There will be a new "single strategy" for Medical College of Georgia, its physician group and the company that runs its hospitals and clinics, University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. predicted. After all, the heads of all three groups, MCG, MCG Health Inc. and Physicians Practice Group, will be new. And the formal affiliation among them might be changed.
Days after MCG Health CEO Don Snell announced his quick departure, Mr. Davis would not comment on whether Mr. Snell was asked to step down, saying, "You're asking about personnel issues. I'm not going to delve into that, out of respect."
He reiterated that, "He resigned voluntarily. He was not terminated, he resigned."
As to why, Mr. Davis said the health system is entering a new phase of "rapid growth" and that did not appear to play to Mr. Snell's strengths.
"Mr. Snell has great skills in turning around organizations, great skills in doing that," he said.
"But he also recognizes that to take organizations to the next level requires a different risk profile, and different risk tolerance and different skill-sets. And I think, to his credit, I believe he understood that."
In fact, he praised Mr. Snell for taking an organization that, before he assumed control in 2000, was in danger of losing more than $20 million, and putting it in a strong financial position.
"Mr. Snell did an outstanding job doing what was asked for that phase of the business's evolution," Mr. Davis said. "He did a lot of things in which he and the organization could take great pride. And we're certainly not going to trash what he has done. We are going to build upon the great financial framework and the great operational framework that he has created and put in place. What we'll expect is continuing operational and financial excellence but a focus on expanding the book of business and expanding our clinical and bench research capabilities."
The 10-year lease MCG Health had to run the clinical system is up in July, and a group is already working on how it might be modified or changed to impart better harmony among the three entities.
"I am looking forward to a new set of relationships with a new focus," Mr. Davis said. The new phase will have "a single strategic plan," he said. "That requires a lot more joint planning, a lot more coordination, and essentially a single-mindedness of purpose between all three entities."
In fact, with the search for a new president of MCG narrowed down to eight to 10 candidates, the search for a new CEO might be slowed if a candidate is named in the next couple of months to allow the new president to have input on that search, Mr. Davis said.
"Because that is going to be one of her or his major partners," he said.
None of the presidential candidates has been promised anything as far as the health system goes, Mr. Davis said.
"Those that did ask were just advised that all of these relationships are going to be revisited because of the 10-year agreements," he said.
Reach Tom Corwin at (706) 823-3213 or tom.corwin@augustachronicle.com.
MCG PRESIDENT SEARCH
The pool of candidates for the next president of Medical College of Georgia was narrowed from more than 30 to eight to 10 last week, University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. said.
He would not confirm that the search committee would now begin a more in-depth interview phase, but that was the process described during a town hall meeting at MCG in September with members of the search committee. The hope was expressed then of having finalists in December, and Mr. Davis said he hopes candidates could be interviewed by the Board of Regents in January, either at its scheduled meeting or some other time during the month.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Heh, heh, heh, really funny considering many have been writing why Snell really left for a while. Of course there have been many bogus stories from the Chronicle and on radio that he was only leaving because of yada, yada, yada.. Those flowery stories about Snell deciding to leave for "family reasons" in two weeks were, well, nice. I not only read them here, but came across them in the other media. Funny.
So now will someone in the media tell the truth about Snell's departure? Waiting with bated breath, but doubting it. The reason is all the previous stories will have to be put in the "sorry, we were wrong category." That it? Ha.
Riverman: you're probably right. what is it with this irresponsible reporting trend i have been noting on tv and in the papers lately? i thought journalists were supposed to check out their stories and sources before they print stuff up or report it on the tube. seems like that part of journalism 101 has been abandoned and its now like the old saying "it's easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask permission", in the media's case, it's easier to say "oops!" than wait for the true facts and report responsibly and maturely.
