Yates departure raised during WMC special session

The Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors met in special and executive sessions on Thursday, May 31 to take up issues related to WMC’s responsibility, if any, regarding being signatories to USDA loan documents for the new hospital project and to engage CEO Noel Rea in a discussion about his annual performance review.

The resignation of Dr. James Yates from Alaska Island Community Services on May 30 overshadowed the main agenda items during public comment, however, when one concerned resident raised the question of emergency room coverage at Wrangell Medical Center.

Judy Allen, a proponent of the WMC recall election set for June 19, asked the board about Yates’ resignation – and about what that would mean for ER coverage at WMC.

“I’m concerned with Dr. Yates being gone,” Allen told the board. “What’s going to happen with the ER? I’m concerned with that.”

Allen then continued with her explanation about what she felt about Yates’ departure from Wrangell.

“Just the fact that he is gone creates an emergency in my mind. I’m wondering if anybody has thought about how you can calm people’s concerns about how long we’re just going to have Dr. (Lynn) Prysunka?” Allen asked.

WMC Board President Mark Robinson was first – and quick to respond – to Allen’s statement.

“The first thing, is you don’t whip people up,” Robinson stated. “If the management is handling this issue, you have to give them a chance to handle it. You can’t go around whipping people up with hearsay.”

Robinson also spoke to the seriousness of the allegations regarding Yates’ resignation.

“Issues like this, because they’re very volatile issues, it’s easy to get people excited,” Robinson said.

Before the meeting, Rea would not allude to a reason for Yates’ sudden departure, but did try to reassure those who might feel staff levels at the hospital are dangerously low.

“Officially, we have no comment other than that he is no longer working at the hospital,” WMC CEO Noel Rea said. “Steps are being taken, however, to make sure that we have physician coverage. I feel comfortable that quality care will continue on.”

Yates’ resignation leaves Prysunka as the only permanent physician currently credentialed to work in the ER – though Alaska Island Community Services executive director Mark Walker added that he is acting to keep staffing levels adequate at WMC.

“We are contacting agencies that provide temporary doctors,” Walker said. “We’re trying to get somebody here as soon as possible.”

Tideline operations manager Carly Allen said Yates had worked on an as-needed basis for AICS in a locum tenens, or temporary capacity, for WMC in the ER for more than five years.

Yates has been a licensed physician in Alaska since 1997 and has operated a private clinic in Talkeetna.

Contacted at his home, Yates stated that his departure stemmed from a phone call with Prysunka.

“Because of the way Dr. Prysunka reacted to a phone call from me for help, I felt like I had no backup with her in the ER,” Yates said. “So, I told Sue (Nelson) I was quitting. She was very concerned and told me she wanted to get Dr. Prysunka to come talk about it. I said ‘no’ that I didn’t want Prysunka around me. At that point I said I had to go and walked out of the hospital.”

When asked, Walker said he could not comment on Yates’ allegations or departure, but did stand behind Prysunka and her work at WMC.

“My only comment is that AICS has complete confidence in Dr. Prysunka’s professional abilities and conduct,” Walker said.

Acting in a capacity as spokesman for AICS, Dr. Greg Salard echoed his boss, telling the board Prysunka is doing the best she can with the hand she has been dealt.

“You’re right, there is only one doctor privileged at the hospital right now, Dr. Prysunka,” Salard said. “She is capable and she knows that she’s up against a hard path to hoe right now. AICS is, however, trying to recruit doctors both locally and as permanent physicians … this is quite unexpected, so they are trying to get some locums to come in so she won’t be by herself for very long.”

Salard also spoke to the uphill battle he said AICS has faced in getting physicians to come to Wrangell.

“It’s been extremely difficult,” Salard added. “There are three doctors we’re aware of that have publicly said they won’t come here as long as this board and administrator are here because they fear for their career.”

There was no consensus among the board or Salard as to when a new physician might be hired by AICS.

Public comment continued with Salard giving the board an unfiled affidavit from one of his patients – an affidavit that he said retracts an earlier statement regarding his actions as a physician at Tideline Clinic.

“She is retracting her statement, a patient complaint,” Salard told the board. “She said, ‘Dr. Salard is a good, caring doctor. The hospital should not use anything from my previous statement, anything pertaining to the care I received from him, nor anything to do with my offer to let him adopt my baby in order to justify revoking his privileges.’”

Salard declined to give the Sentinel a copy of the affidavit, or identify its writer, as he said it had not yet been filed in District Court.

Due to an on-going legal battle between her husband and Salard, board member Linda Bjorge recused herself from the meeting during Salard’s presentation.

The agenda item dealing with any responsibility the board might have to sign legal documents or agreements with USDA regarding the WMC renovation was dealt with quickly.

The board, with member Jake Harris absent, agreed that Borough Manager Tim Rooney and Mayor Jeremy Maxand were the only individuals authorized to sign documents regarding the loan guarantee made by USDA.