Fox in January also disclosed that Beaumont planned to spend significant dollars to embark on a three to five-year plan to expand the health systems private bed capacity. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. The merger rationale was that hospitals benefitted from getting bigger and achieving economies of scale. Employees blame them both for Beaumonts implosion. Beaumont has signed a letter of intent to merge with Spectrum Health, a Grand Rapids-based hospital network focused on Western Michigan, the company announced internally Wednesday. 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. Spectrum, with $6.9 billion in revenues, operates 14 hospitals in the western side of the stateand has 30,000 employees. Eric Starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved. Why isnt Freese Decker following through on that supposedly great initiative? 'The Week That Was:' Will Kristina Karamo Seriously Damage Michigan's Republican Party? Though Spectrum Health is a respectable hospital network run by a management and board deeply committed to the Grand Rapids area, the evidence is overwhelming that southeastern Michigan residents wont ultimately benefit from the deal. If Michigan had a competent attorney general or a governor with a healthcare interest beyond abortion rights, the deal would have been derailed. Carey has spent more than 20 years as a . The quality of care has declined to such a degree that insiders readily admit they wouldnt entrust their families care to the hospital. I dont know how we could handle a catastrophe, said a source at Royal Oaks ER. Reach the writer ateric@starkmanapproved.com. In Dearborn, the nursing shortage is so acute that an ICU operates at 60 percent capacity. Board chair Fream, who holds a Harvard MBA, told The Detroit News that Beaumont's board used an "independent consultant" to determine Fox's compensation. Beaumont institutionally has a very tenuous relationship with truth. Fox, who owns homes in Atlanta and North Carolina, cant be bothered to even create the appearance that he cares about Beaumonts future. Gretchen Whitmer were silent. Spectrum appears to have grown organically, focused on a region it knows well. Most of them arent qualified to serve on the board of a major hospital company and the proof is in the Beaumont pudding. If (Beaumonts) operating margins are adequate, and they have plenty of cash, whats the problem? Joseph Hill, who was hired to be diversity chief at Hermann Health System in Houston, was fired even before starting his job allegedly because he had already identified racial bias at the hospital. Reach the writer ateric@starkmanapproved.com. 'The Week That Was:' Will Kristina Karamo Seriously Damage Michigan's Republican Party? A company is headquartered where the CEO is based. The FTC has a backlog of merger applications, and it could take months before it decides on the Spectrum/Beaumont deal. Share. Starkman: Electric Vehicles and the Exploitation of Michigan Taxpayers. A responsible attorney general would have removed Fox, board chair Julie Fream, and the other Beaumont directors who stood idly by a long time ago. Lina Khan of the Federal Trade Commission, 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. Beaumonts John Fox Is Laughing All the Way to the Bank, Beaumont Nurse Anesthetists Move to Unionize to Combat 'Unsafe' Staffing Conditions, Avoid Beaumont Like the Plague,' Warns Podiatrist Who Underwent an Endoscopy at Royal Oak Hospital, Metro Detroit Mourns Passing of 'Gentle Soul' Richard Curbelo, Medical Examiner Conducted Autopsy of Beaumont Colonoscopy Patient After Concern Raised, Remembering Richard Curbelo Who Died Undergoing Beaumont Colonoscopy, Beaumont Hospital Staffers Horrified After Patient Dies During Routine Colonoscopy, Ostriches On Beaumont Health's Board Belong at the Detroit Zoo, Henry Ford's Wright Lassiter Puts Beaumont's John Fox to Shame, Beaumont's Demise Assured as Board Ignores Calls for CEO's Firing, Prominent Beaumont Cardiologist Calls Out CEO John Fox for Deception, AG Nessel Reaffirms She's Do Nothing Dana' on Healthcare. AG Dana Nessel was personally warned by Beaumont donor and former director Mark Shaevsky two years ago that Fox and his board cronies needed to be removed, but she allowed the hospital system to deteriorate, as did Michigan Gov. Far from it. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. In addition to her Beaumont debacle, theres been considerable turnover in Spectrums senior ranks, mostly women. 'The Week That Was:' Will Kristina Karamo Seriously Damage Michigan's Republican Party? The joint release promotes the benefits of Priority Health, Spectrums insurance plan. Giving some of them oversight over a considerably bigger hospital system is reckless and irresponsible. 