LANCASTER – The Antelope Valley Hospital Board of Directors held a special meeting late Wednesday afternoon but hardly clarified its actions to the public on departing CEO Dennis Knox or its consideration of a new management company that would supposedly change the leadership style of the hospital.
After coming out of closed session at about 6:30 p.m., the board was met with a crowd of employees and members of the public waiting to attend the open session. And although the Community Resource Center’s auditorium at the other end of the campus was being prepared for an overflow of people, the board refused to move the meeting from the board room, which had a limited capacity for about 25 people.
Instead, hospital security allowed only about 20 people to attend the public meeting in the room, forcing a growing crowd of 40-plus people to cluster in the hall.
Though most of the public waited with patience to see how the board would handle the situation, some in the hallway grew agitated, shouting that the hospital was violating open meeting laws as regulated by the Ralph M. Brown Act.
A security guard shuttled back and forth from the meeting to the outside hall, calling out speakers’ names on public comment cards and asking them if they would like to enter the room to address the board of directors. However, many of the people whose names were called refused to enter the room. One speaker said, “This is supposed to be a public forum, but nobody outside the room will be able to hear what we say to the board!”
At nearly 7:30 p.m., the board decided to adjourn the meeting to the hospital’s cafeteria, where enough seats could be prepared for the increasing overflow of people.
Once the public session of the special meeting reconvened in the cafeteria, the board reported its voting count for the few actions they took during closed session, which included a 3-2 approval for CEO Dennis Knox’s resignation, a 3-2 approval for CEO Knox’s severance pay, and a 5-0 approval for the appointment of COO Jack Burke as Interim CEO. No other details were provided to the public on those actions.
Opening up the meeting to public comment, the board was questioned about its action on a new business item discussing a “new CEO/ management company” for the hospital. The board members were asked why the hospital would need such a management team, and was there an evaluation process performed that led the board to this conclusion?
Perhaps misunderstanding the question, Dr. Doddanna Krishna, chairman of the board of directors for AVHD, offered some insight into CEO Dennis Knox’s resignation.
“It was a negotiated settlement with the board and CEO Dennis Knox,” Dr. Krishna said. “And yes, an evaluation was done, and the decision was to give the CEO an opportunity to resign.”
When members of the public directed Dr. Krishna’s attention back to the “management company” question, he said there was no answer to that question because the board took no action on that item.
Jean Marie Harris, who works for the National Alliance of Mental Illness, continued the concern expressed regarding the hiring of a management company and “dropping” the executive management of the hospital.
“That would not be appropriate in the community’s eyes of the people I have talked to,” Harris told the board. “We would have a lot of personal concerns, and we hope that the future board meetings on this would be discussed in a public forum so that community members can express their desires to have a CEO or a management company to the board.”
At his turn to speak, AV Hospital employee Ed Sileo told the board that he was troubled with the transparency of its actions, saying the best thing for the hospital and its community would be to put an end to the rumors.
“We heard in the last several days that Dennis Knox resigned or that he was fired,” Sileo said. “We heard that the board did not want to talk about why he left. The reality is that Dennis was a public employee of a public agency … and the only way he could go is if he resigned, was fired with cause, or fired without cause. You mentioned tonight that there was an approved severance package. Well, the public has the right to know about a public employee at a public institution and why he was let go. Was it voluntary? Then under what circumstances? And what was the severance package?”
Jody Knox, CEO at Kindred Hospital Rancho and wife to Dennis Knox, told the board her current concern was how they intended to properly manage the future of its community of employees.
“May I suggest that not only you become transparent in everything you do going forward, but that you also look at these people in the eye and tell them that you are going to assist them to manage their future appropriately, especially when it comes to their pension funds,” Jody Knox said.
Bobbie Strause, a Clinical Informatics RN, said she was disturbed that there is talk about hiring a management firm in the wake of Dennis Knox’s resignation.
“I think just because we don’t like somebody’s management style, if they’re showing that they’re doing what they’re here to do, which is to put our hospital together, to improve it overall … than this is what we’re reaching for,” Strause said. “I am very disappointed to see that Dennis is no longer with us. And if there was a way to reconsider that, I am all for that.”
Dr. Krishna responded to the enthusiasm in the room for Dennis Knox, saying, “Nobody in this room will force me to say that I didn’t care about Dennis Knox. I have high regards for him, and we might have had differences of opinion, but the board collectively decided what was best for this community.”
The board then told the nearly 70 people in attendance that the public would be notified when its next meeting would be held and the items that would be discussed.
According to the AVHD Board of Directors, Dennis Knox tendered his resignation citing “personal reasons” effective July 9. Knox was appointed CEO in December 2013 to replace Edward Mirzabegian, who resigned.
