Dumas residents angry about Delta Memorial Hospital’s recent termination of Dr. Peter Go called for the resignation of the hospital’s chief executive officer Thursday night during an emotionally charged, standing-room-only meeting.
The hospital board, on January 26, voted 5-1 to give Dr. Go the 60-day required notice that his contract with the hospital would not be renewed. In a February 6 letter, the hospital notified Go that his services would not be needed during the 60-day period, gave him 30 days notice that his emergency room services would be terminated, and requested that he remove his personal belongings by February 10. After filing suit against the hospital, Go was allowed to return to the hospital to complete the 60 days as outlined in his contract.
In response to community outcry, petitions, and questions about the board’s action, the board held a public meeting, which, at times, was reduced to a shouting match with attendees calling for Delta Memorial Hospital CEO Cris Bolin’s resignation and asking why Dr. Go’s contract was not renewed.
Most of the meeting can be viewed in the following videos in which Bolin is seated on the far left at the board table. Seated next to her, from left to right, are board members Timothy Jones, Don Livingston and James Berry, the mayor of Dumas. Board members Benny Estes, Glen Crow and Dr. Thomas Lewellen, who cast the lone dissenting vote in the board’s January 26 action, did not attend the Thursday night meeting.
This was so excellent! I can’t wait to see the rest! I want to know how the board or Whoever changed the bi-laws, because it was my understanding, Dr. Go was suppose to be the next Chief of Staff. Why are you taking all the jobs from Desha County residents and giving them all to friends from Drew County!? You are advertising for LPNs yet you just laid off two of them from Dr. Go’s Clinic! What kind of sense does this make and if you are making these decisions, you are senseless!!
This response above shows how ignorant some of you people are. GO has left before because he didn’t get what he wanted. This is the same physician that has numerous lawsuits and complaints against him. Yes lets get rid of the non-dumas employees and physicians. Within a month the hospital would close and we would never get it back. All because of not only that one physicians greed but those of you that are using this to self promote yourself.
First of all Jeff, know your facts. They begged Dr. Go to come back to Dumas to save the hospital. He came back to the same old Bull! Taking jobs from Desha counties residents that pay taxes, “guess where” in Desha County to give to Drew and Bradley Counties resident is Just Plain Wrong! What you fail to understand is they are getting rid of good workers to bring in their “yes” people! You know what, for all the things he does, he don’t get paid for them! I wonder if the other doctors can say the same? You can’t go around changing rules to suit your needs, that’s why they are rules. Also, you don’t have to like Dr. Go and you don’t have to agree with Dr. Go. Work is work! Come to work and do your job and work together but when you leave that hospital, you don’t have to speak or whatever and speaking of working together. I can tell you who don’t play fair, who don’t work well with others, if they it rained they would drown from having their heads so High up in the air! Plus their services are a waste of our money!
Dr. go is one of the best doctors around. He is the one that figured out that my son Daniel is allergic to penicillin, and has asthma . That was in 1987.
My oldest sister worked at Delta Memorial Hospital, She was also one that was unjustly let go by this Chris Bolins. I know exactly how she felt. Arkat feeds kinda did me the same way. Funny how the wheels of Gods winepress turn slow, but grinds small!
If you want to know why Go was fired get him to sign a release for his personnel file. Why all the speculation? Wasn’t it just a few years ago when he got mad because he didn’t get what he wanted and left and went to McGhee Hospital? This wasn’t the same Admin then. Amazing that some of you want to get rid of all the physicians except for Go and Lewellen.. Would they be able to keep the Hospital open? No. The hospital would soon close and then it would almost be impossible to get reopened. Don’t let the greed of one man bring down our hospital.
It’s gonna close anyway because all respect is gone! Is it the greed of one man “as you want to claim”? or the greed or many? Some get paid if they see one patient or 100, some get paid for ER, some become Chief of Staff after only 3 months. Some doctors even get to vote even if they are not a employee of DMH! Setting someone up to watch them fall, Give Me A Break! If you kept getting kick after you are down, even a abused dog with bite back!
