Home Industries Health Services South County Health board issues vote of confidence for leadership amid complaints

South County Health board issues vote of confidence for leadership amid complaints

By

Katie Castellani

-

09/13/2024

THE SOUTH COUNTY HEALTH Board of Trustees has formally backed CEO Aaron Robinson and the executive leadership team after some staff members and patients have raised concerns about the management of South County Hospital. / COURTESY SOUTH COUNTY HEALTH

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – South County Health’s board of trustees gave a unanimous vote of confidence to CEO Aaron Robinson and the executive leadership team Thursday after staff and patients raised concerns over the hospital management. On Thursday, some patients held a press conference at South County Hospital to call attention to what they believe are

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SOUTH KINGSTOWN – South County Health’s board of trustees gave a unanimous vote of confidence to CEO Aaron Robinson and the executive leadership team Thursday after staff and patients raised concerns over the hospital management. On Thursday, some patients held a press conference at South County Hospital to call attention to what they believe are system-wide issues attributed to physician departures. Staff, patients and community members called for assistance from state leaders – including Gov. Daniel J. McKee, Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and Dr. Jerome Larking, R.I. Department of Health director. They also called for Robinson to resign as well as South County Health’s chief medical officer, Dr. Kevin Charpentier, and chairman of the board, Joseph Matthews. The press conference Thursday came after several doctors, donors and others publicized a letter to the South County Health’s board of trustees on Sept. 6 about “alarming changes” the health system was facing. The concerns about the health system included the relationship between providers and executive leadership that contributed to the resignation of oncologists at the cancer center; primary care doctors departing because of issues with the management; staffing shortages in the pulmonary and cardiology services and eliminating the sleep lab and reducing other services. A petition called “Save Our South County Hospital” was also started on Change.org and had 928 signatures as of Friday afternoon. Petitioners said they were “deeply alarmed by the disintegration of essential hospital services” and requested that the board of trustees “find necessary remedies to reverse the destruction of the hospital.” On Thursday, Matthews and Robinson issued a statement saying they were “...saddened that South County Health’s exceptional quality of care continues to be misrepresented in our community.” As a result of the concerns, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and RIDOH conducted a two-day investigation of South County Health. According to an investigation report from RIDOH, “no deficient practice was identified.” “I believe in this hospital and I believe in the entire organization,” Deborah R. Randall, South County Health’s vice president of quality who facilitated the investigation, said during a press conference Friday. She said investigators’ main focus was the cancer infusion center as there were public concerns about a mass exodus of cancer physicians. Randall said three of four physicians chose not to practice in oncology at South County, but they are still there and will be until mid-October. The system is also bringing on three physicians to replace them and there will be a period where incoming and outgoing physicians will overlap. Investigators also looked into cardiology, pulmonology and nephrology as well as the organizational structure, medical leadership, service line scope and interviewed members of the executive leadership team. Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.