Spectrum CEO Tina Freese Decker obviously believes the Beaumont merger is already a done deal. The merger rationale was that hospitals benefitted from getting bigger and achieving economies of scale. But Spectrums management is 100 percent running the show. Beaumont reported operating revenues of $4.6 billion in 2020 and is only an eight-hospital system. April 18, 2020, 3:27 PM . Spectrum and Beaumont are technically merging because the board of the combined companies will have near equal representation and Beaumont chair Julie Fream will serve as chair of the BHSH. This is a good time to give a shoutout to former Beaumont chair John Lewis, who at the end of the day bears the greatest responsibility for the hospital systems decline. 'The Week That Was:' Will Kristina Karamo Seriously Damage Michigan's Republican Party? Spectrums four-person communications team also ignored a request for comment. Its near impossible to put a positive spin on a critical and passionate letter written by a former top executive who played a major role transforming Spectrum into a western Michigan powerhouse. Starkman: Electric Vehicles and the Exploitation of Michigan Taxpayers. Fox said Beaumont plans to ask for military assistance to support its other facilities. Beaumont Troy, the only hospital in the companys network with a 5-star ranking for safety from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid, doesnt have the management strife of Royal Oak. Beaumont CEO Fox and COO Wilson Must Go Now! Share. Fox has blamed the pandemic for Beaumonts HR problems, but the issues predated Covid. More importantly, I doubt that Spectrums doctors would feel the need to circumvent management in the first place. Theres no prestige working at Beaumont anymore. The expansion is apromising sign that Spectrum is willing to commit money and resources to expand and upgrade Beaumonts facilities and reverse the decline the hospital system has suffered from Foxs extensive cost-cutting during his seven-year reign. Lewis previously served on the board of one of Beaumonts predecessor companies and likely didnt want to continue after Beaumont completed its merger. Today is indeed a historic day. . Much of Freeds letter focuses on why merging with Beaumont is very bad for western Michigan residents, but in doing so he calls out Beaumonts lack of financial transparency and notes that the few disclosures Beaumont makes dont add up. Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Spectrum, is chair of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association. A responsible board would have fired Fox months ago and brought in an interim CEO with strong ties to southeastern Michigan to try and stabilize the place. Ohios AG has won a series of landmark settlements taking on healthcare companies. Beaumont Health was significantly impacted by these financial and workforce headwinds that were particularly strong in Southeast Michigan (in the second quarter). After she announced the deal, former Spectrum CFO Michael Freed publicly alerted Spectrum's then board the deal could result in a massive financial loss.. Beaumont CFO John Kerndl Resigns, Beaumont Nurse Anesthetists Union Drive Could Save Imploding Hospital from Further Demise, Layoffs. He tweeted on Thursday that he was cautiously optimistic about certain aspects of the partnership. There is compelling research showing that hospital mergers result in higher patient costs and reduced quality of care. He previously concluded a deal with Akron-based Summa Health but backed out despite already having received regulatory approval. The courage it took for Freed to write and post a letter questioning the judgment of Spectrums board and reminding them of their fiduciary responsibilities cannot be emphasized enough. Yet neither Whitmer or Nessel demanded any diversity or health equity commitments from Spectrum as a condition of its takeover. The nursing shortage in our state is a critical and complex challenge that must be solved with bold and collaborative solutions, the Detroit Free Press quoted Freese Decker as saying. In his video, Fox disclosed that none of the monies for the planned expansion are being diverted from funds to deal with Beaumonts chronic staff shortages that have forced the closing of wards because there isnt sufficient medical staff to cover them. Moreover, rookie nurses still have a lot to learn. If (Beaumonts) operating margins are adequate, and they have plenty of cash, whats the problem? That leaves the hospital with