VanDyke and RCH staff "communicate” feelings to hospital board at Special Meeting

A special meeting of the Rooks County Health Center Board of Directors was held last Tuesday, April 29, at 6:00 p.m. at the Rooks County Health Center in Plainville.

All hospital board members, Chuck Comeau, Dr. Daniel Sanchez, Dr. Shelbe Darnell, Brad Plumer, and Charles Allphin, were present, as well as June Karlin, recording secretary, and other visitors, many of which included department heads for the hospital, and some other staff.

The Sentinel was notified of the special board meeting in an email from June Karlin on Thursday, April 24. When reaching out to Karlin about the reason for the meeting, the only information she was given was that the board had asked the hospital's CEO, Jeff VanDyke, to be present.

The meeting was called to order by Board Chairman Chuck Comeau. Comeau made a motion, seconded by Dr. Shelbe Darnell, to go into a 30-minute executive session. Following the executive session, two more 30-minute executive sessions were held. Before the third executive session, Chairman Comeau announced that the hospital's CEO, Jeff VanDyke, would be present and that this would be the last executive session, which would last 30 minutes.

When the board returned from the last executive session, Chairman Comeau opened the meeting to public comments.

Carol VanDyke informed the board that she and her husband, Jeff, had a massive house fire on Friday, and she wanted to thank board member Brad Plumer for reaching out on Friday and offering the VanDykes a house to stay in. VanDyke stated he was the only board member who had contacted or bothered to contact them. Carol felt the silence speaks volumes and showed a lack of respect for her husband, Jeff, the hospital's CEO, and an extreme lack of integrity.

She stated most of the board knows she's not one to be 'politically correct.' But basically, 'You have no balls,' said Carol. 'We have lived in the community so many years and have known you for so many years, and none of you could reach out to say one damn word, and you couldn't take the time to send one text. What does that show these people here,' she continued.

She said the board says there's toxicity in the hospital, and it's not these people at the meeting. 'It's the board that's toxic. You have created the shit-storm that is here.' She said you may blame it on anybody else, but you (the board) have created it. VanDyke said she was being 'mouthy,' but she has had it up to here this week, and they have been on a rollercoaster.

Carol said the board approached Jeff a year ago and not the other way around. At that time, Jeff said he would do what he could to stabilize the situation, and Carol asked those in attendance if Jeff had done that.

'Has he helped you?' she asked, and those in the crowd responded overwhelmingly with a 'yes.'

She asked the board if they were interested in any of that. She added, 'No, you are interested in your little hidden agendas, the little snitches that you have here at the hospital to feed you whatever information, and you're interested in trying to do anything to have your little sidings before you get into your meeting here.'

She told the board they've lost respect for what they have done and the trust of the people attending the meeting. She said the board has stated they don't talk to them. She said they see you in the hallway and hang their heads because they don't know if there are targets on their back and whether they will be the next one canned.

'They don't know, and you did that—not them, Jeff, Stephanie, Pam, Sheila, or any of your department heads—you guys did that,' she added. She told the board they are where they are; if it gets Jeff fired, so be it.

'We are done with this rollercoaster, and I sincerely hope that people show up and vote at the board elections and that the people who get on this board have no agenda.'

Comeau asked if there were any other comments.

RCH's Chief Financial Officer, Sheila Hachmesiter said, 'You can tell the people here are concerned, and nobody knows what will happen next, and nobody knows what is going on, and people are here because we just don't know.' She said we live it every day and under a cloud.

Hachmeister stated, 'They say the best way to judge an organization's culture is by how you feel Sunday night, so I'm going to look at the advent team and ask you, 'How do you feel Sunday night?'' Heather Reinhart, Chief Human Resources Director at RCH, stated, 'I didn't want to close my eyes because Monday was coming.'

Chief Nursing Officer Pam Harmon stated, 'I can tell you I didn't want to come back to work.'

Harmon said she has a dedication to the employees and the people she works with, and she hates to see what the board is doing to the culture and the people at the hospital.

'We have the best hospital in the country, and you guys are going to run it in the ground. That's my opinion,' added Harmon.

Carol VanDyke said, 'Friday night, people sat at our house, all but three department heads, and I know Heather had sports stuff and was out with her kids.' She stated all these people showed up to their house to help them and waited until the fire marshal left and then formed a line to go into the house with flashlights and help pull out what little things they could, such as photo albums, and so forth.

'They were here, and they stayed with us and prayed with us,' said Van-Dyke.

Tammy Billinger of Hays, an RN at the hospital, said, had some of us others known (about the fire), we would have been there (to help) too. 'I want you to know that.'

Billinger continued, 'You don't know me, but I want you to know that when I found out about that night, and it just broke my heart, and I'm sorry that more of us didn't know because we would have been there.'

Carol said Jeff is at this job, not because they need the money or because he needs a job. It has been held over his head and threatened that he will be axed if he doesn't do this or that, or they'll go to the board.

She said, 'He doesn't need to be here. We are happily retired with multiple retirement funds—appraising, farm—we have a life outside of this, and he doesn't have to be here. He is here because of the staff.'

'He could have told you guys to shove it up your ass a long time ago, but he didn't.'

Chairman Comeau responded, 'I'm going to say something. This is a respectful situation, and I expect you to use proper language here. And if you choose not to, you leave, but I'm not going to listen to you cuss. You can say anything you'd like. I'm more than respectful of what you are saying, but I will not listen to that,' said Comeau.

Carol responded, 'I wish you would be respectful to my husband, the staff, and the hospital.'

Comeau responded, 'You don't know that I'm not.'

'It's pretty apparent you aren't,' replied Carol.

Comeau asked if there were any other comments.

Billinger said she wanted to thank Jeff, who will come in and empower us when we are trying something new. She said Jeff had recently empowered her. She stated they have a new system in the hospital that will help patients, nurses, and doctors regarding their safety.

Billinger asked those at the meeting if they had heard about the 29-yearold EMT who was knifed in the heart and killed after picking someone up in an ambulance.

Regarding the new system, Billinger said Jeff told her, 'You guys are smart, you have a team, you figure it out.' Billinger said they now have a system for our nurses, doctors, and patients where they can call and get help, and it was Jeff who empowered her and allowed her to run on a free reign.

'I don't know if it will save a whole lot of lives if someone comes in shooting, but we've got poten- tial,” stated Billinger. She thanked Jeff for letting her have that autonomy, stopping in their office, and having lunch with them. She said she had worked in many different hospitals and doesn't know if she has ever seen that.

'It's more of a respectful situation, and I appreciate you a lot, and I recognize that you didn't need to do this.' She continued, 'And despite a result of whatever happens, more people are pulling for you than you realize.

Jeff said, 'You are the greatest staff in the world that I have ever worked with and it's been a pleasure to encounter with you. I've learned so much. The dedication and empathy that you have for your patients and patient care are of the highest quality. I just have words to express my appreciation to this staff, like you to work with, that are the best ever in my life and I've had a lot.'

Billinger said that is why she came to RCH with VanDyke stating, 'You people can move mountains if you want to.'

Billinger responded, 'With the right administration.'

Jordyn Wilkens was the next person to speak. She said that as a community member who has just moved back, she realizes how important the hos-