A group of Southfield, Mich.-based Beaumont Health physicians are pushing for changes at the eight-hospital system and recently submitted the results of a survey of nurses to Beaumont's board, which showed the nurses lack confidence in the health system's leadership, according to Crain's Detroit Business.
The physicians began talks with leadership after submitting the results of a survey completed by 1,500 of Beaumont's 5,000 physicians to the board. The survey revealed a lack of confidence in the hospital system's leadership and concerns about its proposed merger with Advocate Aurora Health, which has dual headquarters in Milwaukee and Downers Grove, Ill.
Beaumont confirmed the week of Aug. 17 that it is delaying a vote on the planned merger with Advocate Aurora until physician grievances are addressed.
The physicians are pushing for management changes, and the board has tentatively agreed to add three physicians to the health system's 16-person board of trustees, according to two physicians who spoke with Crain's Detroit Business. The physicians, who asked to remain anonymous, said the physicians added to the board must be actively seeing patients.
Crain's reported that on Aug. 20 it received the results of a survey of 681 registered nurses at Beaumont that was highly critical of management and operations. The nurses were asked to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with several statements. Ninety-six percent of the nurses said they strongly or somewhat disagreed with the statement "I have confidence in corporate leadership."
Regarding the survey of nurses, a Beaumont spokesperson sent the following statement to Becker's Hospital Review:
"We are very proud of our 10,000 extraordinary nurses. Three of our hospitals have achieved Magnet status, the highest honor for nursing excellence. Our five other hospitals are progressing toward Magnet status. This is because nurses at Beaumont have a strong voice in how we deliver patient care and their feedback and input is what drives Beaumont's reputation for nursing excellence. At Beaumont our nurses are essential to ensuring that we deliver compassionate, extraordinary care every day. We actively encourage our nurses to speak up and we value the input we regularly receive from them through ongoing forums and surveys. We are aware there is a group of 681 individuals who have raised some concerns and we are listening to them, while working to address what they say is important to them."
Access the Crain's article here.