8:21 PM. From Dothan Dr. Wewers

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 2134

Posted by: RStokes
[email protected]
3347901729
Date: Oct 21 2024 8:24 PM

FROM DOTHAN DR. WEWERS

As an internal medicine physician in Dothan, I have built my practice on integrity and treating my patients with respect while providing them quality medical care. For the 21 years that I have lived and worked in Dothan, that care has been delivered in one place-Southeast Health. Our office is there and I take care of my hospitalized patients there.

As a physician, it is also important to have the support of a comprehensive healthcare system like Southeast Health. It is with this in mind, that I felt compelled to weigh in on the debate over Local Amendment 1, which will be on the ballot in Houston County on November 5.
First, I applaud Dr. Walter Young for taking a stand to clear up the misinformation being continually spread by Houston County Commission Chairman concerning Southeast Health and Amendment 1. Dr. Young is not only a fellow physician who is well respected in the medical community, he is a mentor of mine.

The Chairman has stated on more than one occasion that candidates for consideration to be appointed to the board have no desire to serve. His assertion is that three names are presented to the commission with only one wanting to actually be appointed.

I can only speak on my behalf, but the Chairman’s comments are a complete fabrication of the truth and I personally find them highly offensive. He has brought into question my integrity and accused me of being a party to circumventing the Houston County Health Care Authority appointment process.

I was nominated for a position on the hospital board in September 2023 for the seat currently held by Dr. Walter Young. I served on the authority board several years ago when I was president of the staff. I felt like it was a very important job and that I could bring to it my knowledge and experience as a physician and as a small business owner. I had mentioned to some of the other board members to keep me in mind if there was an opening. I certainly wasn’t looking to take Dr. Young’s position, but understanding the rules of the nomination and appointment process, I understood that the board had to nominate two other qualified candidates in addition to the incumbent-Dr. Young.

I called Houston County District IV Commissioner James Ivey, who makes the appointments to the board in my district, to discuss my interest in serving on the hospital board. I must say it was a rather odd conversation, but the long and short of it was that he would not be appointing any of the three of us. I suppose that by this time the commission had decided to stop appointing board members-even though this is their duty by law-and are now waiting on the outcome of this election.

I’ve seen the hospital board first hand strategically plan for the future. The board members are guided by one principle, provide this region with the best possible healthcare. They have healthy discussions to determine the best path for the hospital’s future growth. In the four years that I observed the board, I never saw any indication that the board members had any other motivation than to guide SEH to continuing improvement and sound financial standing.

Don’t be fooled by the shortened language you will see on the ballot for Local of Amendment 1. The Houston County Commission already has the authority to choose members of the hospital board through the current legal process. I urge you to join me and Dr. Young in voting “NO” on Amendment 1 on November 5 to keep the checks and balance system in place when it comes to our hospital.

Sincerely
Donavon Wewers M.D.

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