I’m sure you all have seen Hay Post story on your decision to renew Eddie's position. If any of you haven't, I would encourage you to go to Hays Post to learn about what people are saying about your leadership at Hays Medical Center.
Unfortunately, the readers of this Post extend to the entire western part of our state. All of my referrals and all of the referrals to Hays Medical Center are in the zone.
The whole reason I started writing letters, taking time to address issues to the board, was to make sure all you board members were aware of what was happening. It was my sincere hope and prayer that this would not become a public event.
Despite repeated urgings to go public with my concerns, I never did so, as this reflects negatively on our hospital, the administration and most importantly you board members. Don't blame Dr. Curry for his post that went viral. He is not the one who voted.
Just read the numbers of people who agree with and supported everything he was saying. Like it or not, you board members have been charged with overseeing the administration and making sure that the hospital is moving in the right direction.
Hays will be a much different place with a hospital that soon will have to lay off even more people due to the enormous loss of several of your most productive departments.
I can’t imagine any physician wanting to come to a place that has such unaddressed turmoil. The only physicians, nurses or staff members who would work in such a chaotic, oppressive and hostile environment are those who come only for the Money!
These are not the physicians I would choose to go to, nor is it the reflection of high-quality care that we have so long been accustomed to. Your decision to let the OB department crumble with no one held accountable will cost tens of millions of dollars in revenue and take decades to rebuild.
You have been warned that other departments are also fragmented and crumbling, and still voted to maintain the status quo. I expect moving forward with his poor leadership will result in even more departments crumbling.
Hays will be a much different place. The decision was yours. Rumors and perceptions would've been much different had you elected to fire Eddie Herrman, HaysMed CEO, instead of renewing his contract.
Clearly financial struggles would have continued to exist. New problems would arise, but you would have had the respect and support of those staff members who have given their heart and soul to Hays Medical Center.
I can assure you, they would've worked diligently to try to rebuild Hays Medical Center under new leadership. People in Hays, would be willing to make concessions if they saw leaderships doing the same.
A leader that would value people and not announce EVERYONE is REPLACEABLE. What in the world did you see in Eddie that would blind you to such a catastrophic decision? Was it your fear of having to work as a board choosing a new administrator? How in the world do you think the morale and the support of those lifers will be regained after turning your back on them in favor of Eddie?
No, I don't have all the facts, so I hope you have Great reasons and a Solid plan in effect to rebuild departments, staff members and others who will be affected in the short term….next 5 to 10 years.
In the last six weeks, I have personally witnessed the incredible struggles with health care. Losing any physician, experienced staff member or other members of our hospital WILL be very difficult to replace.
The decisions were yours. The consequences will also be yours and Will affect everyone in Hays. I hope I'm incredibly wrong in my assessment of this current debacle. This is the first time in 30 years that I have been practicing in Hays that I have been so disappointed in the leadership of Hays Medical Center.
Regretfully, Don Tillman, Hays dermatologist
Editor's note: Dr. Tillman is not employed by HaysMed.