Hospital Shocker: SVDH dismisses CEO

Shock and sadness is what people leaving Sierra View District Hospital said they were experiencing following a special board meeting in which the hospital’s CEO, Joe Stewart, was dismissed in a 3-to-2 vote. SVDH board members Jasvir Sidhu and Ashok Behl, both physicians, voted no.

“I’m devastated. I love this community. I’m not moving. I will stay and do all I can to make sure this hospital stays open,” Stewart said after the meeting adjourned. “This was a travesty of justice.”

It was a thought expressed by many in the crowd.

Before the vote, Stewart was allowed the floor. He talked about the board not being clear as to what some of the responsibilities were and that in March of 2012 he reported to them that finances were in serious trouble and that the hospital had a 34 percent decline in profit. He also said no matter the decision of the board, he had no plans to move.

“I love this community, and one way or another with the help of you. I’m going to find a way to keep these doors open,” he said before thanking the crowd for coming out to be heard.

Stewart talked about baseball and how a person is not out with one strike, but three, and that he was willing to fix whatever was wrong — but the board had to talk to him.

“People do not get to that position of CEO with major issues in their life,” Sidhu said. “It doesn’t seem to me this person has had a fair opportunity to show what he can do. We all deserve to have a fair chance.”

Board member Richard Hatfield said there was a problem with senior staff and that employees were being lost because they could not work with Stewart.

“One by one, they left,” Hatfield said, adding that he could not run a hospital if the senior team left.

The special meeting was moved from closed session to open at Stewart’s request. It was also moved from the hospital’s board room to the hospital’s Whitney Room, a large multi-purpose room, after numerous people crowded the hallways, attempting to enter the room. A security guard kept additional people from entering the room, and dozens of people lined the sides of the walls in several directions, many of them saying they were there to support Stewart.

Outside, cars could be heard honking horns as numerous Stewart supporters —many of them off-duty employees of the hospital — held colorful signs that read, “Keep Joe, CEO, Keep Joe, CEO.” They chanted those same words again and again.

As Stewart entered the room, applause and cheers ensued.

Board chair Kent Sorrells opened the meeting and proceeded to change the public comment segment of the meeting, limiting speakers to two minutes instead of three in order to allow more comments to be heard. The 30 minute allotted time was also expanded, with an additional 20 minutes added to allow for additional public comment.

A few people, doctors included,spoke in support of the board — but the majority of those speaking supported Stewart.

“This is not a popularity contest,” said former board member Brent Gill as he shared his viewpoint. “A lot of you are here because you like Joe Stewart. I got news for you, so do I.”

Gill went on to say Stewart was not doing what was asked of him and not making the kind of progress the board wanted.

“This is a serious problem. We have a man’s reputation at stake,” said Richard Fightlin, a local urologist, on staff for 17 years.

Fightlin reminded the board that the outcome can impact Stewart, and asked the board what his expectations were and if they were realistic.

Several times, it was pointed out that the board had information they could not disclose due to personnel issues.

At one point, one person yelled out, “What did he do wrong?” but was promptly informed he was out of line.

Victoria Porter, a board supporter, spoke up too, also informing him he was out of line. When she took the floor, she talked about her knowledge of running a business and probation periods.

“We’ve had a year here. Nothing financially has been met. In terms of financial issues, I can’t divulge, but I think he knows, and we’ve been affected by it,” she said, being unclear as to what she meant or why she was privy to what seemed privileged information.

“I smell something fishy,” said Suneel Wadwani, a physician. He went on to remind the board that Stewart was the No. 1 choice from close to 150 applicants. “Why are you letting him go?”

Many in the crowd said they knew nothing about the situation until they read about it in the local newspaper Tuesday morning.

One by one, people — from doctors to community leaders — walked to the side or front of the room to offer their views, many of them supporting Stewart. Some asked the board to do the right thing, to give Stewart a second chance or a longer time to correct whatever was done wrong. Others called him a “breath of fresh air” and praised his mannerism and professionalism. 

 Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1045. Follow her on Twitter @ Avila_recorder.