Spectrums four-person communications team also ignored a request for comment. Today is indeed a historic day. 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. Beaumont at one point claimed to have 38,000 employees, but with layoffs and unfilled positions its not clear how many employees remain. By Eric Starkman. 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. Far from it. The Detroit News. Under their oversight, Beaumont suffered a precipitous decline in reputation and quality of care. The financial terms of the deal will reveal whether Freese Decker is as touchy-feely as she appears or whether she can be quite ruthless when a lucrative financial opportunity presents itself. The anesthesiologists did this while earning a fraction of their . If theyre out there, theyre certainly not easy to find and, no, a few quotes about financials every quarter does not count as transparency, at least not in my book.. The company announced this week that Aaron Gillingham, Beaumont Healths senior vice president and chief human resources officer and interim chief compliance officer, has resigned. The Royal Oak budget cuts were made in 2020, when Beaumont increased its reserves to $3.5 billion from $2.5 billion and Fox earlier in the year warned U.S. hospitals could collapse because of the pandemic. A lifelong Michigander with an impressive background, Barbee resigned in October to join Indiana University Health as head of HR. Most of them arent qualified to serve on the board of a major hospital company and the proof is in the Beaumont pudding. Spectrum reported that Beaumont's operations already have racked up nearly $100 million in losses. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. Spectrums joint release with Beaumont says the aim of the deal is to make health care more affordable for the communities we serve. Heres my challenge to Freese Decker: For every independent study she can come up with showing where hospital mergers resulted in more affordable care, I will come up with two showing the opposite. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. Spectrum no doubt knew that Fox was desperate to unload Beaumont, so Freese Decker had him by the cajones. Spectrum CEO Tina Freese Decker obviously believes the Beaumont merger is already a done deal. Financially, the pandemic was very good to Beaumont, as the hospital system pocketed an additional $1 billion for its $2.5 billion reserve kitty while furloughing and terminating hundreds of employees. I expect Fox to promote the deal as a merger of equals and its possible the Beaumont name could be retained in some capacity, but dont be fooled: The combination is Foxs Hail Mary attempt to cash out and distract from the extensive damage his leadership has caused. Fox said Beaumont plans to ask for military assistance to support its other facilities. Nonprofit hospitals are supposed to manage their investments conservatively, opting for boring short-term duration bonds and other low risk investments. 'The Week That Was:' Will Kristina Karamo Seriously Damage Michigan's Republican Party? Beaumont Health CEO John Fox has no shame. 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. June 17, 2021, 9:36 PM . Speaking of Oakland University, when Fox announced his ill-fated attempt to merge Beaumont into Chicago-based Advocate Aurora, one of the few benefits he touted was that Advocate Aurora had agreed to move Oakland Universitys William Beaumont School of Medicine to Beaumonts Royal Oak campus. Eric Starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved.. By Eric Starkman. They are looking at diversity as a numbers game. But Spectrums management is 100 percent running the show. Although we are facing these current financial headwinds, we are confident we will continue to deliver effectively and successfully on our mission in the communities we serve in Michigan.. Spectrums previous head of diversity was Ovell Barbee, an African American, who Spectrum proudly announced last April was named one of the leading diversity executives in the country. 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. In his letter, Freed expresses concern that seven Beaumont directors will be named to the combined Spectrum-Beaumont board and that they could ultimately exert undue influence. Rather than having people speculate he was passed over, he chose to step down in advance. ER sources at Royal Oak and Troy say Covid patients account for a small percentage seeking emergency treatment. Also, if you wish to support Deadline Detroit's. Starkman: Electric Vehicles and the Exploitation of Michigan Taxpayers. Beaumont was once mostly staffed by highly skilled veterans, among the best in healthcare. If (Beaumonts) operating margins are adequate, and they have plenty of cash, whats the problem? Among the benefits of the deal Fox trumpeted was a $1 billion commitment to move the William Beaumont School of Medicine from Oakland University to Beaumonts flagship Royal Oak campus and a significant increase in technology spending. Beaumont derailed the effort after spending nearly $2 million on union busters, furthering ill will among its nurses. This is Beaumont's latest attempt to merge with another hospital . It appears that Beaumont Health CEO John Fox won't be bundling his millions and bidding Michigan goodbye as soon as he hoped. To support Deadline Detroit's independent. A source told me that Barbee was highly regarded among Spectrums Black employees but was frustrated by his inability to achieve meaningful change. Southeastern Michigan residents shouldnt look to Rep. Andy Levin to save the day. Another open position is the Chief Inclusion, Equity, Diversity and Social Impact Officer.. After posting his letter, Freed noted on his LinkedIn page that Beaumont made $167 million from its operations in 2020, which included revenue recognition of $349 million from the CARES Act and FEMA payments for Covid. Have you tried to find Beaumont Healths financial statements? Freed asks. He's even willing to. Lewis resigned as chair just prior to Fox announcing Spectrums takeover and left the board in December. The writer, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a former Detroit News business reporter who . A responsible board would have fired Fox months ago and brought in an interim CEO with strong ties to southeastern Michigan to try and stabilize the place. Its Beaumonts attempt to mislead southeastern Michigan residents that they arent losing a local institution. Naming Fream as chairman was done for optics, an attempt to assure Southeastern Michigan residents that their interests would be protected if Spectrum and Beaumont merge. As Deadline Detroit recently reported, Beaumonts once-bustling endoscopy suite, where a patient died undergoing a routine colonoscopy in January, has suffered a rash of nurse resignations and can barely operate at 50 percent capacity. Understandably, Spectrum is a more profitable hospital system, but its profits also are bolstered by its lucrative Priority Health insurance arm. Beaumont institutionally has a very tenuous relationship with truth. Beaumont CEO John Fox will forever be remembered in the Detroit area as a con man. 