"Fed up in the trenches" says:
Forthright, you are definitely correct in your analysis of the senior leadership team. They are exactly as you have described. All yes men/women and most certainly race played a huge issue in their hiring. I know for a fact that when he gave the ex-chief nursing officer of 20 plus years her walking papers a few years ago, he formed this nursing search committee to find her replacement.
Several nursing directors from various floors spent many hours going through resumes and interviewing applicants. And, there were many qualified applicants, but none were acceptable because Ray had long before decided that Florence Jones would be the CNO. It was all a game to make everyone feel like they were a part of the decision, but we all knew that Flo was not our pick -- just his.
She is an accomplished woman, but was never the cream of the crop of the candidates whom applied. Likewise, he handpicked Alphe and Allyson. He knew they'd always answer yes and he had an established relationship with each of them from the past. It will be interesting to see if Allyson will be able to actually take Ray's job, she wants it badly. He depends so heavily on her and most employees will tell you that queen runs the hospital.
And Alphe, what can I say? He is busy getting pedicures and trying to keep up with who Ray & Allyson have fired, transferred or promoted that week. Updating that facility's organizational chart is a full time job in itself. As for Mazie, Ms. Whalen just happened to be in the right position at the time when the board was calling for racial diversity. She was an excellent nurse in her day, but it is obvious to everyone who has worked at DRMC that leadership skills are seriously lacking. So, if we are asking for resignations, maybe her time is up too?
The only "senior" leader not addressed is the "chief" financial officer - Courtney Phillips. Unfortunately, we are all betting that he will be Rays fall guy. He's a local Delta boy who needs his paycheck and Ray sorta had to acquire him in the KD merger. No telling what Ray has asked him to do since he is supposedly the keeper of the books. If anyone can figure out how to poke this board in the back and force their hand at firing this ridiculous so called leadership team, please tell us how.
Yes, we almost forgot the CFO, Courtney Phillips. Since Ray had finally forced the former CFO, Woody White, to resign just before the merger, he now needed a new "fall guy" to keep the books "simmering". Courtney seemed a logical choice since he had been the CFO at KDH. This move was a win-win for Ray. If Courtney were a miracle worker, he might be able to show Ray how to operate in the black; and if not, who better to blame than his former competitor.
Ray's and Woody's battles were well known throughout the community. They seemed to differ on the legality of numerous "accounting practices" and ultimately Ray won every battle. Woody, anticipating that "stripes" would soon dominate his wardrobe, fled the Delta for "higher" ground.
Courtney was basically offered a deal that he "couldn't refuse". He could either play with Ray and hope for the best, or turn down the offer of "top dog" and join the ranks of the unemployed, like his fellow KDH officers. He did what he had to do.
From my vantage point, Mr. Phillips is an honest employee who is well respected throughout the community... but, as in the case of Dr. Frothingham... we can all see what that is worth. Most people who know Mr. Phillips admire him for being able to endure the untenable circumstances of his job. I would hope that he escapes this debacle unscathed. Unfortunately, by virtue of his position, it will be very difficult to plead ignorance once HUD begins to untangle this massive web of deception... and they will.
So, what can we do about this mess? Make some noise! Call, write, e-mail your supervisors and board members and demand some action. Letters to the DDT are almost useless in that DRMC is a major advertiser, so don't waste your time. The Scoop is a great place to vent your frustrations and rally support for your cause, but at the end of the day, nothing will change at DRMC until WE make our voices heard.
Forthright
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17 comments:
Yes, Woody White was the smart one. He left before a terrible situation became worse. He actually did his job and DRMC was operating to the good back then. Ray couldn't wait to run him out of Greenville. Hopefully Mr. Phillips will be able to survivie this disaster waiting to happen.
Barf..The DRMC commercials are sickening. Full of lies. YOUR tax dollars at work. When will it end?
Ray forgot to mention on the commercials that he closed the burn center and that rehab floor is next!