Previous related stories:
AV Hospital CEO Dennis Knox resigns for ‘personal reasons’
AV Hospital’s claim against LA County seeks fair share of trauma center tax dollars
Hospital CEO assures employees layoffs are done, bargaining continues
Quality of patient care questioned after AV Hospital announces personnel cuts
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Goodjob says
Good bye Knox. To many really good employees have left because he makes promises and does not keep them, lies and is distrustful. Sit in on his fireside talks where the other 4 executives lower their heads in embarrassment. Any good leader that came and left, normally left because they saw what he was doing. Watching him and other “business” contractors was funny. Who did they think they were kidding.
A management company may not be the best move, but Knox gone, was the best! Time to heal and grow. Get it done Jack!
Booster says
It’s not what you know at AVH, it’s who you know. The CIO was hired by his friend the CEO and the all get lot’s of money while the employees go years without a raise.
Any oversight?
anotherdummy says
One of the biggest problems is that people mindlessly tick boxes on the ballot when it comes to electing members of this board. The majority of voters within the AV Healthcare District don’t know or don’t care about who is on the ballot or what their roles do and how they impact the community.
These physicians should not be on the board at all. It is a blatant conflict of interest having these doctors who practice medicine at AV Hospital vote on anything. The board needs a renovation. The board needs to be made up of people who vote to protect the community and not their own bank account balances.
Long Timer says
AMEN!!!!!
AVH Nurse says
I agree 110%! Years ago (I’ve lived here since 1987), before I was a nurse, I always voted for doctors and nurses for Board positions – I figured, who better to know how a hospital should be run? But as an AVH employee for 13+ years, I believe that it is a definite conflict of interest. Many of the physicians who’ve been on the AVH Board over the years have financial contracts with the hospital – if that’s not conflict of interest, I don’t know what is. Those who aren’t actively employed by HDMG (such as Dr. Parazo, a primary care physician) are specialists on the HDMG referral panel. At times, a majority of the Board has had financial connections to one specific HMO/group (HDMG), so how can they as Board members make unbiased decisions?
Another thing – Ed Mirzabegian (may his picture always be topped by devil’s horns) and his Board cronies did away with the citizens’ committee that was required by Moody’s Investors Service when they were providing AVH with a financial rating. Bring back the citizens’ committee and give the general public more of a voice in hospital business!
Yes, we definitely do need more non-medical professionals on the Board. However, the Board is so full of backroom politics and backstabbing, it will be difficult to persuade anyone to run. I believe that Dr. Shaw’s, Dr. Krishna’s, and Dr. Farrukh’s seats are all up next November, so if you’re a civic-minded person with Wednesday nights free, and money to support a campaign (AND not a physician), please consider running.
One goal that is obvious to the nearly 1,000 registered nurses on staff at AVH is that the Board wants to do away with the hospital’s contract with the CNA (California Nurses’ Assn.), a labor organization that represents most of the RNs. Our contract expired earlier this month (although both parties agreed to keep it in force during negotiations). The AVH Board would love to see the CNA go away permanently, but we have CNA protection for a reason. If AVH treated its staff fairly, there would be no need for the CNA. Refer to articles last Fall regarding all the layoffs and decreases in safety measures, if you need proof.
Want more proof? In the AV Press article, the employee’s retirement plan was mentioned, in reference to the previous Board meeting: “At the board meeting in May, the Pension Funding Policy and Objectives appeared on the agenda under new business. The presentation by Paul Brydon, chief financial officer, indicated that over the long period the hospital will reduce its costs as employees contribute their portion.” AVH employees have NEVER contributed to their retirement plan, and now the Board wants them to start? Unbelievable. We all have the option of contributing to a 403b account (401k’s for non-profits), which the hospital stopped providing matching funds to back in 2002 or 2003. But as taxes, healthcare premiums, and yes, union dues continue to rise, if they want us to contribute to our hospital-provided pension, they need to step up, too. First, in wage increases to help cover the additional costs; and second, in increases to the pension fund’s security so it can’t be misappropriated by the handlers (did Frank Visco come to anyone’s mind?). Before we put one penny into this fund, we need assurances that the money will still be there when each of us is ready to retire. As of now, no such guarantee exists.
Dennis Knox was bringing about positive changes to AVH in many ways. If there is a way to return him to his position, this should happen. By the way, Dennis, you might want to consider becoming a resident of the AV, though.
anotherdummy says
Regarding the employee contribution to pensions, this is a new requirement under PEPRA and only affects employees hired after January 1, 2013.
Goodbye says
There are really good people in that community, it’s time they step up and lead this hospital. don’t let outsiders ruin this community hospital. Vote off those Drs that sit in meetings on their cell phone and vote without knowing or caring what they were voting on. They sit and watch when wrong is happening..they do nothing to help employees. Time for change..
Question Lancaster Authority says
That Board will go when Rex is good and ready to get rid of them. He only has so many lapdogs at his disposal to do his bidding.
valleygirl says
That Board has to go! They’ve been playing games for years.