Hospital Board Holds
Unscheduled Meeting
By W. Lee Brame
Published:
Claiborne
Progress
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Correspondent
County Mayor Joe Tyler Duncan called hospital board members in for a
workshop to discuss possible candidates for hospital administrator Tim
Brown's now vacant position on Thursday, Jan. 24.
No decisions were made at the meeting but board members reviewed several
resumes and heard presentations from three of the leading candidates.
The hurried meeting initially disturbed several of the board members since
the current contract with Baptist Healthcare (now St. Mary's) calls for the
board to approve or disapprove the individual nominated by St. Mary's. If
the suggested candidate is not acceptable to the board, then St. Mary's is
responsible for finding another qualified candidate. The board is not
normally asked to augment a search committee's efforts. Jack Ryan, a
representative from St. Mary's presented their recommendation but suggested
that since the current contract between St. Mary's and Claiborne County
Hospital expires in less than 18 months, that the hospital board might be
inclined to be more involved in the search.
Presentations were made
by three candidates but it was evident that several members of the board
were reluctant to take any action without reviewing the legal ramifications
of not following the current contract guidelines for hiring a hospital
administrator.
While each candidate possessed skills and knowledge that would be valuable
to the hospital, Duncan charged the board and St. Mary's with the
responsibility of finding a new hospital administrator who will provide the
best long-term service to the people of the county. The workshop lasted
under two hours. The board met on Tuesday evening, Jan. 29, to conduct their
normal monthly meeting and to further discuss the vacant hospital
administrator's position. 
