Hospice is well-run; we’ll keep it that way

We are writing in response to the article “Doctors blast management as they split with hospice,” (Aug. 4, Front Page), concerning the physician contract negotiation dispute with Community Hospice.

Our review of issues raised by the doctors and in the article leads us to conclude that our president/chief executive officer, DeSha McLeod, and her management staff acted fairly, responsibly and in compliance with laws and regulations during contract negotiations. We have full confidence in the direction McLeod and our management staff are leading the organization.

McLeod and her staff continue to act in the best interests of Community Hospice and the communities they serve.

We volunteer as chair of the Community Hospice board of directors, chair of the Community Hospice Foundation board of directors, and president of Friends of Community Hospice. The three bodies we help direct serve Community Hospice through policy and financial oversight, donor relations and fundraising activities to support the patients, families and programs of Community Hospice. Serving our community is our top priority and we want to assure the community that our patients and families continue to receive excellent care and support.

In April, negotiations were initiated with our physicians to update their contracts and ensure compliance with Medicare reimbursement and federal regulations. Management and the executive/finance committee of the board of directors worked for weeks to resolve all but two contract issues.

At the conclusion of negotiations, the five physicians referenced by The Bee chose not to accept the revised contract while seven physicians chose to sign the revised contract.

Physicians are one part of a team that provides hospice services. This team includes nurses, social workers, chaplains, aides, a dietitian, their supervisors and other care providers. Our services have not been compromised with the loss of the five physicians. In addition to those who signed the revised contract, Community Hospice has welcomed two new physicians and is in the process of hiring a medical director.

The article also mentions concerns regarding employee morale. We take great exception to such allegations.

Community Hospice has an employee council representing all sectors of the organization. It provides a forum in which employee voices are heard and improvements can be made. We are not aware of any morale issues or unresolved complaints. In our contacts with Community Hospice staff, we frequently hear praise for the organization and how much they love what they do.

Community Hospice is a well-run organization providing quality service to its patients and families, and we are proud to be associated with this organization. We are a strong organization that has served the community for more than 36 years providing compassionate and quality care, education and support to patients and families, regardless of ability to pay.

This story was originally published August 6, 2016 at 6:49 AM with the headline "Hospice is well-run; we’ll keep it that way."