A message from Kristie Whitlatch, our president/CEO: Dear Friend of King’s Daughters, After months of negotiations, we finalized a settlement agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) related to its investigation into our cardiac program. After expending a lot of resources over the last three years defending this matter, no end was in sight. This was a very difficult decision; however, we decided we could not afford to continue draining valuable resources on government allegations related to old cases. Some people will interpret the settlement as an admission of guilt. It is not. Since this investigation began, we have adamantly denied the government’s claims. Indeed, the Settlement Agreement clearly states that it is not an admission of liability by Kings Daughters, which means we admit no wrongdoing. Our decision to settle has no bearing on how the Medical Center views the quality of its cardiac program. We are confident we are among the best in the United States. In fact, we’ve had independent reviewers living among us for nearly three years, at our request. The data confirm the cardiac care we deliver today meets or exceeds the standards set by national cardiac experts. We have provided and continue to provide excellent patient care, and we firmly stand behind our team members and our physicians. I am very sensitive to the important economic impact we have on this community. Please know that every decision I’ve made in the past five months had the possibility of a settlement in mind. I openly share this information with you because I recognize that part of my role as President/CEO is being a good community partner. While I’ve received a warm welcome into my new role, I know I still have to earn your trust. As part of this, I am committed to transparency (good news and bad). I will keep you informed on our important business matters related to quality, value, corporate compliance, and business integrity. We will behave and conduct business openly and responsibly. I truly believe we can learn from tough times and rebuild to be a better, stronger, smarter organization. As your healthcare team, we are committed to providing extraordinary care and exceptional customer service to our patients and their families. Based on your feedback, we are working very hard to improve our scheduling and registration processes, as well as making healthcare more affordable by lowering prices and adding financial information and options prior to procedures being done. You will be hearing more about this soon. It’s a new day at King’s Daughters and we are moving forward with renewed energy. I am proud to represent the men and women who make King’s Daughters an outstanding organization. Your support is also appreciated, and is essential to our success. Kristie Whitlatch President/CEO
Posted on: Wed, 28 May 2014 15:28:28 +0000