No news on FFH mediation efforts, but public weighs in

With a confidentiality agreement in place, there was no word on the progress of mediation from Hospital Service District 1 board members Thursday during their monthly meeting.
However, St. Mary Parish Councilman David Hanagriff commented on the effort to renew contracts with Drs. Steven McPherson and Donna Tesi.
“I think we need to continue the progress we’re making and come to a conclusion soon,” Hanagriff said.
Mediator Gary McGoffin of the Durio, McGoffin, Stagg & Ackermann law firm was hired by the parish council in mid-December to help resolve issues between the physicians and the board that oversees Franklin Foundation Hospital. The parish has agreed to fund McGoffin’s fee at a rate of $300 per hour up to $25,000.
“I hope that we’re going to leave off where the board said that they want these doctors here,” Hanagriff said. “They want to negotiate. They want the community to come back together again and I think we’re making progress.”
Controversy has surrounded the contract renewals since October under the leadership of then Hospital Chief Executive Officer Claudia Eisenmann.
Eisenmann has since resigned and an interim CEO, Craig Cudworth came on board in January.
In special and regular meetings during the last quarter of the year, the board terminated without cause, reinstated and since extended the McPherson and Tesi’s physician contracts until March 31.
“What is happening is disturbing,” said local resident Glenna Kramer. “This hospital is not a stand-alone institution. It’s part of a consortium of schools, churches, libraries, civic organizations and government that make up the community that we live in. These staff doctors live here. They contribute time and money to our town — in short they belong to us and we belong to them. They are part of us. And we believe that every possible effort should be made to keep these three remaining staff doctors here and remember, we citizens are paying for it.”
Following the meeting, the board and legal counsel entered executive session to discuss personnel issues.
In other business the board:
—Welcomed new member Bobby Judice.
—Approved signatories for Cudworth and board chairman Eugene Foulcard.
—Approved a lease contract at the medical office building with visiting cardiologist Dr. Brent Rochon.
—Heard from Chief Financial Officer Ron Bailey that there was a $219,000 net loss in January resulting in a year to date $339,000 loss. While patient revenue came in above budget projections in most areas at $3.3 million, Bailey noted that the bad debt from uncollected fees totaled more than $352,000.