**Letters to the DDT are almost useless in that DRMC is a major advertiser, so don't waste your time. **
Not true, there have been letters of complaint before and they were published in the DDT. They impacted too, so far no "new" hospital has been built and no hospitals have been closed down. Both were planned to be very soon events in 2005, but letters, if not stopped, slowed down the process and made the Supervisors take another look at the feasibility of investing that major tax money for the new hospital and shutting down DRMC and KD. For now, those plans are tabled. That is proof that indeed letters to the editor do have importance and can make a difference!
The DDT has published some rather neutral articles on DRMC, but nothing that approaches the "truth" of this blog. Newspapers make money from advertising and they can't afford to take sides or risk losing an advertiser by printing a derogatory letter to the editor. Unlike the days of Hodding Carter, when a newspaper served to both inform and educate its readers, the current DDT is little more than a daily fact sheet... and even the facts get edited (to appease certain advertisers).
The news revealed on the Delta Scoop is probably far more valid than most articles in the DDT. A blog has no paid advertisers and therefore has to answer to no one's "standards" of what is or is not "news". People control what is news on a blog...not major financial contributors, which is why this medium is attractive. Everyone is able to express thier opinion without fear of reprisal from those who may disagree.
Do I read the DDT? Sure, for what it is worth, but when I really want to know what's going on in Greenville, I check the "Scoop".
Hi "Forthright",
Or Don or Linda or Jim, whatever your name is.
Since you obviously control the blog, I doubt my comments will see the light of cyberspace.
In any case, I will enjoy giving you my opinion.
Get a life.
You are obviously unemmployed/under-employed and a talented person with some sort of grudge or "Cross" to bear.
Do you think the price of gas is too high? Sure. Do you think the management of Exxon is corrupt?
Probaly not. If you want to make a difference, buy some stock in Exxon and buy a hybrid.
Do you think medical costs are too high? Sure. Do you think there are politics and personalities involved in the management of our County Hospital or any other business in our community? Du? Do you think the staff at our Hospital is overpaid? Please don't get real sick and need their help.
Do you think the "Delta" is overweight and sick?
Go on a diet, loose some weight and get some excersise.
Do you think that Ray Humphreys and his staff are corrupt? Or lousy mangers. Obviously.
So do you want to make a difference? Get on the Staff and make a difference. You obviously have some some contacts on or close to the "Senior Staff" and have "inside" information.
For crying out loud, use your knowledge constuctively and quit anonymously taking stabs at honest people trying to do their jobs.
Try to get a job in Greenville (there is a Greenville is each State) and manage it to make a difference. Try to get one in Washington State please.
Times are tough my friend and it will take management decisions that are not popular or short term to make businesses at all levels survive.
Blogs are a usefull tool to improve conditions in our society, but as any other devices we have, they are best used to "catch someone doing something right" and recognize that there are many individuals and businesses in our lives/communities that are doing things daily to improve the quality of our lives.
God Bless you and your's.
Greenville Board of Supervisors
Alfred Rankins, Sr., President
Paul Watson
Mike Gordon
Mark Seard
Ernest Holmes
DRMC Board of Supervisors
Billy Schultz
Chairman
Mildred Crockett
Secretary
James Hollowell
Member
George E. Lewis
Member
Sam Newsom
Member
Henry Rucker
Member
Are these the Supervisors everyone keeps suggesting we contact? How would one go about getting in contact with them? Phone? Letters? E-Mail? It would be a lot easier if they would list some form of contact information on the web sites.
*hangs head low*
Bigal, YOU are the one who is misinformed. You obviously do not understand nor care to understand what is happening in our hospital. Honest people trying to make a living????? Yes, there are countless honest people who work there. They are the ones who help the patient to the bathroom, administer their medications, help with the patient's bath, start IVs, comfort their family, etc. They actually come to work to help people. They are NOT the ones making six figures for doing nothing except back stabbing. It is easy to realize that you, Bigal, have not been along side the folks there who lay their hands on a patient; but it does sound like you are one of or close friends to a senior leader. Too bad if you don't like hearing the truth. Get over it, you get a life and you move to another Greenville. Washington state as you suggested might be a cozy home for yourself. Take the senior leaders with you. We are all sick and tired of them!
