A storm in Southern California

Modern Healthcare - June 8, 2009
A public district hospital north of San Diego is in turmoil, with the board of directors suspending nine top administrators; physicians in revolt over how the hospital is being run; patient census and revenue dropping; and investors, donors and the public spooked.  MORE>

Trustees fail to see troubled waters

San Diego Union-Tribune - June 4, 2009
In voting against a doctor-supported task force to study different governance models for the deeply troubled public hospital district, the board majority has guaranteed that their political life spans will be Hobbesian – solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.  MORE>

Tri-City lashes out at Scripps in lawsuit

San Diego Union-Tribune - June 3, 2009
In a move that promises to inflame an already bitter rivalry, Tri-City Healthcare District sued Scripps Health yesterday, saying that some North County doctors affiliated with Scripps are preventing their patients from seeking treatment at the district's Oceanside hospital.  MORE>

Troubled Tri-City

San Diego Union-Tribune - June 3, 2009
Hopes had built that Tri-City Hospital's eccentric four-person board majority might crack for a moment of rationality. Just one defector was needed to authorize a task force to study the facility's financial problems and report back on whether a sale or alliance might bring in capital the institution needs so badly.  MORE>

Tri-City sues Scripps over patient shift

North County Times - June 2, 2009
Tri-City Medical Center sued Scripps Health Inc. on Tuesday, alleging the giant hospital system has illegally poached Tri-City patients and is risking their health by forcing them to go to distant Scripps-run facilities.  MORE>

Civil grand jury raps Tri-City board

North County Times - June 2, 2009
The San Diego County grand jury issued a report Tuesday finding that Tri-City Medical Center's system of governance may be holding the hospital back and urging Tri-City to seek an independent review that would include exploring other governing options.  MORE>

Too public?

North County Times - June 1, 2009
The bed-bound patients at Tri-City Medical Center last Thursday afternoon could not have suspected the acrimony breaking out downstairs on floor L-L.  MORE>

Tri-City looking for new refinancing option

North County Times - May 29, 2009
For the second time in several weeks, Tri-City Medical Center is looking for a bank to help it refinance $58 million in outstanding construction bonds that are grinding away at the public hospital's profit margin.  MORE>

Tri-City board nixes task force to study how hospital is run

San Diego Union-Tribune - May 29, 2009
The governing board of Tri-City Medical Center rejected a proposal yesterday by doctors to study the way the hospital is governed and possibly affiliate with another health care operator to run it.  MORE>

Tri-City board votes down doctor's call to appoint governance task force

North County Times - May 28, 2009
Drawing groans and cries of "recall" from many in the audience, four of seven board members shot down a motion to examine new ways to govern Tri-City Medical Center.  MORE>

Tri-City board hires its third staff counsel in 5 months

San Diego Union-Tribune - May 24, 2009
Gregory Moser of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch, which has offices in San Diego and Carlsbad, was selected by the public hospital district's board Thursday.  MORE>

Tri-City board refuses to face unpleasant reality

San Diego Union-Tribune - May 23, 2009
Imagine a car fire in the parking lot at Tri-City Hospital. Is there any doubt, in the public's mind, that this board of directors would be debating a month later on whether to call the Fire Department?  MORE>

Tri-City rings up hit, misses

North County Times - May 7, 2009
The din and fury surrounding Tri-City Medical Center's administration continues, as do the lingering doubts about the coastal public hospital's future. By our count, the board has one hit, two misses.  MORE>

Tri-City confirms firing of 8 others

San Diego Union-Tribune - May 6, 2009
A day after releasing terms of a severance package worth as much as $1 million to former chief executive Arthur Gonzalez, Tri-City Healthcare District officials confirmed yesterday that they fired all other employees placed on paid administrative leave with Gonzalez on Dec. 18.  MORE>

Tri-City's severance deal tops $1 million

San Diego Union-Tribune - May 5, 2009
The Tri-City Healthcare District board and former chief executive Arthur Gonzalez have agreed to a severance deal worth more than $1 million in cash and benefits.  MORE>

Tri-City board punts doctors' proposal

North County Times - April 30, 2009
Calling for more time to "hear the other side of the story" hospital directors decided not to answer calls Thursday from doctors, nurses and employees to explore alternative ways to govern Tri-City Medical Center.  MORE>

Tri-City's future: Hospital board must consider all alternatives

San Diego Union-Tribune - April 30, 2009
Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside is at a crossroads. This afternoon the board will be asked to form a task force to study whether there is a better way to operate and govern the taxpayer-owned facility.  MORE>

Doctors ask for leadership change at Tri-City

North County Times - April 27, 2009
A dozen doctors stood shoulder-to-shoulder Monday at Tri-City Medical Center and said they will ask the hospital's publicly elected board to help find a new, less incendiary form of government within the next 90 days.  MORE>

Status of Tri-City CEO unknown after meeting

San Diego Union-Tribune - April 2, 2009
After meeting for nearly four hours in closed session last night, the governing board of the Tri-City Medical Center had nothing to say on the fate of President and CEO Arthur Gonzalez, whom it had placed on leave Dec. 18.  MORE>

Interim Tri-City CEO has remedies

San Diego Union-Tribune - March 1, 2009
The interim chief executive of Tri-City Medical Center announced last week that he was waging a campaign on several fronts to try to halt a slide in patients and revenue at the Oceanside hospital.  MORE>

Tri-City abandons suit vs. surgeon

San Diego Union-Tribune - February 28, 2009
The Tri-City Healthcare District is asking a Superior Court judge to dismiss a lawsuit it filed to recoup $583,000 it lent a surgeon to start a medical practice that failed.  MORE>