Eric Starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved. The evidence is, Spectrums previous head of diversity was Ovell Barbee, an African American, who Spectrum, Many organizations are not interested in real change, Chris Metzler, the former associate dean for human resources and diversity studies at Georgetown University,, Disparities in healthcare are typically blamed on racism of U.S. doctors and other health professionals. By that measure Fox, Wilson, and Wood have poor performance scorecards. Beaumont was once mostly staffed by highly skilled veterans, among the best in healthcare. The reason Royal Oaks ER, Beaumonts flagship hospital, is often operating at 60 percent capacity because it doesnt have sufficient staff. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved, AG Dana Nessel and Gov. Lewis previously served on the board of one of Beaumonts predecessor companies and likely didnt want to continue after Beaumont completed its merger. No one from southeastern Michigan has emerged promising to hold Julie Fream and other Beaumont directors who supported Fox accountable for the harm theyve caused Metro Detroit residents. Fox trumpeted the deal as a win for Southeastern Michigan because he said Advocate Aurora would invest $1 billion to move the William Beaumont Medical School in Rochester to the Royal Oak campus and upgrade Beaumonts technology. I dont see any value in this merger, Freed says of the marriage deal Spectrum and Beaumont jointly announced last week. For years, former Beaumont CEO John Fox was paid more than $6 million annually because of his supposedly deft fiscal management. Beaumont Health CEO John Fox, the Atlanta carpetbagger who destroyed the companys flagship Royal Oak hospital while pocketing more than $20 million for himself, appears close to pulling off what he set out to do from the moment he arrived in Metro Detroit six years ago: Merging southeastern Michigans biggest hospital network out of existence. They are looking at diversity as a numbers game. Spectrum also reported that Beaumont lost $253 million on its investments. 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. Spectrums four-person communications team also ignored a request for comment. Spectrum also experienced considerable turnover of Black employees, some of whom considered filing a class action lawsuit . Fox that year was paid $5.9 million. Also unavailable for clarifications will be Dawn Geisert, Beaumonts former compliance chief. 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. Nonprofit hospitals are supposed to manage their investments conservatively, opting for boring short-term duration bonds and other low risk investments. The Michigan Nurses Union vowed it would no longer seek to organize at Beaumont because of the companys climate of fear.. Spectrum has also been embroiled in controversy that made national news. Spectrums board is certainly a lot tougher on compensation. If Michigan had a competent attorney general or a governor with a healthcare interest beyond abortion rights, the deal would have been derailed. Fortunately, Freese Deckers western Michigan businesses were healthy enough to allow Spectrum to eke out an operating profit of $119.7 million despite Beaumonts losses. 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. 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 Beaumont's latest attempt to merge with another hospital . Spectrums prices are higher than Beaumonts, as the hospital network has significantly less competition in western Michigan. Fox said Beaumont plans to ask for military assistance to support its other facilities. In a major blow to the hospital, Reza Dabir, Dearborns top cardiothoracic surgeon, resigned to join Ascension Health. He tweeted on Thursday that he was cautiously optimistic about certain aspects of the partnership. Virtually all of Fox's senior management team resigned or was . 'The Week That Was:' Will Kristina Karamo Seriously Damage Michigan's Republican Party? Despite warning the pandemic would destroy U.S. hospitals, Beaumont overall had a very good year in 2020, increasing its reserve by $1 billion to $3.5 billion. 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. 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. Hes even willing to exploit the publics fear of Covid to distract from his own mismanagement. 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. On Thursday he posted an open letteron his LinkedIn page to Spectrums board implicitly questioning Beaumont Health's financials and warning that merging with the Southfield-based hospital network is ill advised. Understandably, Spectrum is a more profitable hospital system, but its profits also are bolstered by its lucrative Priority Health insurance arm. Fox and spinmeister Geary have a history of making statements that are deceptive and misleading, a compilation of which can be found here. 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. A traditional Bachelor of Science degree in nursing is typically four years. Business Starkman: Bloodbath at Beaumont - COO Carolyn Wilson and Top Doctor Ousted; Chief Quality Officer Resigns Tweet Share July 22, 2021, 12:45 PM This columnist, a Los Angeles freelancer,. Starkman: Electric Vehicles and the Exploitation of Michigan Taxpayers. 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. Other state attorney generals have also shown a willingness to take on the powerful interests of U.S. hospital companies. 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.. 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. Starkman: Why Beaumont's John Fox Could Haul More Than $30 Million Back to Atlanta Tweet. 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. By Eric Starkman During the Covid pandemic, a hospital's safety practices are more. The joint release promotes the benefits of Priority Health, Spectrums insurance plan. Have you tried to find Beaumont Healths financial statements? Freed asks. Michigan Gov. The deal will invariably be good for Fox, as he will likely get a very lucrative exit package to sail into the Georgia sunset. Seven Failed Beaumont Directors Will Serve on Board If Spectrum Merger Gets Approval Tweet. 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. Eric Starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved.. By Eric Starkman. Spectrums CEO Freese Decker joined Spectrum in 2002 as an administrative fellow, a program designed to train masters level graduates the administrative aspects of a healthcare facility. That's bad news for Metro Detroit's biggest hospital . Spectrums takeover must be approved by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Federal Trade Commission. 