The reporting is not too far off -- Snell was brought in to cure a $30 million (not $20 million) deficient the legislature had informed the Board of Regents it would not indefinitely finance in 1999 -- so when the school & hospital was split it was thought he would be here for about two years & be gone -- after everyone hated him for what he had to do - however, his profits were too good to ignore- meanwhile, Dr. Tedesco's replacement Dr. Rahn was constantly frustrated because there was no senior person on the combined MCG campus -- and the Physician's Practice Group & the MCG Foundation complicated it even more -- now is the time to bring in one senior person -- the new president of MCG should be the Vice Chair of MCG Health & PPG - and arrangements to consolidate activities regarding the now two Foundations -- the MCG Research Institute is already under management control of the school -- Augusta's big concern should be to keep our eye on Mike Adams (UGA President) and the Board of Regents -we no longer have a representative on the Regents -- be wary of the Sonny Perdue School of Medicine at the University of Georgia -- don't trust them.
Wiz, it's deeper than that. The article doesn't mention Dr. Rahn's attempts to have the foundation fund ventures with Charles Walker that caused them to balk.
The question about MCG Heatlh should be, How can physicians
use the name of MCG to be in private practice using state funded
offices and charging regular rates like any other physician that
does have have the advantage of using MCG in their practice?
These physicians go after people who have insurance and harass
then for the amount that their insurance does not pay unlike the
hospital which has agreements with your major carriers to waive most of the deductibles. MCG is a state owned college and is not
for profit nor should the physicians using the name of MCG to
obtain business. This Snell help to turn around the system, which I believe should be looked into to see if it is legal. As a
taxpayer I believe you should not profit from state owned schools.
Riverman1-The big break between Rahn & the MCG Foundation came over funding for the new dental building -- long after Walker departed for his extended vacation - I have no knowledge of any effort of Rahn to fund a Walker that created a disagreement with the Foundation -- and for a state owned school or hospital making a profit, it's not a profit in the traditional sense when the revenues go to paying for the costs of providing the service
Wiz, this is what the Chronicle reported Oct. 21st: "News reports from the time the dispute became public quoted foundation Chairman William Mayher saying the organization turned down a request by Dr. Rahn for $5 million toward the construction of a new dental school building. Mr. Mayher said at the time that the foundation had only $8 million in unrestricted funds and that such a large request would weaken it. However, he said another reason for the rejection was because Dr. Rahn had earlier requested funds for the benefit of a venture Sen. Charles Walker, D-Augusta, was launching. Mr. Walker is now serving a federal sentence for fraud and tax evasion."
I am familiar with the dental school funding request and have had an opportunity to serve with Dr. Mayher over a period of time and respect him tremendously - the MCG Foundation had over $130 million at the time with most of it restricted -- but it could have committed the $5 Million Dr. Rahn asked for to be funded over a period of time -- but internal politics got in the way -- I am not knowledgeable about the Rahn-Walker deal but knowing them both personally it probably was dated and the result of the funding muscle that Walker once had -- I could speculate and say it would have been a venture Walker was proposing to support some MCG function -- I totally disagreed with the influence Walker had on MCG & other state controlled institutions but understand the way he made agencies seeking state funding dance -- the good thing is he is where he belongs--not so much for what he did to enrich himself but for the opportunity he blew to help Augusta become what she is capable of being -- Charles Walker & Ed McIntyre did more damage to Augusta than they did to themselves
Key points, Wiz, Dr. Mayher is an honorable man as we both know and not about to lie. Rahn did work deals with Walker. Why he did is conjecture. I do remember many questioned his kowtowing to Walker at the time. Austin Rhodes was one of the most vocal. It was logical that Dr. Mayher and the foundation would be careful of any requests for funds from Rahn since he had already tried to divert a portion to Walker.
Why do MCG employees have to find out that the Presidential search has been narrowed down to 8 - 10 candidates from an outside source? The MCG homepage has a link for the Presidential Transition and it hasn't been updated since September!
And Wiz - What does the "MCG Research Institute is already under management control of the school" mean?