VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) - South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta issued a statement on Wednesday which leaves open the possibility that two cardiothoracic surgeons whose contracts were terminated by the hospital may remain on staff after all.
Dr. Joe Johnson and Dr. Randall Brown told a newspaper that they had received a letter from SGMC CEO Ross Berry, notifying them that their contracts were terminated.
This news caused an uproar in the community, and brought out 60 or 70 protesters who rallied at the Hospital Authority meeting at SGMC Wednesday morning.
The story was viewed over 30,000 times on WALB's digital platforms Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
The hospital board issued this statement Wednesday afternoon-
"The Hospital Authority of Valdosta and Lowndes County, Georgia met earlier today and made the following decision regarding the separation of Doctors. Randy Brown and Joe Johnson.
The termination without cause is still in effect, but SGMC will allow Doctors. Brown and Johnson to work out a 90-day notice. During that time, SGMC will try to negotiate a new contract with these doctors. If the terms of the new agreement can be agreed upon during the 90-day period, Doctors. Brown and Johnson will continue to serve patients at SGMC. If the terms cannot be agreed upon after 90 days, the termination will stand.
SGMC remains committed to providing the highest level of cardiothoracic care to Valdosta and surrounding communities and will work diligently towards this end."
Copyright 2018 WALB. All rights reserved.
VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) - Protesters gathered outside South Georgia Medical Center around 7:00 Wednesday morning, after two cardiologists were terminated this week.
A billboard in the Valdosta area asked for residents to attend a board meeting this morning at SGMC in support of the two cardiologists.
Dr. Joe Johnson and Dr. Randall Brown confirmed to the Valdosta Daily Times they received a letter from SGMC CEO Ross Berry notifying them their contracts were terminated.
SGMC also confirmed it ended agreements with Johnson and Brown, who are cardiothoracic surgeons with the SGMC CardioVascular Institute.
The hospital released the following statement:
SGMC has ended its agreements with the current cardiothoracic surgeons of the SGMC CardioVascular Institute.
“While we aren’t able to discuss personnel matters regarding these physicians, I can tell you that we are actively recruiting cardiothoracic surgeons and are already thrilled to be able to bring a physician to Valdosta with the experience and expertise of Dr. Randy Metcalf,” said SGMC CEO C. Ross Berry. “He is here in Valdosta and is already hard at work.”
Dr. Metcalf has nearly 30 years experience as a surgeon and cardiothoracic surgeon. Dr. Metcalf completed a residency at The Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH where he was Chief Resident for Cardiothoracic Surgery. He also completed a clinical fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Harvard University New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston.
After completing his medical degree at University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston, Dr. Metcalf completed a residency in Surgery and was Chief Surgery Resident at University of Colorado in Denver.
Dr. Metcalf is Board Certified in General Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery. He was born in Independence, Kansas and is married with three children.
“We believe Valdosta can and will be a regional referral center for cardiothoracic surgery,” Berry said. “We are committed to continuing and enhancing the services provided by the SGMC CardioVascular Institute.”
In an effort to improve the overall quality of care provided within its cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgery programs, leadership at SGMC recommended in May 2017 that the hospital report open heart surgery data to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) as well as other quality databases such as the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
“Reporting of this data helps lead to real-time validation of quality outcomes,” Berry said. “It also helps improve patient outcomes, identify initiatives and new areas for quality improvement.”
SGMC initially joined the STS database in 2003 and began reporting data. SGMC was accredited by the American College of Cardiology with the designation of Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI from 2005 through 2008 based on quality outcomes. SGMC Cardiovascular Institute opened in July 2014 and the STS contract ended in early 2015 with no data being reported since. Out of 1,000 hospitals nationally performing open-heart surgery, 60 percent voluntarily report to STS and/or Consumer Reports.
“The top cardiac programs in Georgia and throughout the region report their data to validate their quality,” Berry said. “In order to make sure that we are providing our patients with the highest possible quality and outcomes, we need to do the same.”
South Georgia Medical Center has hired surgeon Randy Metcalf as a replacement in the CardioVascular Institute.
Copyright 2018 WALB. All rights reserved.
