The interim leadership at Naples, Fla.-based NCH Healthcare System is seeking to re-examine the former administration's policy decisions and will include a host of community leaders and physician staff in the decision-making process, the Naples Daily News reports.
Four things to know:
1. Interim leadership at the health system is reportedly pursuing reconciliatory policies to salvage the system's relationship with staff physicians and community members in the wake of a controversial admissions policy. The policy, which was piloted at the hospital last summer, called for NCH-employed hospitalists to be in charge of patient care in several hospital units.
2. Interim President and CEO Phil Dutcher and the chairman of the system's department of medicine reportedly met with hospital physicians to announce the creation of a task force to examine ways to improve patient care and share their findings with physicians.
"This group, which has their first meeting on Feb. 8, will be inclusive with representation of all hospitalist groups, concierge and primary care physicians on the NCH staff. This task force will develop criteria and performance metrics with the goal of reducing complications of care, improving nurse and physician communication and improving patient satisfaction," a hospital spokesperson told the Naples Daily News in a statement.
3. The policy, which was largely supported by former CEO Allen Weiss, MD, and NCH's board, among other issues, led staff physicians to unanimously issue a no-confidence vote in Dr. Weiss and his administration last month. Days later, Dr. Weiss and the system's chief of staff resigned. An NCH spokesperson said the chief of staff role will remain open while the search for a permanent CEO continues.
4. Mr. Dutcher's efforts may encourage some donors to begin donating to the health system again, according to the report.
To access the full report, click here.