Longtime Neighborhood Health Services Corporation (formerly Plainfield Health Center) medical director Susan Walsh, MD, has been abruptly let go, I learned at the Muhlenberg hearing at PHS on Tuesday evening.
Sources confirm that Walsh was -- literally -- given her walking papers recently. Hand-delivered by a senior staff member, her last day will be June 30.
(And no, I did not learn any of this from Dr. Walsh, who I am told was barred from speaking of the matter until after the Center's impending annual Gala -- guess they didn't want to dampen the festive atmosphere.)
Given all the turmoil surrounding the proposed closure of Muhlenberg by its parent, Solaris Health System, one has to question the wisdom of shedding the Center's medical director when sensitive negotiations must be under way with how to adjust to the new arrangements necessary for care of the Health Center's patients.
Top of the list is likely to be what to do with the annual 700+ births among Health Center clientele.
We were told at the Muhlenberg hearing that JFK will be turning away 90% of these patients. Where will they go? How will it be handled? Who is in charge?
The move comes behind persistent rumors that the Neighborhood Health Services Corporation is in dire financial straits.
The departure of the highly-respected medical director cannot bode well for the willingness of the remaining medical staff to stay on board when the Center's future seems so uncertain to many.
Thinking to check the nonprofit's 990s (the annual filing required by the IRS), I was surprised to find that the last filing was for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006 -- and that the filing was 10 months late, not received by the IRS until 4/2/2007.
Not a very reassuring track record, but it probably explains why FY2007, which ended last June 30, is not available online.
Who will be the Center's new medical director? Or will it try to function without one?
One more issue Plainfielders do NOT need.
-- Dan Damon
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11 comments:
curiouser and curiouser........
The health center is on the brink of bankruptcy. I wonder about the competency of the executive staff. Do plainfielders know what is happening or are they so focused on the bigger issue...Muhlenberg. The people need to know...the health center cannot stay afloat especially without their well respected medical director....CFO position has been vacated for nearly 3 years
You have got to be kidding -- Dr. Walsh was the only good thing left at the health center especially after they got rid of Shirley White-Walker who was chief of mid-wifery services and handled patient complaints. They were the two most competent employees left. Dr. Walsh is one of the kindest and most caring doctors I have known. I am more than sure their time is near they have created bad karma.
Unbelievable! I wonder what their Board has to say. Are there any honest and responsible people left on the Board? How can they allow the injustice and such obvious abuse of power? Was the Board even aware that Dr. Walsh was being let go? Looks like it is time for somebody to start paying serious attention to what's happening at the health center.
I wonder what their Board has to say about this. Are there any honest and responsible people left on the Board? Was the Board even aware that Dr. Walsh was being let go? Seems like the Board needs to start paying serious attention to what's happening at the health center; especially the executive staff and the kinds of decisions they are making. 3 years without CFO? This is crazy.. Are the feds OK with this? Makes one wonder.
Outraged!!!Dr. Walsh is a pillar of the Health Center Community. Who is incharged at PHC?? What is the Board doing?? Clearly Dr. Walsh is not the person who needs to leave. Someone needs to come in an re-evaluate the PHC structure from the President/Ceo down. Very top heavy administration especially with unqualified people in key positions.
If you ask me the plainfield health center has always been crooked!! Dr Walsh probably knew something she was supposed to and thats why she was let go or maybe its because she's white!
Someone needs to go and research everything starting from the TOP! Very unfair to let Dr Walsh go! She really was the best thing left at Plainfield Health Center!
I have been using the health center for many years. They have good doctors, good staff and they really care for the patients. But lately it has been very frustrating: you have to wait hours to be seen, they can not find charts, and the central billing place is just bad. And now with Dr. Walsh leaving I really need to start looking for another place. Very sad. I hope the board and other powers would really look beyond the surface and question the health center executive and operational decisions including Dr. Walsh's termination.
Dan! I hope you will review this comment and help shed light on the situation with the health center. I am almost ashamed to say that I am a PHCboard member aftr all the stuff that was done to Dr. Walsh.you may know thaT May 30 was her last day at the health center. An officer of the organization with 24 years of service and great commitment was literary dismissed without any recognition, I mean, not even a luncheon.. I am really upset at what is happening at PHC. The staff is extremely unhappy. Each of us board members received a letter from administrative and clinical staff requesting a meeting with the board. it is very obvious the board is prepared to just ignore it; very sad. Most of us on the board are intimidated by the board chair and the "dinamic duo" President and CFO (who by the way is a Texas based consultant who spends at PHC a week each month with all expenses paid and much more).
It is about time the attention of the community is focused on PHC as it is going down by the minute.
This place needs a royal shakedown. For starters, the office is located in Plainfield, with a heavy central and south american population, and only a couple of nurses speak Spanish. Yes, easy to reply that if you're in the US you ought to speak English. Before an ignorant reader speaks these words, let's keep in mind that these people are only a few generations behind most of you.
Let's also add that the top heavy staff is made of mostly African Americans (for the record, I personally have nothing against this group whatsoever) and seems to violate the policies of Affirmative action. Clearly, every group besides African Americans may have a case if they have ever applied for a position at this center. Issues resulting in poor service (ie. Very long waits, charts that take forever to locate, too many staffers sitting and doing what seems like nothing while very few run around to try to keep that sinking ship afloat) plague this place. Too many connections within the center, lengthly hiring practices, arrogant higher ups who are overdue humbling experiences (terminations perhaps?) may very well be cited as causes of the downward spiral this health center is caught in.
For whom it may concern,
for the good of the public they provide services (more like disservices) please get in there and clean that place up. Bring Dr Walsh or someone of similar integrity and competence back to this center ASAP!
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