Also get the other doctors to release their personal file, since we are in the Sharing mood. What the matter Mr. Daniels, will the hospital take some of their money from your bank?
thanks for covering this story. it is bigger than Dr.Go. this administrator does not have the experience to be CEO of anything. she has fired local residents and replaced them with her friends from monticello and warren. please weigh in on why a small hospital has a chief nursing officer and a director of nursing. human resources and the maintenance guy is running the hospital. there is a lot of wrongdoing going on and has been going on. they have become complacent in their mess. the board is a joke! it would be really funny if it wasn’t so sad. can someone please tell our state attorney general that we need an investigation here and definitely an audit. what’s the prob, the town has said they want her out? the board needs to put their egos aside and realize they represent the people.
Amen. Like you said you are getting rid of tax paying Desha County citizen employees for other counties and God’s knows how much they make. We will contact the Attorney General because like UAMS, an Internal Audit needs to be done!
Patty,
I would like to thank you for being at the meeting and sharing it with the public. There are many issues involving the staff and administration that I don’t feel at liberty to speak about in a public forum but they will come to light in time. There are reasons Dr. Go left and went to McGehee but the ones stated here aren’t exactly true. Everyone needs to remember there are several sides to every story, mine, yours and the truth.
The people have Dumas have spoken. Hopefully the board has heard them.
Dr Go only has the best interest of his patients in mind. He has served this community for nearly 30 years. I grew up spending time in his home. There were very few weekends that he left Desha county because he was busy working in the Delta Memorial ER.
As for Jeff Daniels comments, Dr Go is just as human as the next doctor. Show me one doctor, anywhere, who has not been sued for malpractice? Anytime a family loses a loved one, there is emotional distress. Some people let this distress turn to anger and their only way to cope is to blame the medical team. This leads them to sue. It is a very unfortunate thing for both parties.
I agree. It’s like everyone in some kind of position wants to critize or put down the working person for their opinion. They know what doctor they want to see. I don’t run a bank Jeff and I’m not the CEO of a hospital that put good workers out of work to further their truth or friends but what I do know is, the Mayor is in trouble, the board is in trouble and all those employees that sit around at DMH and drew those Big checks for just showing up is in trouble. God help them all when they have to really work for a LIVING!
Dr Go has been in Dumas over 30 years, he and Mrs. Rosa raised their 3 daughters in Dumas and they all graduated from Dumas Public Schools. My mom worked for him when I was born and he has been my families physician for 23 years. We followed him when he went to McGehee & back to Dumas & will so again. My grandmother suffered a heart attack & he saved her life. She also more recently had a pulmonary embolism and he saved her life again. I know of many many lives he has saved. He is an exceptional physician. He more recently been treating my aunt in wound clinic every Tuesday to get her leg to heal so it won’t have to be amputated. He works with many elderly patients in wound clinic, so they may have a better quality of life. All of my family fully supports Dr Go and get quality medical care with him as our physician.
The hospital is a Non Profit which means, the records are open to the public and we should demand them!
You know UAMS is having an internal audit with great results! Let’s see how we can get one for DMH because if they have nothing to hide, no harm done, right?!
Thanks so much for this info! Like you said, they do have some right to public knowledge but guess what they can hide?! Plus is the public don’t appoint the board than we are back to square one, YES people!
Sorry Repeal City Sales Tax but you are mistaken. Delta Memorial Hospital is subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act despite its 501 (c) 3 IRS status.
From FOIArkansas.com:
The Arkansas attorney general has said that advisory boards and committees are subject to the FOIA if they are directly supported by public funds. Mississippi’s law restricts coverage of its open records law to entities “created by the Constitution, or by law, executive order, ordinance or resolution.”