AND...as far as contacting members of the board of the hospital. I did contact a member of the board a few months ago with concerns about this sinking ship. He informed me that Ray was making money for the hospital and that no one could micro-manage or else it would interfere with the hospital's success. However, I will try again. I will contact the other board members as well as the county supervisors. In fact, I will write a letter tonight and have it mailed to all of them. Bigal just pist me off enough with his/her completely false allegations to do so. Forthright, keep speaking the truth. There are many of us who appreciate your wisdom and honesty. HONESTY?! What a concept which would surely go a long way in reviving our healthcare system. And Bigal, what is your name? Ray, Alphe? Who are YOU?
PS - Thank you *hangs head low* for the list. It will be most helpful.
I know a whole lot of folks who hold a grudge against Ray Humphreys. It is by his own choosing, he had done so many people so wrong. :(
Bigal's argument was bit all over the road ... but if I read him/her correctly then I think I can second the motion. This blog would be a great place to discuss new and inventive ideas for Greenville and ... yes ... put together a mild thorn tree of places and characters to avoid.
But all this marshalling of a torch and bullhorn squads without any real plan is going to annoy all the quality participants.
Here are the facts of the matter:
DRMC has a sizeable upper management. Not everyone is fond of this. There have been layoffs as of recent. Some portions of the hospital and other medical programs have been downsized or closed. Some employees are discontent. There is some alleged book cooking.
Those are the facts of this matter! Everything else is personal opinion! Why doesn't the paper print anything? Well, because besides the above there is nothing to report. Book cooking isn't book cooking unless there is proof (ledgers, receipts, bank records … and eventually a court case ) until then its alleged book cooking without any actionable quality ... or to word it more ruthlessly: useless gossip.
So do the above facts mean all is well at DRMC? No it doesn't sound like a happy operation.
Does it mean something there is unquestionably wrong? Well not really. Those facts could describe just about any large lumbering organization in any town.
So, saying all this to say that it is really no use reporting or asking anyone not sitting in DRMC to grab a torch and join in this cause because these are all allegations that we can't verify and it would be useless and wrong to join in a position that we can not personally represent.
If you can verify any of this first hand and can speak to the board or have proof that is so compelling the rest of us can run with it … by all means step forward and make your voice heard!
But besides that, please ... rename the blog DRMC Scoop and uninvite all of us who don't belong here or focus on the agenda which is actionable ( and positive is always nice ) by everyone in the community and leave off the torch items that are of no use to most.
I highly hope that we can go with the latter. This is a great blog with good management and it can be of good use to the community. I only offer this advice because I want to see it succeed.
Is making your employees feel scared today is my d-day? Is running off your loyal longterm employees good business? Is hiring someone on the basis of gender or race good and ethical practice? These are all facts and can be proven.
(((((Groan.)))))
I don't have access to DRMC's financial accounting; however, I do remember Mr. Humphreys on the six and ten pm news whining about how the hospital was 43 million dollars in the red. Also, the DDT ran an article and quoted him stating the same facts. But, then a week later, the hospital is 2 mill to the good. It plants a lot of doubt in the organization's integrity, don't ya think?
"Is making your " ... please reconsider the point. Have you called the police over any of these yet? No? Lack of tangible evidence perhaps?
Don't get me wrong. My heart goes out to all the good folks employed there ... we all live in fear of being under a tyrant bosses and I don't personally have any reason to doubt you and your frustration. I could share a few of my own situations in the past. Sadly individiuals and management teams of this kind are all to plentiful.
But lets say for example I work for, oh, cement company X. My boss is a total train wreck of management values and I have more than a little suspicion that he is wasting tax dollars on certain projects and cheating community individuals out of their hard earned cash. Now I can talk a mean streak and tell you that all my buddies agree but would you be wise to grab a sign and march down the street short of ... say having all the book keeping, videos, in my hand? Of course not.
"I don't have " ... sure but if you went up against him on the premise and then it turned out that it was legit for legal purposes then your whole case would fall apart.
So in my opinion its hardly worth mentioning. You could probably get much more milage from a collection of written signed statements from employees ... demanding an independent review from an outside ( of Greenville) firm.
Well perhaps I'm not helping by not introducing what I think might make this blog more of a center focus of the larger community.