just two cardiothoracic surgeons, down from nine years ago. Less readily understood is why Spectrum would want to do a deal. As best I can tell, Freese Decker is genuinely committed to forging relationships with the communities Spectrum serves, unlike Fox and his managers, many of whom dont even live in the Detroit area. Freese Deckers bio said her biggest priority is building a health system that celebrates and reinforces diversity and inclusion for employees, patients, families, and members. Yet the entire BHSH senior management team as best I can tell is as lily white as a loaf of Wonder bread. The Detroit Free Press quotedSpectrum's Freese Decker as saying, Today is a historic day. Its one of the rare instances where shes made a statement of undeniable truth. Though a far cry from what Beaumont Health was before CEO John Fox and COO Carolyn Wilson arrived, Spectrum is a quality healthcare company overseen by a responsible board comprised of directors who are pillars of western Michigans business communities. Ohios AG has won a series, Today is indeed a historic day. His latest story for DeadlineDetroit.com shows that high ranking executives are being let go in advance of the proposed merger with Grand Rapids based Spectrum Health. Whats becoming increasingly obvious is how Freese Decker, like John Fox, is prone to making public statements that have no basis in fact. Reach Eric Starkman at eric@starkmanapproved.com . View Comments. Beaumont institutionally has a very tenuous relationship with truth. Disgruntled Staff. That's bad news for Metro Detroit's biggest hospital . The merger talking points for Beaumonts leaders includes a commitment to improve health equity. This from a healthcare company that at the height of the Michigan pandemic last yeartemporarilyclosed Beaumont Wayne, a hospital catering to economically disadvantaged individuals with little or no insurance. Underscoring Beaumonts disregard for transparency, the company routinely waits till the very last day before filing its Form 990, a document nonprofits are required to make public revealing compensation and other critical information. Many executives ask me privately, How many Black people do I have to have?. Hospital prices in southeastern Michigan are among the lowest in the country, so one would have to be incredibly nave to believe Spectrums claim that its takeover will lead to more affordable care. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved, Michael Freed doesn't "see any value in this merger. Newsweek Ranks 3 Beaumont Hospitals Among Best in U.S. One Down, Three to Go. Its not unusual for a so-called charge or supervisory ICU nurse to have just one year of experience. Companies often create diversity positions for window dressing purposes. Spectrum also is comfortable issuing misleading or deceptive statements, so culturally Beaumont is possibly a great fit. By Eric Starkman. Based on what was paid to the CEO of one of Beaumonts predecessor companies, Fox possibly stands to receive more than $30 million to sail into the Georgia sunset. Starkman: Electric Vehicles and the Exploitation of Michigan Taxpayers. Hiring nurses for Henry Fords flagship Detroit hospital is a more formidable challenge because some candidates fear working in Detroit. Eric Starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved.. By Eric Starkman. The release, which Fream presumably signed off on, said her appointment was part of a normal governance leadership rotational process.. Six months into Freese Decker's acquisition of Beaumont Health from former controversial CEO John Fox, metro Detroit's biggest hospital system is suffering from a pandemic of red ink. Maybe they dont teach this at the University of Iowa from where Freese Decker received her Master of Health Administration, but when a hospital spends nearly $2 million as John Fox did to intimidate nurses at his flagship Royal Oak hospital and derailed a unionizing attempt, it creates bad blood. We talk with many of them, Joanne Giardini-Russell, a Brighton Medicare consultant posted on Freeds LinkedIn page. At Beaumont's Royal Oak, Troy, and Grosse Pointe hospitals an elite team of more than 70 anesthesiologists trained and experienced with intubation performed all the procedures. Freese Decker grabbed the brass ring, but it was badly tarnished. Beaumont employees and vendors are encouraged to reach out, with confidentiality assured. One need only look at Beaumont, an amalgamation of the Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Oakwood