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. The nursing scholarship wont alleviate Spectrums immediate nurse staffing issues. Whats notable about Foxs disclosure is the seeming priorities of Spectrum compared to Advocate Aurora, the Chicago-based hospital system that Fox tried to give Beaumont away to in June 2020 under terms so obscenely favorable to Advocate Aurora, he couldnt pull it off. Under the terms of the deal Fox negotiated, Advocate Aurora would have taken over Beaumont and its $2.5 billion reserve without forking out a penny. Those warnings are what led Congress to approve the financial largesse that Beaumont and other hospitals benefited from. The only remaining senior management executives are Grant, the chief nursing officer, and Jane Jordan, the chief lawyer, who like Grant and CEO Fox, has her primary home in Atlanta. Disgruntled Staff. The insurance business is among the most profitable sectors in healthcare, but as anyone who has dealt with one of these companies know, their priority is profits, not patient care. Under Freese Deckers leadership, Spectrum experienced considerable turnover of its Black employees, some of whom approached an attorney to explore whether they had cause to file a discrimination lawsuit. Its not clear whether Freed knows that Beaumont CEO John Fox was among U.S. hospital executives who shouted the loudest about a looming financial crisis for the health care industry because of the pandemic. Spectrum also is comfortable issuing misleading or deceptive statements, so culturally Beaumont is possibly a great fit. Share. Even when Fox announces a merger deal with Spectrum, theres still no guarantee it will go through. 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. According to the most recently available filings, Freese Decker earned $3.9 million in 2018. 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. To support Deadline Detroit's independent. It comes as no surprise that Spectrums takeover received the green light. Meet Michael Freed, decidedly among the bravest persons in Michigan and one who acts on his conscience when it comes to protecting the health care of his hometown Grand Rapids community. How Absurd. Eight will come from Spectrum, including Freese. The good news is that Beaumont isnt overrun with critically ill Covid patients, which suggests that vaccines are doing what they were intended to do: Prevent people who contract the disease from becoming critically ill and dying. By Eric Starkman . Nursing shortages are causing havoc at other Beaumont hospitals as well. Spectrum reported that Beaumont's operations already have racked up nearly $100 million in losses. The Beaumont Health System, comprised of Royal Oak, Troy, and Grosse Pointe hospitals, was far superior and the expectation was that the merger would elevate the quality of staff and patient care at the Oakwood and Botsford hospitals. He didnt address staff as folks as hes repeatedly done in the past and he looked more relaxed and rested than in previous videos. There are no bios or photos of Beaumonts other directors, and thats by intent. We talk with many of them, Joanne Giardini-Russell, a Brighton Medicare consultant posted on Freeds LinkedIn page. As an example of their power and influence, they have managed to derail enforcement of rules the Trump Administration issued requiring hospitals to be transparent about their prices. Beaumont reported operating revenues of $4.6 billion in 2020 and is only an eight-hospital system. Lewis, the board chair, was replaced earlier this month by Julie Frehm, president and CEO of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association. Starkman: Beaumont CFO John Kerndl and Top CEO Aide Say No! Southeastern Michigan residents shouldnt look to Rep. Andy Levin to save the day. By Eric Starkman John Fox, the Atlanta carpetbagger who washed up on the shores of southeastern Michigan seven years ago to bolster Beaumont Health's profits and gussy up Metro Detroit's. Beaumont CEO Fox and COO Wilson Must Go Now! Under Susicks leadership, Beaumont Royal Oak precipitously declined, and internally she was viewed as a Fox sycophant. Freese Decker this week toured Beaumont Troy Hospital, and notably neither Fox nor COO Carolyn Wilson were in tow. . Based on Foxs history, its quite possible it will be terms that most benefit him. I know little about Fream, who served as Beaumonts vice chair for several years. The writer, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved. Fox said Beaumonts lack of private rooms is a large critical area that has haunted us for decades. He said a comprehensive expansion plan would be finalized by year-end. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. Studies show that when hospitals combine, healthcare prices increase while patient quality declines. To the distaste of the pediatric heads colleagues, Susick walked him out of the hospital in front of his staff. The once proud and respected hospital system merged with two lesser ones in 2015, paving the way for Fox, who was determined to sell Beaumont from the moment he arrived. Ive been looking for the past week and have not located them. The nursing shortage has forced Beaumont Royal Oak to use so-called travel nurses from temp agencies to hold things together in the ER, but this is sparking additional resentment. Instead, they allowed Spectrum to acquire Beaumont, creating Michigans biggest hospital system, as well as the states biggest employer. The merger could still fall apart if Spectrum has a top-notch duediligence team. 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. An additional director will also be named. Spectrumreportedthat Beaumonts operations already have racked up nearly $100 million in losses. 