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. Starkman: Electric Vehicles and the Exploitation of Michigan Taxpayers. So What? Spectrums takeover of Beaumont was a deal that should never have been allowed. Not a situation one would expect given that Freese Decker said her biggest priority was building a health system that celebrates and reinforces diversity and inclusion.. He said the expansion would involve a lot of local planning in terms of where these bed towers are located, which seemingly indicates that Beaumont is planning to expand its real estate footprint. This columnist, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved. Henry Ford Hospital announced this week that it was closing 120 inpatient beds systemwide due to staffing shortages. Still, Beaumont is clearly going to be a financial albatross on Spectrums operations for quite some time. Studies out of Israel suggest that Pfizers vaccine protection begins waning after six months, but the FDA said that U.S. data is inconclusive. Beaumonts orthopedic surgeons, ranked among the best in the country, are doing their lucrative joint replacement surgeries at area ambulatory centers. With regards to healthcare, Nessel is a do-nothing attorney general who has stood idly by as Fox drove Beaumont into the ground and is expected to rubber stamp Spectrums takeover. Its almost a mantra among Beaumont Royal Oak nurses that Henry Ford treats their nurses like royalty. Beaumont has had a contentious relationship with its Royal Oak nurses for years, prompting them to try to organize a union two years ago. 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. Israel relies nearly 100 percent on Pfizer vaccines, while the U.S. also has a prevalence of Moderna and J&J vaccines. That could further worsen Beaumonts nursing shortage. Former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra won a $575 million landmark settlement against Sutter Health for using the market dominance it obtained through a series of mergers to illegally drive-up prices. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved, A Zoom video conference call that was leaked this week, a month membership or a one-time donation, Sh** Show At Beaumont Endoscopy Suite In Chaos Amid Nursing Shortage, C-Section Horror at Beaumont Lawsuit Claims Surgeon Left Sponge in Patients Abdomen, Former Spectrum CFO Trashes Beaumont Merger and Warns of 'Massive Financial Loss', Beaumont Health's Merger Partner Reveals its Disingenuous, Deceptive and Disrespectful Nature, Spectrum Healths Black Employees Explore Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Systemic Racism, Beware! Freese Decker this week toured Beaumont Troy Hospital, and notably neither Fox nor COO Carolyn Wilson were in tow. Even when Fox announces a merger deal with Spectrum, theres still no guarantee it will go through. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. It speaks volumes that Spectrum Health CEO Tina Freese Decker and her fellow directors have chosen to get into bed with the directors who are ultimately responsible for the implosion of Beaumont Health. 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. A source told me that Barbee was highly regarded among Spectrums Black employees but was frustrated by his inability to achieve meaningful change. It appears that Beaumont Health CEO John Fox won't be bundling his millions and bidding Michigan goodbye as soon as he hoped. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved. Starkman: Prominent Beaumont Cardiologist Calls for Ouster of Corporate Leaders, 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. Studies show that when hospitals combine, healthcare prices increase while patient quality declines. Most of Foxs senior management team has departed, and hes expected to leave once the takeover is completed and he receives the millions of dollars likely owed to him under his golden parachute agreement. Newsweek Ranks 3 Beaumont Hospitals Among Best in U.S. One Down, Three to Go. Starkman: Beware! It isnt clear from Beaumonts stats that the hospitals Covid patients were admitted because of the disease or possibly some other serious ailments. Beaumont Dearborn also is receiving military assistance to help the hospital manage its Covid patient load. Copyrightdocument.write(new Date().getFullYear());Deadline Detroit, Inc. - All Rights Reserved, Tina Freese Decker, Spectrum president and CEO, a month membership or a one-time donation, 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, Andy Levin Goes After Amazon's Union Busting in Alabama, but Silent About Beaumont. Spectrums management is rightfully proud of the people who they are ultimately accountable to because directors bios and photos are featured on the companys website. Ive been looking for the past week and have not located them. That wasnt entirely true. 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. Terms of the deal arent disclosed, likely because Spectrum is gaining control of Beaumont and its $3.5 billion reserve for next-to-nothing, and possibly paying nothing at all based on Foxs previous deal making. Add in a staffing shortage, and you have a perfect storm," Fox said in a news release, urging Detroit-area residents to avoid Beaumont emergency rooms for all but critical care treatments. Spectrum appears to have grown organically, focused on a region it knows well. 'The Week That Was:' Will Kristina Karamo Seriously Damage Michigan's Republican Party? Rather than having people speculate he was passed over, he chose to step down in advance. Beaumont Beaumont employees and vendors are encouraged to reach out, with confidentiality assured. This columnist, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs atStarkman Approved. Freed has vowed he will hold Spectrums directors accountable for the repercussions to his Grand Rapids community. The resignations were due to working conditions and management dissatisfaction, not Covid. Although Spectrum and Beaumont have characterized their combination as a merger, Spectrum is effectively taking over Beaumont. Merging with Beaumont would more than double Spectrums size in some areas. Under their oversight, Beaumont suffered a precipitous decline in reputation and quality of care. 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. By Eric Starkman Beaumont Health CEO John Fox has no shame. John Kerndl and Denise Waters. Is that still on track given Beaumonts oceans of red ink? 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. The silence is understandable. Beaumont employees and vendors are encouraged to reach out, with confidentiality assured. The promised dual headquarters was also BS. Thats right, CFO Matthew Cox referred to Beaumont as an acquisition, not a merger as Freese Decker and Fox led the media to believe. By Eric Starkman. ", a month membership or a one-time donation, Beaumont Health's Merger Partner Reveals its Disingenuous, Deceptive and Disrespectful Nature, Spectrum Healths Black Employees Explore Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Systemic Racism, Beware! S senior management team resigned or was misleading, a Los Angeles freelancer, is former. Like royalty data is inconclusive looking at diversity as a merger, Freed says of the marriage deal and. 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