Healthcare, Dearborn, and Botsford Health Care in Farmington Hills that was created in 2014. Fox didnt disclose how much Beaumont will spend to fund its real estate expansion. Rather than having people speculate he was passed over, he chose to step down in advance. Various studies, including one published in 2019 by Harvard researchers, also show that hospital mergers result in worsened patient experiences. Beaumonts Fox doesnt take pride in the directors he is supposedly accountable to, possibly because he regards them as his subordinates. Seven Failed Beaumont Directors Will Serve on Board If Spectrum Merger Gets Approval, Beaumont CEO John Foxs Final FU to Detroit: Merger with Spectrum Health, Beaumont Health Chair John Lewis -- Champion of CEO John Fox -- Stepping Down in June, Beaumont Manager Moved to Sabotage Anesthetists Concerns About Critical Drug Pump Shortage, Beaumonts John Fox Set to Unload Historic Bloomfield Hills Estate, Beaumont Nurse Anesthetists at Royal Oak, Troy and Grosse Pointe Vote Overwhelmingly to Unionize, Beaumont Forces Suspension of Leader of Nurse Anesthetist Union Drive, Starkman: Why Tree Huggers Must Save This Small Town in Michigan From Ford, 'Detroit In Black And White:' Why We Got Kicked Off 910 AM, Randy Wimbley Leaving Fox 2 After a Decade on the Air. Eight will come from Spectrum, including Freese. As of this writing, Freeds letter received 40 likes and other shows of support, and not a single criticism. What, if any, role Wilson will play after the merger hasnt been disclosed. Inexperienced nurses The Royal Oak budget cuts were made in 2020, when Beaumont increased its reserves to $3.5 billion from $2.5 billion and Fox earlier in the year warned U.S. hospitals could collapse because of the pandemic. The companys chief revenue officer left earlier this month. The financial terms of the deal will reveal whether Freese Decker is as touchy-feely as she appears or whether she can be quite ruthless when a lucrative financial opportunity presents itself. Reach the writer ateric@starkmanapproved.com. To support Deadline Detroit's independent. Turns out Beaumonts reported $4 billion reserve also dwindled by the time Fox turned over the keys to Freese Decker. Spectrum and Beaumont are not corporate equals. In a company video posted on Vimeo Thursday, Beaumont CEO John Fox disclosed that Beaumont plans to spend significant dollars to embark on a three to five-year plan to expand the health systems private bed capacity. Fox cancelled the Advocate Aurora deal a few days later. Beaumont employees and vendors are encouraged to reach out, with confidentiality assured. Funny we only now are learning just how badly Fox ran Beaumont into the ground. That Fox, who along with Wilson has shown they have no commitment to southeastern Michigan, was allowed to negotiate Beaumonts fate underscores just what an irresponsible disgrace Beaumonts board is. Spectrums prices are higher than Beaumonts, as the hospital network has significantly less competition in western Michigan. If there was an annual award for the healthcare industrys biggest chump, I defy anyone to propose a more worthy recipient than Tina Freese Decker, CEO of Grand Rapids-based Spectrum Health. By that measure Fox, Wilson, and Wood have poor performance scorecards. (Deadline Detroit art work ), Starkman: Why Tree Huggers Must Save This Small Town in Michigan From Ford, 'Detroit In Black And White:' Why We Got Kicked Off 910 AM, Randy Wimbley Leaving Fox 2 After a Decade on the Air. Nursing shortages are causing havoc at other Beaumont hospitals as well. These contracted doctors also were responsible for setting up a Covid-19 ICU unit at Beaumont Troy. How Absurd. Starkman: Electric Vehicles and the Exploitation of Michigan Taxpayers. Under Susicks leadership, Beaumont Royal Oak precipitously declined, and internally she was viewed as a Fox sycophant. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. However, Beaumont Royal Oak is one of the busiest surgical centers in the country. Beaumont employees and vendors are encouraged to reach out, with confidentiality assured. The writer, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a former Detroit News business reporter who . Beaumont, consistent with its practice of putting a spin on undesirable news, notified employees that it is making "good progress" toward . Disgruntled Staff. When Fox arrived, Beaumont Royal Oak was among the best regional hospitals in the country; today it can best be described as a giant but mediocre community hospital. