UPDATED @ 7:54 PM. 7:39 AM Southeast Alabama Medical Center On Behavioral Medical Unit Diversion

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 7023

Posted by: RStokes
Date: Oct 25 2017 8:14 AM

DOTHAN:  Southeast Alabama Medical Unit is on Behavioral Medicine Unit Diversion and has been since Tuesday. That means they can accept no patients what so ever that would be admitted to the BMU Unit.

Southeast Alabama Medical Center is governed by a 13 member board. The Board consists of Chester Sowell, Chairman: John McDaniel, Vice Chairman: Mary Mayo,, Secretary: Bruce Wozow, Treasurer: Stephen L. Fernandez, MD: Tellis Copeland: James Kelley: Taylor Knight: Don Owens: Lance Shephard: Tony Strickland: Bob Theune: Walter Young, MD.

CLICK HERE FOR BOARD MEMBERS PICTURES

LAST WEEK Southeast Alabama Medical Center was on "complete diversion". That meant no patients could be accepted at SAMC. All ambulances were to divert to other hospitals.

This board hired Rick Sutton from Colorado as the Chief Executive Officer for Southeast Alabama Medical Center. Sutton went through an "optimization" process. That is not always bad in a place the size of SAMC. But as a result more than 75 people lost their jobs at SAMC.

Sutton has not proven to be a community person. He has come into Dothan - Houston County apparently feeling above others and not playing well with the medical community. The community that has worked day and night to make Southeast Alabama Medical Center what it is.

We have reached out to Sutton but have been told he will not return telephone calls. We have spoke with a couple of Southeast Alabama Medical Center Board Members about that. Apparently they do not have the backbone to have Sutton return the calls. Sutton, referred to by some as "Gladimir Putin", apparently commands the Board Members rather than the Board Members commanding Sutton.

Many doctors have stopped practicing at SAMC. Those doctors include Mark Byard, Dr. Woodham and Dr. Voss, Dr. Davis and Dr. Bess and others. They only practice at Flowers Hospital

Over the decades of both SAMC and Flowers Hospital, both facilities have always had a great working relationship with each other. Since Sutton AKA "Gladimir Putin" has come from Colorado to Dothan that working relationship, well has gone to "hell in a handbasket".

This Colorado come to Dothan CEO will only be here as long as 13 people pay him six figures in salary. That stops, do not ever think he is here to stay.

Sowell served eight years as Dothan Mayor. Under his leadership Sowell was responsible for the employment of some worthless City Managers. Sowell also was responsible for the employment of former Dothan Police Chief John Powell. 

Powell was a Police Chief that came in while Sowell was Mayor and continued under Pat Thomas Mayor tenure. John Powell cost Dothan Police Department about 100 police officers and almost destroyed the Dothan Police Department. When Mike Schmitz was elected Dothan Mayor, then Police Chief John Powell saw the handwriting on the wall... Mike Schmitz would tell him to GO GO GO...so before Schmitz took over Powell LEFT LEFT LEFT...

The only reason I am writing this is I am extremely concerned with activities of SAMC. And I know they will stop advertising with me. However to Rickey Stokes, lives are far more important than the advertising. Someone has to have the courage to speak up.

And I do because your life and your families life is far more important to me.

UPDATED @ 7:54 PM

SAMC is off BMU Diversion.

<- back