort to make amends and address concerns, the board vowed to make five major changes in a statement released Sunday, according to the report. Those changes include the following:

1. Establish a new system culture with the help of an external executive coach.

2. Create an advisory committee of independent and employed physicians to advise the board on staff issues.

3. Fill empty board spots by the end of February.

4. Reevaluate the contract renewal process.

5. Require board oversight of physician contracts and require full board approval to terminate a contract.

Read the full story here.

 

More articles on leadership and management:

CEO compensation in top 15 US medical device companies — 75 statistics
Week in review: 12 biggest healthcare stories this week
Activist hedge fund buys 8.3% stake in The Advisory Board Company

At Becker's 4th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, taking place November 2–5 in Chicago, more than 1,500 hospital and health system executives tackle decisions that determine whether organizations thrive or merely survive: protecting margins under cost pressure, choosing where to grow, renegotiating payer relationships, stabilizing the workforce and proving real ROI on technology. This is where leaders work through them together, face-to-face. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Register to Attend Webinar

Beyond the bottleneck: How health systems are improving access, flow and care continuity

Thursday, July 30
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT

Presenters: Imamu Tomlinson, MD, MBA, VituityWilliam Morice II, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic LaboratoriesJordan Dale, MD, Houston MethodistAsh Tengshe, City of HopeChris Klay, MHA, MA, PT, FACHE, Hospital Sisters Health System

Advertisement

Next Up in Leadership & Management

Advertisement

Comments are closed.