In agreeing to temporarily take over the company that runs Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics, Sandra I. McVicker said her goal is to reach out to the health system's partners.
Mrs. McVicker, the senior vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer for MCG Health Inc., was appointed interim president/CEO by University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr., effective immediately, the health system announced Monday. She takes over for departing CEO Don Snell, who resigned last week.
"Obviously this just occurred last Wednesday in terms of Mr. Snell stepping down or resigning," Mrs. McVicker said. "And so consequently what we're looking at is just trying to pull the team together to stabilize all three sections" to include the school and the organization representing the school's doctors, Physicians Practice Group.
Mrs. McVicker said key officials from all three began meeting last week to "start working together as a team more. And look at collaboration and what is our shared vision for the whole health system."
She is not nervous about taking over as interim CEO, having done it twice before at Adena Regional Medical Center in Chillicothe, Ohio, and at Kennedy Memorial Hospital and University Medical Center in Stratford, N.J.
Mrs. McVicker has worked herself up the administration ladder since joining MCG Health in 1997 and took charge of nursing in 2004. Her interim appointment will be ratified by the company board's executive committee at its Nov. 25 meeting. She said she expects to be in the position six to nine months. A search for a successor CEO has not begun, but it will likely be influenced by the school's search for a replacement for departing President Daniel W. Rahn, Mrs. McVicker said.
While her position may be temporary, it will not be one of standing pat, Mrs. McVicker said.
"The one thing that has to happen is we cannot stop where we are," she said. "We have to continue and build on what Mr. Snell has started with us here. And I feel that with the team, we can do that, as a whole team."
Reach Tom Corwin at (706) 823-3213 or tom.corwin@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The last paragraph is interesting. She thanks Don Snell and says she wants to continue to build on his work. Yet, Dr. Rahn had him fired in the most embarrassing way. Security and an administrator basically tell you to get out? What the heck? It's time we acknowledge the disharmony Dr. Rahn brought to MCG. He leaves with MCG Augusta deeply divided into three parts. There are questions about his dealings with Charles Walker, lawsuits flying, and the head of one part being slammed like he was in a UCF bout. In addition, the future funding for the school will now be shared with a new school in Athens. If I see one more flowery "thank you" for Dr. Rahn before he gets out of town, I'm going to have H1N1-like symptoms.
Are you saying that Dr. Rahn had Don Snell fired???? Where did that information come from?
Uncle Bill, did you read Sylvia Cooper's Sunday column about Rahn asking Gov. Perdue to get rid of Snell? Perdue then asked Snell to resign....quickly. The other part about security accompanying an administrator to Snell's office and so on, I have from pretty good confidential sources. It would be interesting to see the security officer's report about what happened and why he was asked to get involved if such things are public record.
Whenever a employee quits or gets fired in any company, they are accompanied by security personnel. It's for everyone's protection and saves a lot of lawsuits and accusations on both sides. That's standard procedure.
If Snell had "security accompany" him, then why was he still working as of yesterday? Snell would have no incentive for making a destructive departure, no matter how embarrassing his treatment. I haven't liked a lot of his methods, especially his intimidation strategies, but there is no arguing that he took a 'mom-and-pop' organization and turned it into something viable and reputable. I miss lots of things about the old days, but I more glad to still have a job.
I never said Snell had security accompany him (out) as Corgimom suggests. I have mixed feelings about Snell, but I have no doubt about Rahn's reign being negative. For what it's worth, again, the way I heard it went with Rahn/Snell was that a senior administrator and the head of security went to Snell's office and informed him he had 24 hrs. to vacate his office and that he only had 2 more weeks to draw a salary. That Rahn fired Snell appears to be undisputed now. I suggest the Chronicle go to MCG security, a state law enforcement organization, and ask to review reports of the matter. We've heard lots about this freedom of information thing. Let's see if it applies in ALL matters for the Chronicle.