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. These contracted doctors also were responsible for setting up a Covid-19 ICU unit at Beaumont Troy. Eric Starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved. Nonprofit hospitals are supposed to manage their investments conservatively, opting for boring short-term duration bonds and other low risk investments. Spectrums takeover must be approved by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Federal Trade Commission. Have you tried to find Beaumont Healths financial statements? Freed asks. Lewis resigned as chair just prior to Fox announcing Spectrums takeover and left the board in December. By Eric Starkman Beaumont Health CEO John Fox has no shame. Beaumont Health CEO John Fox has no shame. A trade publication quoted Freese Decker today as saying theres widespread enthusiasm in western and southeastern Michigan for the merger. Beaumonts orthopedic surgeons, ranked among the best in the country, are doing their lucrative joint replacement surgeries at area ambulatory centers. Companies often create diversity positions for window dressing purposes. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved. 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. By that measure Fox, Wilson, and Wood have poor performance scorecards. Henry Ford Hospital announced this week that it was closing 120 inpatient beds systemwide due to staffing shortages. Spectrums board includes Doug DeVos, co-chair of Amway, whose family is among the most powerful in Michigan. As of this writing, Freeds letter received 40 likes and other shows of support, and not a single criticism. Starkman: Beaumont's FU to Metro Detroit and its Covid-19 Workers Tweet. Travel nurses are also required to oversee only four patients at a time and are exempted from having to transport patients to other areas of the hospital. If the proposed merger goes through, seven Beaumont board members will serve on the board of the combined companies. Getting more Americans vaccinated is widely believed the ticket to saving lives and preventing hospitals from being overrun with Covid patients at deaths door. Beaumont nurses and nurse anesthetists quit in droves, joining staffing agencies that paid them more money and ensured them better working conditions. 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. The FTC decision to implicitly rubber stamp Spectrums takeover underscores the weakness of President Bidens leadership and the little respect he commands, even among his own appointees. He also noted that Beaumont received Medicare advances of $505 million in 2020 that needs to be returned this year. The scuttlebutt around town is that Beaumont directors believe that a merger is the only way to get rid of Fox. Freese Decker should be fired. The writer, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs atStarkman Approved. In another example of how Freese Decker is just like John Fox in looking to deceive and distract, Spectrum announced it will provide Oakland University with $20 million over the next five years for a Beaumont Health Nurse Scholar Program. That resulted in Beaumont staff nurses working alongside nurses getting paid considerably more money doing the same job, prompting more staff nurses to leave. 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. This columnist, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved.. By Eric Starkman. A Zoom video conference call that was leaked this week among physicians and the marketing director of a North Carolina hospital involved a discussion on how to manipulate Covid patient stats to make them more scary to the public. Henry Ford also said the unvaccinated were exacerbating its staff shortages. Six months into Freese Deckers acquisition of Beaumont Health from former controversial CEO John Fox, metro Detroits biggest hospital system is suffering from a pandemic of red ink. Starkman: Electric Vehicles and the Exploitation of Michigan Taxpayers. As a result, patients requiring hospital admission must remain in the ER, diverting beds and staff normally dedicated to treating emergencies. Fox, who has already been paid more than $20 million in compensation since joining Beaumont in 2016, potentially stands to earn tens of millions more if regulators approve Spectrums takeover. Instead, thanks to aggressive cost cutting and other misguided decisions by Fox and COO Carolyn Wilson, Beaumont imploded. It is said that you can judge a person by the company they keep. Fox didnt disclose how much Beaumont will spend to fund its real estate expansion. Freed is seemingly unaware of how desperate Beaumont CEO John Fox is to find a merger partner and complete the sale before year-end. Spectrum spokeswoman Ellen Bristol Wednesday morning said she would look into whether a merger was imminent, seeming to indicate Deadline Detroits inquiry was the first shed heard of a potential deal. Its reasonable to assume the real reason for Freams elevation was the board knew Fox was close to inking a deal with a merger partner. Beaumont employees and vendors are encouraged to reach out, with confidentiality assured. Eric Starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved. The Chief People Officer position is listed as open, indicating that Ries isnt getting the top HR job at BHSH. The anesthesiologists did this while earning a fraction of their . 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.

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