South County Hospital, the closest hospital to the University of Rhode Island, faced backlash following a Sept. 10 petition calling for changes in management after the resignation of several physicians.
Three of four physicians in the hospital’s oncology department have resigned. The petition, an open letter addressed to hospital officials, cited “irreconcilable differences” as the doctors’ reasons for leaving.
The potential partnership with a larger cancer center was the driving force of disagreement, Kevin Charpentier, the chief medical officer of South County Health, said in a Youtube livestream conference .
Oncology patients are dissatisfied with constantly changing providers, according to the petition.
The hospital’s new oncology physicians have signed either six-month or one-year contracts, according to Charpentier.
“Many patients are understandably worried over who would treat them during potentially life-ending illnesses and do not want to rely on unknown temporary providers to develop trust and confidence required for keeping positive attitudes during these serious health challenges,” the petition said.
The departing oncology doctors will remain at South County Hospital until October, according to Deb Randall, South County Hospital vice president of quality. There will be an overlap in care, a period where both new and departing doctors will work together.
The letter, and community members, criticized the actions of Chief Executive Officer Aaron Robinson.
“I am sincerely urging the board of trustees to take immediate action to remedy this situation, remove the current CEO and whomever else need be in order to keep the doors open with competent staff and positive values and attitudes,” a comment on the petition from Charlene Ingham said.
Dr. Steven Fera, a cardiologist who left the hospital in May, has been critical of Robinson’s management in the press.
“He is a terrible leader,” Fera said in a phone interview with GoLocalProv . “Whether it is the maintenance people who paint the walls or the physicians, he has ignored nearly everyone’s ideas.”
The hospital has stood behind Robinson in press conferences, arguing that Fera is spreading misinformation.
Leadership is an ongoing topic of discussion in the community. Laurie Kelly, a community member who posted the petition online, claimed there was another doctor who raised concerns to no avail.
“What was reflected to me by the people that were already involved was that a physician in April wrote a letter to the CEO and chairman of the board of trustees saying that he had noticed alarming trends,” Kelly said.
The letter was allegedly met with a cease and desist, Kelly said.
Robinson claimed he invited Fera to speak with him, but the doctor never answered.
“They don’t want to have a constructive conversation because they lose on the truth,” Robinson said in a press conference on Sept. 13 at the hospital.
Robsinson referred to the current independent model as “unsustainable” in the conference.
South County Hospital has been under financial strain, leading them to seek partnership with larger hospitals, Robinson said in the Youtube livestream. South County Hospital is currently the only independent hospital in Rhode Island.
In each of the last two years, the hospital has reportedly lost $6 million, according to a September 2023 audit. Robinson’s salary has jumped from $455,635 to $854,719, according to their 2022-2023 fiscal year 990 form .
The hospital’s oncology department was inspected in response to the public outcry, Randall said. No deficiencies were found in the two-day federal investigation.
However, deficiencies were found in 2023, according to an investigation released by The Public’s Radio . These included the discharging of patients without proper paperwork, the discharge of a patient with an intravenous catheter still in their arm and a pregnant patient who was given an accidental excess of a labor inducing medication.
Nurses at South County Hospital have stood behind their administration, issuing a letter to the Westerly Sun . The allegations have left them “disappointed,” according to the letter.
“Their narrative is hurtful to our teams and couldn’t be further from the truth,” the letter said.
South Kingstown Town Council held a discussion in regards to potential work with South County Hospital on Monday.