FFH board takes no action on McPherson’s contract

Despite a motion to extend the contract of one local Franklin Foundation Hospital physician at the board’s monthly meeting Thusday, the measure was blocked by four members of the board and the fate of Dr. Stephen McPherson still hangs in the balance.
The motion to extend McPherson’s contract was introduced by board member Allan Von Werder. Voting in favor of the motion were board member Didi Battle and Robert Judice Jr. Opposing the measure were board members Dr. Roland Degeyter, Dr. Nick Accardo, Clegg Caffery and FFH Board Chairman Eugene Foulcard.
McPherson, who serves as Chief of Staff for the medical staff on the board, and St. Mary Parish President David Hanagriff, who is a non-voting member of the hospital board, laid the blame for the delay solely at the feet of hospital administration and the hospital’s management firm, Quorum Health Resources.
“We were here, not quite a year ago, spending $45,000 to mediate a contract, which was unheard of, and to me was a waste of money,” Hanagriff said in relation to a previous negotiation regarding McPherson’s contract extension last year. “I was glad it came to a conclusion but I find it very disturbing that Quorum has dropped the ball yet again. This is disturbing. Mr. Cudworth came to the parish council meeting and talked about retention of current staff. I find it very disturbing that we are here again and this administration, the Quorum administration, has yet again dropped the ball. I am very disappointed that we are here yet again. I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it.”
McPherson cited evidence that the negotiation regarding his contract extension was started much earlier than was indicated by hospital administration.
“On Feb. 8, I went in and met with Craig (Cudworth) and we talked about my contract and I told him exactly what I wanted with the contract,” McPherson said. “All I wanted was a four-year extension with the same terms. He understood that very clearly.”
McPherson indicated that Cudworth said the negotiation would be handled through FFH legal counsel, but he has not heard from them since the meeting with Cudworth. The legal representative in attendance, Lanzi Meyers, said they have been looking at the re-negotiation but were still looking at “numbers.” Meyers also said the firm needed to re-examine McPherson’s “productivity.” McPherson said nothing has changed since the last contract extension nearly a year ago.
“It’s been nearly three weeks,” McPherson said. “It’s just more of the same. What’s happened in the last year? I can tell you, nothing has changed with my productivity. This is more nonsense and stalling from Quorum. You (FFH administration) dropped the ball. This is just more passive aggressive behavior and it’s always the same.”
“I disagree with you sir,” Cudworth said. “We are working on it.”
FFH Board Chairman Eugene Foulcard explained the board’s reluctance to vote on the measure to extend McPherson’s contract.
“We have a process and I would like to see that process go forward,” Foulcard said. “I would like to see the administration work with Dr. McPherson to get this contract approved by the next board meeting.”
It was not immediately clear how the negotiation would proceed.
Other business conducted at the meeting included the results of an external audit of FFH’s financial status which was found by an independent firm to be stable.
Also approved at the meeting were recommendations made by the medical staff regarding changes to their by-laws.