Two separate rallies were held in Naples, Fla., on Jan. 22 — one protesting Naples-based NCH Healthcare System leadership and its controversial admissions policy, and the other standing behind the system's executives, NBC 2 News reports.
Both rallies were held at the same time, but took place in different locations. The protests come just days after hospital physicians unanimously voted "no confidence" in NCH Healthcare leadership and CEO Allen Weiss, MD.
Critics of the administration have raised issues with NCH's admissions policy, which eliminates admission privileges for independent physicians on three floors at NCH's flagship hospital in Naples. Dr. Weiss previously said concern over the policy stems from a "misunderstanding."
"I want to have the ability to choose the doctor who takes care of me, and if I'm unfortunate enough to wind up in the hospital, I would like that doctor to coordinate with the hospitalist," one protestor who expressed displeasure over the policy told NBC 2 News.
However, some nonphysician employees at the hospital claimed the no confidence vote is not indicative of how the majority of staff feel about Dr. Weiss or the administration.
"It makes me sad in like a very cellular level to see how just the negative remarks against our leaders that are really, really great, wonderful people. So committed to our community, our hospital," one NCH employee told the television station.
Both groups have started separate petitions about the issue. The group protesting the policy said they have garnered more than 10,000 signatures, while the other has gained more than 100 signatures, the report states.
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