Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/944376
33 33 CEO/STRATEGY Swedish Health Nurses, Caregivers Issue Vote of No Confidence Against Leadership By Alyssa Rege S eattle-based Swedish Health Services nurses and other caregivers issued a vote of no con- fidence against leadership at Swedish Health and its parent company during a meeting Dec. 12, arguing patient care has continued to suffer despite promises to instill change across the health sys- tem, e Seattle Times reports. Swedish Health nurses and caregivers belonging to the SEIU Healthcare 1199NW union voiced a range of issues during the Dec. 12 meeting, with 1,547 nurses and caregivers supporting the issuance of a vote of no confidence. Among those issues were concerns about supply and staff shortages, equip- ment failure, and the general treatment of patients. ey also mentioned how staff inexperience and low morale have continued to cause substantial turnover, the report states. One nurse reportedly noted while leadership has fo- cused their attention on fixing issues at the health system's Cherry Hill campus following numerous complaints, issues at other campuses have lan- guished without attention, according to the report. In a statement to KomoNews.com, R. Guy Hudson, CEO of Swedish Health Services, said, "As CEO, I welcome feedback from all our caregivers. Our col- laboration helps us make Swedish the best place to work and receive care. I believe in uniting our peo- ple to serve our Swedish mission together. We wel- come constructive, data-driven conversations with our union partners. A disruptive approach and an us-vs.-them mentality benefits no one, certainly not our patients." However, some nurses said despite Dr. Hudson's positive vision for change at the institution, the over- all culture at Swedish Health has not changed, be- cause other administrators with differing visions are still in charge, according to e Seattle Times. e nurses union said it plans to file 22 new com- plaints with local, state and federal regulators against Swedish Health and its parent company, Renton, Wash.-based Providence Health & Services, to force officials to make a meaningful effort to induce change, according to KomoNews.com. n Ex-Director of Finance Accused of Embezzling $3M from North Carolina Hospital By Ayla Ellison H igh Point (N.C.) Regional Hospital's former director of finance is ac- cused of stealing more than $3 million from the hospital between Jan. 1, 2003, and Aug. 15, 2017, according to WXII 12 News. According to a federal indictment, Kimberly Russell Hobson defrauded the hospital by issuing unauthorized and forged checks payable to her- self and relatives. She's also accused of using the hospital's credit cards for personal expenses. Ms. Hobson used money embezzled from the hospital to purchase luxury vehicles, a motorcycle and other items for personal use, according to court documents. Ms. Hobson is charged with seven counts of wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of possessing and uttering counterfeit securities, according to the report. A spokesperson for High Point Regional Hospital told WXII 12 News Ms. Hobson was removed from her position at the hospital last summer. n Remember This During Your Next Earnings Call: Lie Detectors Are on the Line By Leo Vartorella E arnings calls are supposed to be an opportunity for executive lead- ership to answer questions from investors and analysts, though their responses can often be far from earnest. To combat this, some organizations employ voice-analyzing technology to detect if executive answers are honest or not, according to strategy + business. Valens Research offers such services, utilizing the firm's proprietary elec- tro-audiogram system to measure voice patterns. The technology ana- lyzes 15 markers that gauge whether the speaker believes what they are saying. The efficacy of this process is dependent upon the principal of cognitive dissonance, which is a discomfort that stems from someone holding two opposing ideas in their mind simultaneously. After listening to earnings calls, Valens analysts report to their clients on the confidence of speak- ers; that is, whether they believe in their answers or not. The confidence leaders have in their answers about plans for the future is a good indicator of whether investors should have faith in the company moving forward or if perhaps there are unstable times ahead. Leaders often espouse generic talking points during earnings calls, the kind of purposefully vague double-talk that relays very little information. This voice analysis technology gleans valuable information from these phrases and gives investors and analysts a look into what executives re- ally think about their company's future prospects. n