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. Underscoring Beaumonts disregard for transparency, the company routinely waits till the very last day before filing its Form 990, a document nonprofits are required to make public revealing compensation and other critical information. 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.. 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. Beaumonts Fox doesnt take pride in the directors he is supposedly accountable to, possibly because he regards them as his subordinates. (Deadline Detroit art work ), 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. The good news is that Beaumont isnt overrun with critically ill Covid patients, which suggests that vaccines are doing what they were intended to do: Prevent people who contract the disease from becoming critically ill and dying. Pamela Ries, senior vice president and head of HR at Spectrum, is listed as chief integration officer. 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. The quality of care has declined to such a degree that insiders readily admit they wouldnt entrust their families care to the hospital. Reach Eric Starkman at: eric@starkmanapproved.com. John Kerndl and Denise Waters. The head of Beaumonts audit committee was Julie Fream, who earlier this month became the hospital networks chair and has no auditing experience or background listed on her LinkedIn page. 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. Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Spectrum, is chair of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association. Starkman: Why Beaumont's John Fox Could Haul More Than $30 Million Back to Atlanta Tweet Share February 02, 2022, 4:58 PM Beaumont CEO John Fox The writer, a Los Angeles freelancer, is a. He tweeted on Thursday that he was cautiously optimistic about certain aspects of the partnership. As a result, patients requiring hospital admission must remain in the ER, diverting beds and staff normally dedicated to treating emergencies. By Eric Starkman Beaumont Health CEO John Fox has no shame. Also fostering ill will is Beaumonts mandate requiring that all employees be vaccinated or be fired. An additional director will also be named. Typically, when deals of these sorts are announced, the CEO of the acquired company pays lip service to being committed to ensuring a smooth transition and promises to stick around and lend their full support. Spectrums financial statements indicate that cash and investments from the acquisition was $3.2 billion. Carey has spent more than 20 years as a . Michigan Gov. Indiana University Health has 16 hospitals and 36,000 employees. In what will likely be his final FU to Metro Detroit, Fox will depart on Friday. Instead, thanks to aggressive cost cutting and other misguided decisions by Fox and COO Carolyn Wilson, Beaumont imploded. Eric Starkman of Los Angeles is a former Detroit News business reporter who blogs at Starkman Approved. Freese Deckers bio said her biggest priority is building a health system that celebrates and reinforces diversity and inclusion for employees, patients, families, and members. Yet the entire BHSH senior management team as best I can tell is as lily white as a loaf of Wonder bread. It appears that Beaumont Health CEO John Fox won't be bundling his millions and bidding Michigan goodbye as soon as he hoped. 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. Nursing shortages are causing havoc at other Beaumont hospitals as well. Freese Decker should be fired. Beaumonts flagship Royal Oak hospital only garnered a four-star rating and its other hospitals earned two-and three-star ratings. If Michigan had a competent attorney general or a governor with a healthcare interest beyond abortion rights, the deal would have been derailed. Beaumont employees and vendors are encouraged to reach out, with confidentiality assured. 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. Israel relies nearly 100 percent on Pfizer vaccines, while the U.S. also has a prevalence of Moderna and J&J vaccines. The situation has become so acute that an ICU patient was recently treated in Troys ER. Newsweek Ranks 3 Beaumont Hospitals Among Best in U.S. One Down, Three to Go. To support Deadline Detroit's independent. There is compelling research showing that hospital mergers result in higher patient costs and reduced quality of care. Starkman: Why Beaumont's John Fox Could Haul More Than $30 Million Back to Atlanta Tweet. Freed doesnt disclose his hunch about Beaumonts financials, which received less oversight than he possibly knows. Beaumont CFO John Kerndl Resigns, Beaumont Nurse Anesthetists Union Drive Could Save Imploding Hospital from Further Demise, Layoffs. Spectrum, with $6.9 billion in revenues, operates 14 hospitals in the western side of the stateand has 30,000 employees. BHSH will be the biggest hospital network in Michigan and the states biggest employer. Biden last July issued an executive order instructing the FTC to be more critical of hospital mergers because studies show they invariably result in higher patient costs and poorer quality of care. The metric that matters most is quality of patient care. Whats notable about Foxs disclosure is the seeming priorities of Spectrum compared to Advocate Aurora, the Chicago-based hospital system that Fox tried to give Beaumont away to in June 2020 under terms so obscenely favorable to Advocate Aurora, he couldnt pull it off. Spectrum also is comfortable issuing misleading or deceptive statements, so culturally Beaumont is possibly a great fit. 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! Starkman: Beaumont CFO John Kerndl and Top CEO Aide Say No! The merger talking points for Beaumonts leaders includes a commitment to improve health equity. This from a healthcare company that at the height of the Michigan pandemic last yeartemporarilyclosed Beaumont Wayne, a hospital catering to economically disadvantaged individuals with little or no insurance. Fox has a change of control clause in his contract, meaning he will likely receive a lucrative exit package. BHSH is what Spectrum calls its combined Beaumont and Spectrum operations. Beaumonts leadership page only features a photo and bio of Julie Fream, who on paper at least seems credible: Fream is the president and CEO of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, an industry nonprofit, and she has a Harvard MBA. Fox and Geary have referred to the Spectrum transaction as a merger and a partnership. Fox has disclosed that he will depart once the deal is completed, and Id be surprised if Grant and Jordan plan to stick around. The rankings are based on data compiled before Beaumont Royal Oak outsourced its anesthesia services, a controversial move linked to the death of a patient undergoing a routine colonoscopy and another patient landing in the ICU because of a pain medication overdose.