An organization was working to restore the old merry go round and set up a sort of entertainment complex. Where are they at? Is it feasible? What position will this project hold in the community? Some pictures? Need anything?
How about that swimming pool? Where are we at? Is anything needed? Anyone out there have supplies to donate?
How about some new fresh ideas? Rip down a stetch of delaphidated downtown and install a state of the art skateboarding jungle. Bring the young social scene out into the open where police can keep an eye on them? Give them a sense of community and value for city projects?
Start some big looney local event to generate interest and bring in some out of town types? Truck show is gone and is leaving a spot open. Nows the chance to plan a new one an choose what kind of crowd we will solicit.
Rut roh...after reading these comments it is apparent that some folks named in that posting aint so happy. Sounds like someone struck a nerve.
It seems that the folks who are contributing actually know about the junk going on first hand. The others are just folks who are not involved and are criticizing their attempts to air their opinion. Way I look at it - if you are not interested in a topic, don't read it. Simply post one of your own that gets your heart pumping.
Since the pool was mentioned, I am happy to report that I was on the agenda of last weeks' City Council meeting. My purpose was to present the Proposal for the grant from Carl-Small Town Center, in seeking support of the Council. I was successful and that is one large step toward a better future for the pool and Greenvillians, especially the kids.
The students came from MSU/CSTC last weekend and assessed the pool, Buster Brown Community Center and our City parks. All of this information is key to their designs and plans for the Pool Complex to come.
Cari Varner of the MSU/CSTC staff sent this note out below to be soon published in the DDT, read it and if you so please, feel free to contact her with your input to the pool plans.
Hello all,
As I am sure you are aware, the School of Architecture and the Carl Small Town Center at
Mississippi State University are working with the City of Greenville to develop plans for the revitalization of the Bobby Henry Memorial Pool and the Buster Brown Community Center.
Our students are so excited about the project, and they came up with the great idea of having the public be able to contact the CSTC to offer their opinions and ideas about the project, so as best serve the citizens of Greenville in our efforts.
This is an open call to all citizens of Greenville to call me directly at 662-325-8671 or to email me at: cvarner@caad.msstate.edu
(no spam please) to share their thoughts about what amenities or activities they would like to see occur on the site and their aesthetic sensibilities pertaining to the architecture of the proposed buildings. We want as much public input as possible, from children to senior citizens, especially those that live in the neighborhood immediately around the site.....END of note.
It will be the end of summer before the students complete their plans and depending on grants and timing,at least another year or more before serious work can begin. Meanwhile, we, the BHM Pool Committee, Pool and Park Directors are planning promotions, programs and events to bring attention back to the pool and the community back to enjoy it once again.
As for how you all can help?? We are open to suggestions and great ideas! Get involved! Suggest solutions! Join us! Volunteer, there is plenty to do. It will be more fun than you will believe and very gratifying in the end.
There will be fundraiser events for the pool in the near future to at least get started on some improvements or perhaps to buy a water slide, pool furniture, supplies for the lifeguards or updated emergency gear. We need solutions to help the elderly and handicapped to enjoy the pool this summer and from now on. As it is, the pool is not accessible to that population, and that is unacceptable! Think of kids who have never had a chance to swim or Seniors who need the therapy of the water for their joints. Maybe YOU have an answer?? We are wide open here, now is the time to jump in!
We need all the help and networking we can get! Please step up to the plate and let's get this pool on track starting this summer!
We need instructors for some of these programs like water aerobics, Senior classes, or if there is someone to teach it, how about scuba class? Bring yourself and the kids for swim time or lessons, lifeguard class, or just show up this summer to have fun!
I have created a web site with all the information to be known and will update it as things progress. Here is the location to copy and paste to your search bar: http://robertthenry.webs.com/index.htm
Click "Contact" for information of myself and the committee members.
Take a look all around the site at all the topics. There is great information there for the viewing, as well as some great old photos of the past and the photos of the present. Enjoy and come back to your Community Pool. Summer is around the corner, we have to start NOW! Let's stop complaining and makes positive step to a better future! Do it for yourself, the kids and Greenville! Together, we can make it happen!
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