Copley Transitions

written by News & Citizen, Amy Kolb Noyes

01/26/2007




New Copley Health Systems Chief Executive Officer Melvyn Patashnick rounded out his first day on the job with the CHS annual membership meeting Monday evening, January 22.  Compared to last year's contentious three hour meeting, this year's meeting was a breeze.  All voters were unanimous and the entire meeting wrapped up in just over a half-hour.
Former CEO Warren West announced his resignation at the last annual meeting, on February 13, 2006.  Less than a year later, Interim CEO Jeff White bowed out and welcomed Patashnick to the hospital's helm.
"I think the whole Copley family should be enormously proud of what you've accomplished, of what we've accomplished together,"  White said of the past 11 months.  He noted the past year saw the successful negotiation of a new two-year nurses union contract, and the official dis-affiliation of Copley Manor (now The Manor) and Lamoille County Mental Health Services.
Last year's mild winter and lack of flu season left the hospital on "rocky financial ground" when he arrived last February, White said.  However, he noted the organization ended fisacl year 2006 in the black by two percent.
Board of Trustees Chair Sue Sargent announced she would also be stepping down, so a new Trustee Chair would accomany the CEO into the next year.  Later, at a trustees' meeting following the annual meeting Jan Roy was picked to replace Sargent as Chair.
In her remarks, Sargent said the organization was off to a good financial start in 2007.  She siad this will allow the leadership to focus on Copley's core services and "providing the best care we can at the hospital."
Sargent noted two of Copley's core services, women's and children's care and emergency care will be focused upon in the new facilities plan.  Other core services include gneral surgery, orthopedic surgery and primary care.  Sargent noted Copley acquired Mansfield Orthopaedics, now located at a new orthpaedics facility.  She also said Copley's primary care practices, having been off to form Lamoille Community Health Services have been granted Federally Qualified Health Care Look Alike status.
Under "other business," it was noted Copley just completed its first full year as a critical access hospital, adding about $2 million in revenue to the budget.  Thus far, Copley has not needed to divert any patients due to a lack of beds.
A slate of trustees was unanimously elected.  They include third-term trustees Ken Gibbons, Jan Roy and Sue Sargent; second-term trustees Art Gleiner, MD, Anne Johnson, RN and Midge Lechevalier; and first-term trustees Willa Farrell, Brian Smale, MD and Anne Vitaletti-Coughlin, MD.  Sharon Green was re-elected as the Governance Committee Member at Large.  Departing trustees John Egenberg and Dave Vinick were recognized for their service.

Contact Information
Amy Kolb Noyes
News & Citizen
802-888-2212