It's not really important or useful to pick all this apart. What happens next is the important thing to be investigating.
It's difficult to predict the future, but I dang sure want what happened chronicled and Chronicled.
Well, RMan, this has been reported in more detail than companies generally are obliged to provide. Most personnel actions are completely secret beyond their completely obvious effects. Flailing away at the Augusta Comical is a pretty useless exercise IMO, but hey, flail away if does it for you.
Fiat, this is not a company. This is a taxpayer funded institution. They are obliged to provide details. I kind of like having someone suggest otherwise. The "don't say anything" position is so easy to find humor in. I'm not flailing away at anyone. I'm happy to wait and see how the Chronicle handles the matter. The TRUTH IS Rahn tried to provide big gifts to Charles Walker, he brought suits agains the foundation and he fired Snell in a childish manner. Oh, I forgot, he was also instrumental in starting another medical school in Athens.
The truth is, government agencies have very strict rules that govern the revelation of personnel actions. Most of them still are secret, by law. And boy, while I'm not a Rahn fan, I sure would like to see you prove those allegations of "big gifts" and that he made Perdue fire Snell. You do a lot of speculating without providing any documentation, or even a chain of logic.
The Walker gifts allegations were made by the foundation answering the lawsuit. Fiat, relax, I'm not picking on you. You're not in this like I am. The Snell firing by Rahn was first said in Sylvia Cooper's column Sunday. I'm glad to repeat that so everyone understands it's not me making it up. Okay...now I'm going to throw out a bit more. What ticked Rahn off with Snell recently? Was it the MCG students in Albany and Savannah trying to bring non paying patients to MCG and Snell saying NO?
It was probably PPG asking for more money. MCG Health is making (saving) the taxpayers a lot of money. They most likely wanted a piece of the pie. When Mr. Snell said NO so Mr. Rahn and the Chancellor of the school probably went to Mr. Purdue telling him they created Mr. Snells job and he had to go. Now we digress to where we were 10 years ago when the school was loosing 30 million a year. We can only hope Mrs. McVicker continues to do what Don was doing, saving taxpayers money. Unfortunately the person they get in the position won’t be watching out for the bottom line for the taxpayer but will be there to fatten the banks of the faculty of PPG.
The faculty of PPG gets paid no matter how much they work. Not like a for-profit program. They need to have a system in place that pays on how much they work and see patients. There is no incentive in the current system. I know in the past year PPG has been encouraging MCG physicians to get privileges and see patients at other area hospitals. Not exactly a move to increase revenues at MCG. What a perfect argument to the Governor, “It’s Dons fault the numbers are down”. When in reality the Physicians are collecting from other area hospital but still collect a check from PPG and MCG Health. The plan to get Don out of their way has been in the works for a while now.
My point, R-Man, is that these all are allegations, regardless of who is making them. Perhaps they are true, perhaps they even can be proven. I just wonder what the point is in making this such a big deal. Both men are gone and we're still stuck with Perdue. The whole situation has "mess" all over it, but you can't argue with the fact that we are much better off financially than we were before Snell. And, believe me, I am not his cheerleader. I'm also not stupid about realities at MCG and HI.
Another interesting fact is that PPG physicians continue to make more than some of their former colleagues who left MCG over the past several years to join private practices in the CSRA.
FedupwithAug, interesting post. By the way...From the Oct 21st the Chronicle reported one of the reasons given by foundation Chairrman William Mayher for not giving Dr. Rahn contributions requested was that “Dr. Rahn had earlier requested funds for the benefit of a venture Sen. Charles Walker, D-Augusta, was launching.”
and just to you know corgie know eft.....sheesh
Most people cannot stand the truth. Don Snell was a horrible CEO. He had no compassion for any one but himself. If it was not for the butt kissing board that he presided over, he would have been gone long ago. If this woman wants to continue in his footsteps, she will not find much support either, and hopefully be on the way back where she came from.