MCDH Board Puts OB at Risk Again

CFO Sturgeon Survives Investigation; OB Back on Table

Editorial by Marianne McGee, MA/ABS

The New Year began with an eventual censure of Mendocino Coast District Hospital Board member Dr. Peter Glusker, because he copied an email to the MCDH board distribution list that resulted in CFO Wade Sturgeon having an evaluation regarding alleged workplace harassment.

On June 13 The MCDH Board of Directors met to address the results of an “investigation by an outside legal firm” and voted 4-1 to retain Mr. Sturgeon in his present position under the terms of his current contract.  Given the fact his accuser, Ms. Ellen Hardin former Chief Human Resources Officer, was allegedly fired and has filed legal action against the hospital, this outcome was not a tremendous surprise.

Mendocino TV was surprised, after what appeared to be assurances of support of the OB/Obstetrics program at the last MCDH Board meeting, to learn the hospital Board of Directors will discuss and vote on OB continuation at their June 22 meeting, which will be in Fort Bragg Town Hall.

Vicki Wellspring, representing the Fort Bragg Huddle’ asked if President Lund had received a petition with 135 signatures protesting the threatened OB closure and support for Mendocino Coast Clinics to hire an additional OB physician to help lower MCDH’s costs.  He thanked her for the feedback and confirmed it appears there will be a vote taken that night, which begins at 6:00 PM. Watch her interview as we wait for the relatively short closed session to reconvene.

Mendocino TV was disappointed to see yet another attempt, presumably initiated by Dr. Kevin Miller who ineptly led the OB Ad Hoc Committee, to slash OB care on the coast.  Dr. Miller, after delivering his own daughter fairly recently at MCDH, has consistently undermined any progress to investigate legitimate improvements to the OB program.  As the Chair of the MCDH Planning Committee and a MCDH medical provider, Dr. Miller has a tremendous amount of power to negatively impact this community long after he has abandoned it.

Watch the numerous meetings of the Ad Hoc OB Committee on Mendocino TV and read our reports/editorials. OB Articles  You can also watch recent MCDH Planning Committee meetings, which has not met 2 out of the last 6 months and been extremely ineffective, resulting in the resignations of two community members.  We certainly hope the community continues to show up and speak up to keep this vital service providing robust care to coastal families.