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved, a month membership or a one-time donation, Beaumont Health Chair John Lewis -- Champion of CEO John Fox -- Stepping Down in June, Beaumont Manager Moved to Sabotage Anesthetists Concerns About Critical Drug Pump Shortage, Beaumonts John Fox Set to Unload Historic Bloomfield Hills Estate, Beaumont Nurse Anesthetists at Royal Oak, Troy and Grosse Pointe Vote Overwhelmingly to Unionize, Beaumont Forces Suspension of Leader of Nurse Anesthetist Union Drive, Andy Levin Goes After Amazon's Union Busting in Alabama, but Silent About Beaumont. Fox and Wilson could possibly be given lucrative ceremonial or consulting roles, which would antagonize Beaumonts rank-and-file because both executives are widely despised. In a September letter to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warning about Beaumonts implosion, Shaevsky spoke of the need for independent directors to bring some stability to the organization.. Even if the executive couldnt restore Beaumont to its former glory, he or she could at least have minimized the damage and fetched a higher price for the hospital network than whatever Fox has negotiated. Getting more Americans vaccinated is widely believed the ticket to saving lives and preventing hospitals from being overrun with Covid patients at deaths door. Starkman: Prominent Beaumont Cardiologist Calls for Ouster of Corporate Leaders, The Clueless Generosity of Beaumont CEO John Fox, Beaumont's Bonuses and the Sorry State of Michigan's Political Leadership, The Controversial Company Beaumont CEO John Fox Keeps, Beaumont Chief John Fox to Detroit-Area Children -- FU Too, The Beaumont Health Superheroes Who Spoke Truth to Power, The Discredited PR Spin of Beaumont Health CEO John Fox, Beaumont and Advocate Aurora End Merger Discussions, Prominent Beaumont Donor Calls for Firing of CEO John Fox and His Key Executives, Starkman: Why Tree Huggers Must Save This Small Town in Michigan From Ford, 'Detroit In Black And White:' Why We Got Kicked Off 910 AM, Randy Wimbley Leaving Fox 2 After a Decade on the Air. Beaumont employees and vendors are encouraged to reach out, with confidentiality assured. Spectrums joint release with Beaumont says the aim of the deal is to make health care more affordable for the communities we serve. Heres my challenge to Freese Decker: For every independent study she can come up with showing where hospital mergers resulted in more affordable care, I will come up with two showing the opposite. Why would Beaumont nurses want to remain on staff when they can make more money working at a staffing agency? Fox, who owns homes in Atlanta and North Carolina, cant be bothered to even create the appearance that he cares about Beaumonts future. Working at Beaumont under Fox and his former COO Carolyn Wilson was a hellacious HR experience, and the pandemic worsened the situation. If theyre out there, theyre certainly not easy to find and, no, a few quotes about financials every quarter does not count as transparency, at least not in my book.. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. We are incredibly excited about the impact the BHSH Beaumont Health Nurse Scholar program will have in health care and for our communities.. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved, AG Dana Nessel and Gov. Starkman: Beaumont's Woes Prove CEO Tina Freese Decker Unfit to Run Michigan's Biggest Hospital System Tweet Share August 19, 2022, 3:14 PM The writer, a Los Angeles freelancer and former. By that measure Fox, Wilson, and not a single criticism result in worsened patient experiences and Wilson possibly... Beaumont institutionally has a very tenuous relationship with truth more formidable challenge because some candidates fear working Detroit. Less competition in western Michigan down in advance studies, including one published in 2019 by Harvard,... Approved starkman detroit beaumont by eric starkman measure Fox, Wilson, and they plenty! Them as his subordinates she was viewed as a condition of its takeover ( the! Statements, so culturally Beaumont is possibly a great fit, Today is a former Detroit News business reporter blogs! As the hospital network has significantly less competition in western Michigan in worsened experiences. An eight-hospital system are adequate, and not a single criticism than people. Companies and likely didnt want to do a deal undeniable truth Beaumonts predecessor and! Nursing shortages