Metro board to decide fate of Nashville General Hospital CEO
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Photo: Courtesy of Nashville General Hospital
The fate of Nashville General Hospital's longtime CEO is up in the air after long-simmering tensions rippled into public view and a committee voted to get rid of him.
Why it matters: The issue will come to a head on Thursday when the Hospital Authority board meets to decide whether to renew CEO Joseph Webb's contract.
Driving the news: A committee tasked with assessing Webb's job performance on Tuesday recommended against extending his contract, which expires June 30.
- The vote was 3-0 with one abstention.
The big picture: The safety net hospital has been a source of political and financial turmoil for city leaders. Many stakeholders believe a new hospital facility is needed, and some board members cast doubt on whether Webb is the right person to shepherd that project.
- General Hospital specializes in care for poor patients who can't afford to pay. Metro subsidizes the hospital to the tune of $60 million this budget.
- The Nashville Banner reported earlier this week that a recent financial audit uncovered an array of accounting issues at General Hospital.
Zoom in: General Hospital and Meharry Medical College have been at odds on a professional services agreement to extend their collaboration. Mayor Freddie O'Connell says the deal must be finalized before he will consider a new hospital.
- Meharry leader James Hildreth has sparred with Webb over the new agreement, which is necessary because the hospital is a teaching facility for the college's students.
State of play: Board member David Esquivel said during Tuesday's committee meeting that a new hospital facility is a top priority, but getting the expensive and complicated project off the ground requires "coalition building."
- "From what I have observed, Dr. Webb has not been able to amass the coalition that is needed to take that [project] forward," Esquivel said.
Esquivel lauded Webb for taking on the role during a difficult time and bringing stability since he was hired in 2015.
- But Esquivel concluded it was time to move on, citing the dispute with Meharry and the need to improve relationships with the mayor's office.
What he's saying: In a statement on Tuesday after the committee's vote, O'Connell stopped short of calling for Webb's removal, but said he agreed with the committee "that we need a leader to take Nashville General Hospital into the future."
The other side: Board member Shindana Feagins, a Meharry graduate, defended Webb.
- "I believe that he can do the job," Feagins said. "He has a passion … for the underserved and for the marginalized, and he's done great things since he's been here."
What's next: The Hospital Authority board meets at 4pm.