Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1477870
45 45 HEALTHCARE NEWS St. Charles CEO abruptly resigns amid layoffs By Kelly Gooch J oe Sluka has resigned as president and CEO of Bend, Ore.- based St. Charles Health System amid the organization's financial struggles, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. Mr. Sluka announced the news July 12. "I am so proud of this organization and the more than 4,500 employees who put their hearts into caring for our communities every single day. is is a very difficult decision," he said in a news release. "At the same time, aer leading through more than two years of a global pandemic and the corresponding recovery, I feel it is time for me to step aside, recharge and provide the opportunity for new operational leaders to guide St. Charles forward." Mr. Sluka became president and CEO of St. Charles in December 2014, aer serving as executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Regional Health in Rapid City, S.D. Under his leadership, the four-hospital health system has moved to the Epic EHR platform, expanded and remodeled St. Charles Madras and St. Charles Prineville campuses and expanded services in Redmond, Ore., including robotic surgery, among other accomplishments, according to the release. St. Charles said the health system has selected Steve Gordon, MD, a former St. Charles board of directors member, as interim CEO, and Mr. Sluka will move to an adviser position at the health system. Mr. Sluka's resignation comes as St. Charles has struggled financially. In May, the health system cited those struggles when it announced it would lay off 105 caregivers and eliminate 76 vacant positions. St. Charles said it ended April with a $21.8 million loss. St. Charles board Chairman Jamie Orlikoff told Oregon Public Broadcasting that Mr. Sluka's resignation was unrelated to the health system's financial difficulties. n Pennsylvania hospital to close By Ayla Ellison B erwick (Pa.) Hospital Center is slated to close within 90 days after its affiliated clinics abruptly shut down in mid-July, Newswatch 16 reported July 26 citing information from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The hospital is owned by Fayette Holdings, a private company that bought the 90-bed hospital in 2020. Priyam Sharma, owner of Fayette Holdings, is seeking to close the acute care hospital and then transition it to a freestanding psychiatric facility, the Pennsylvania Department of Health told Newswatch 16. Hospital employees learned about the planned closure from local news reports, SEIU Healthcare PA, a union representing nearly 90 workers at the hospital, said. "We've had serious concerns for the future of our community hospital but we were caught completely off guard by the recent news report announcing the closing of Berwick Hospital," Matthew Yarnell, President of SEIU Healthcare PA, said in a July 27 statement. "We'll be working to get answers to pressing questions and connecting with local stakeholders to discuss finding a way to possibly save our hospital." Ms. Sharma's husband, Sanjay Sharma, PhD, also operated a hospital in Galesburg, Ill., which closed in January. Dr. Sharma attributed the decision to shut down the hospital to CMS' decision to terminate the facility's Medicare contract. n Nurse, paramedic stabbed at SSM Health hospital By Mackenzie Bean A nurse and paramedic were stabbed July 11 inside SSM Health DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, Mo., according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Video surveillance shows a woman stabbing two people before several bystanders restrained her, according to court documents. St. Louis-based SSM Health said its hospital security team and local police quickly responded and took the suspect into custody. Both victims had serious injuries. The alleged assailant, Jimissa Rivers, was charged with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action. She is being held in St. Louis County on a $2 million cash bond, according to the Post-Dispatch. "We are deeply saddened and shaken by the tragic incident," SSM Health said in a statement to Becker's, adding that it is providing "appropriate medical, mental health and pastoral care" for the affected individuals. "Our priority is the health and safety of all our team members, patients and the community we serve," the health system said. "As we continue to gather information and partner with the police in their investigation, we will provide updates as appropriate." n