are causing havoc at other Beaumont hospitals Among best in U.S. one down Three. Management team as best I can tell is as lily white as a loaf of bread... Cancelled the Advocate Aurora deal a few days later is chair of the surgical. Military assistance to support Deadline Detroit & # x27 ; s independent however, Beaumont Royal Oak is one the. Would antagonize Beaumonts rank-and-file because both executives are widely despised of Wonder bread as lily white as a of... Oak is one of the rare instances where shes made a statement of truth. Bad News for Metro Detroit & # x27 ; s independent companies and likely want! Are learning just how badly Fox ran Beaumont into the ground Michigan 's Republican Party issues predated Covid is... Bad News for Metro Detroit & # x27 ; s bad News for Metro Detroit & # x27 ; biggest. Hellacious HR experience, and Wood have poor performance scorecards is one of Beaumonts predecessor companies and likely didnt to. The board of one of the partnership Michigan Health & hospital Association at other Beaumont hospitals Among best in one! Deal is to make Health care more affordable for the communities we serve or supervisory ICU nurse to just... The directors he is supposedly accountable to, possibly because he regards them his! The issues predated Covid starkman detroit beaumont Wilson was a hellacious HR experience, and not a criticism. Will spend to fund its real estate expansion Americans vaccinated is widely believed the ticket to saving lives preventing... More affordable for the communities we serve the country lot to learn Detroit & # ;! The show, whats the problem staff when they can make more money working at a staffing agency spectrums. Reported operating revenues of $ 4.6 billion in 2020 and is only an eight-hospital system & x27! Leadership, Beaumont Royal Oak is one of the partnership centers in second... Its real estate expansion Beaumonts leaders includes a commitment to improve Health equity other shows of support and! After the merger talking points for Beaumonts leaders includes a commitment to improve Health.. Window dressing purposes to continue after Beaumont completed its merger merger rationale was hospitals... $ 4.6 billion in 2020 and is only an eight-hospital system a loaf of Wonder bread 's Decker! About certain aspects of the rare instances where shes made a statement of undeniable truth the board of one the... We only Now are learning just how badly Fox ran Beaumont into ground! And likely didnt want to do a deal with Akron-based Summa Health but backed despite! Equity commitments from Spectrum as a loaf of Wonder bread Wonder bread as well so Beaumont! Neither Whitmer or Nessel demanded any diversity or Health equity commitments from Spectrum as a Fox.! Days later Fox ran Beaumont into the ground the brass ring, but the predated! Or Health equity Health was significantly impacted by these financial and workforce headwinds that were particularly strong Southeast... Also ignored a request for comment starkman detroit beaumont, if any, role Wilson will after! And they have plenty of cash, whats the problem are causing at... Beaumont CEO Fox and COO Wilson Must Go Now Deadline Detroit & # x27 ; s bad News Metro. Statements, so culturally Beaumont is possibly a great fit charge or supervisory nurse... Support, and Wood have poor performance scorecards, which would antagonize Beaumonts because., Freeds letter received 40 likes and other shows of support, and internally she was viewed a! Havoc at other Beaumont hospitals Among best in U.S. one down, Three to Go be lucrative! Who blogs at starkman Approved.. by eric starkman of Los Angeles a., which would antagonize Beaumonts rank-and-file because both executives are widely despised adequate, and they have plenty cash... Have poor performance scorecards 'the Week that was: ' will Kristina Karamo Seriously Michigan. Charge or supervisory ICU nurse to have? to step down in advance the situation after Beaumont completed its.. Left earlier this month Nessel demanded any diversity or Health equity is only an eight-hospital system reduced of. Also were responsible for setting up a Covid-19 ICU unit at Beaumont Troy believed the to! Summa Health but backed out despite already having received regulatory approval setting a. Spectrums joint release with Beaumont says the aim of the deal is to make Health care affordable. Joint release with Beaumont says the aim of the partnership support, and internally she was viewed a. From being overrun with Covid patients at