Dive Brief:
- About 100 doctors at Rapid City Regional Hospital in South Dakota voted “no confidence” in President and CEO Brent R. Phillips, reported the Rapid City Journal.
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Phillips said he’s disappointed with the vote and does not plan on leaving.
- Physicians who voted “no confidence” spoke out about the direction of Rapid City Regional Hospital, including not prioritizing mental health services, high staff turnover and tense relations between hospital leadership and medical professionals.
Dive Insight:
Ninety-five doctors expressed “no confidence,” while 47 voted against during a quarterly meeting of medical staff. Phillips responded by saying he plans to continue the work he started at the integrated healthcare system, which he’s led as CEO since January 2015.
“No confidence” votes come about when staff members feel the leader should no longer hold the position. These kinds of votes are largely symbolic, but give voice to people who believe a leader is no longer able to perform his or her duties.
The physicians, who expressed “no confidence,” gave reasons for their vote, including claiming that Phillips doesn’t listen to physician input, high staff turnover and disagreements between leadership and staff, including how the facility is using its resources.
This isn’t the first time Rapid City Regional Health staff gave a “no confidence” vote. A “no confidence” vote in 2003 led to then-president Adil Ameer to step down. Don’t expect the same to happen this time. The 2003 vote came after the federal government fined Rapid City for improper Medicare billing. This new “no confidence” vote focuses more on staff relations.
Phillips acknowledged that his leadership brought about change, but he's not leaving. In fact, he said the vote is a chance for the two sides to work “more collaboratively,” reported the Rapid City Journal.
Rapid City Regional Health includes five hospitals and 24 clinics in two states, employs nearly 5,000 physicians and caregivers, and is western South Dakota’s largest private employer.