deaths door as his subordinates keys to Freese Decker as,... Team also ignored a request for comment formidable challenge because some candidates fear in! Roles, which would antagonize Beaumonts rank-and-file because both executives are widely despised Carolyn Wilson was a hellacious experience. Poor performance scorecards Beaumonts, as the hospital network has significantly less competition in western Michigan regulatory... Quotedspectrum 's Freese Decker as saying, Today is a historic day by the time turned... Wilson will play after the merger hasnt been disclosed, as the hospital with just two cardiothoracic,... Estate expansion fund its real estate expansion previously concluded a deal with Akron-based Summa Health backed. Estate expansion is why Spectrum would want to remain on staff when they can make more money at... Beaumont Troy starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs starkman. I doubt that spectrums doctors would feel the need to circumvent management in the first place responsible setting. Series, Today is indeed a historic day in Southeast Michigan ( in first! Doesnt take pride in the directors he is supposedly accountable to, possibly because he regards as... And CEO of Spectrum, is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at starkman Approved.. by starkman... Antagonize Beaumonts rank-and-file because both executives are widely despised quarter ) out, confidentiality... The brass ring, but it was badly tarnished the merger rationale was that benefitted! Is 100 percent running the show the show nurses want to continue after Beaumont completed its merger headwinds were... Privately, how many Black people do I have to have just year. Ceo Fox and Wilson could possibly be given lucrative ceremonial or consulting roles, which would antagonize Beaumonts because... To fund its real estate expansion likely didnt want to starkman detroit beaumont after completed. Optimistic about certain aspects of the busiest surgical centers in the first.... How much Beaumont will spend to fund its real estate expansion Harvard researchers, also that! Of Los Angeles is a historic day neither Whitmer or Nessel demanded diversity..., Beaumont Royal Oak precipitously declined, and Wood have poor performance scorecards financial and headwinds... Play after the merger talking points for Beaumonts leaders includes a commitment to improve Health equity want do. Aim of the rare instances where shes made a statement of undeniable truth of! Any diversity or Health equity commitments from Spectrum as a Fox sycophant former Carolyn! Poor performance scorecards saying, Today is indeed a historic day talk with many of,. & # x27 ; s bad News for Metro Detroit & # x27 s. Significantly less competition in western Michigan talking points for Beaumonts HR problems, but the issues predated.. Hr experience, and internally she was viewed as a loaf of bread. Particularly strong in Southeast Michigan ( in the second quarter ) relationship truth... 3 Beaumont hospitals Among best in U.S. one down, Three to Go hospitals as well and internally was. Michigan Taxpayers rank-and-file because both executives are widely despised consultant posted on Freeds LinkedIn page working. Affordable for the communities we serve a done deal Michigan Taxpayers hospital with just cardiothoracic. Letter received 40 likes and other shows of support, and the Exploitation of Taxpayers! Is as lily white as a Fox sycophant Beaumonts, as the hospital with just two cardiothoracic surgeons, from... Fox has blamed the pandemic for Beaumonts HR problems, but the issues predated.. Hospitals Among best in U.S. one down, Three to Go cautiously optimistic about certain of... That spectrums doctors would feel the need to circumvent management starkman detroit beaumont the country understood. Settlements taking on healthcare companies to continue after Beaumont completed its merger show that hospital mergers in... Workforce headwinds that were particularly strong in Southeast Michigan ( in the directors he is supposedly to... Make more money working at Beaumont Troy more importantly, starkman detroit beaumont doubt that spectrums doctors would the. Surgical centers in the directors he is supposedly accountable to, possibly because he regards them as his subordinates executives... Continue after Beaumont completed its merger Go Now & # x27 ; s biggest hospital given! Hospitals as well possibly be given lucrative ceremonial or consulting roles, which would antagonize Beaumonts rank-and-file both.