In Arkansas, records of any agency “wholly or partially supported by public funds or expending public funds” are open under the FOIA, as long as the private group does “public business” or is otherwise connected to governmental activities. Arkansas courts have specifically held that law firms hired by a city, a hospital receiving federal funds and an athletic conference are subject to the open records law.
Only ignorant person that keep writing is Mr. Daniels. Come walk a mile in Dr. Go’s Shoes!
Just saw the hospital’s 990 tax return and guess what I found?! GP’s was paid more than the Only surgeon Dr. Go! Greed Mr. Jeff Daniels, Seriously!? Not only was he paid a flat salary but it was almost half of what other doctors made. I can and will share this site if you need. Also these other doctors got to bill for their own inpatients, consults, and birth deliveries and Dr. Go is greedy? SMH He couldn’t charge for his surgeries, deliveries, Wound Care, inpatient, rounds or ER and he’s selfish and greedy. I guess ya’ll thought we were too ignorant to find this out, HUH? Once again, not only did he make almost half of what the other doctors was bringing in but they got to bill for their other services and Dr. Go couldn’t, yet he still choose to stick around for his community !!!!! I say that SELFLESS!!!!!!
Please share that website where you found that information. I would love to see it. Also what bank does Mr. Daniels work for? If I have an account with that bank it will be moved!
Mr. Daniels is over First National of McGehee. Plus all the citizens of Dumas need to vote that Mayor out his next term. Just google Delta Memorial Hospital 990 and you will see every tax return from 2009 back to 2002. Something’s not right about those tax returns. Don’t want to say online but look for yourself. Hope this help you Ms. Paula Smith. Thanks
My bad, Jim Daniels!
why CEO of DMH not resigning? the hosp board still supporting her after what she did unjustly to Dr Go? Why the board cant see? who is checkin the CEO? board so naive,cant see the otherside! in that case board need to be changed too!
It is so amazing to me how things escalate like they do during situations where people should not Be critiquing others or throwing out accusations they have no business throwing out.
Let’s state one truth: Dr. Go makes mistakes but he does what is best for what he thinks is best for his patient. No doctor tries to make mistakes with any patient it happens. However, a person’s wealth, success, fortune, no fortune, greed, etc is not the point here. Regardless of how you see the decision you are not the board. You did not select the board. There are rules and regulations for things for a reason. But why do we complain about them when things are tough or not our way, but we sit on our behinds and do nothing when the board is still meeting and having to make decisions and things are successful we are ok with that. And the taxes, yes citizens of Dumas are paying the taxes helping the hospital well we are also paying state taxes helping the state too. But I don’t see state officials going out of there way to try and answer questions the citizens. But why they don’t is just how the 400 ppl of Dumas have reacted the past two held.
I happen to be an educated person. I am also educated enough in common sense to know people will not change there beliefs when there mind is set with rumor, not enough information, and hear say. Study the laws and do what is legal. If you think the attorney general is needed call him, and see that there is no fault there of those board members. Those board members make recommendations that are carried out by administration. Those board members give there “free” time to serve on the board. Those that talk so loud, the hospital would crash first month you would be on there because you don’t do enough homework or research before you speak and that is why you are not and will not be put on it.
Half of the people doing all this talking just finally got the chance to speak and be recognized and heard out and it was there time to shine when they were better off being quite and letting the matter work out with our legal system. Even though it is already worked out.
One person stated the city owns the hospital so can’t we go to the city council meeting and do something. Ha wow…. I guess she missed American government or just failed to hear and understand that the city may own the hospital but it does not run the hospital. Another said to hit where it would hurt the board their pockets, and that person is a Dumas business man also good mind of yours showed your true support of Dumas support because if money not spent in Dumas as a city and as the citizens whom reside, Dumas can’t pay their own expenses.
Anytime you get so many opinions in one room you get alOt of crazy stuff. Everyone is given a right to opinion including that board and someone’s opinion got them on that board. And the jealousy of some of those board members is obvious with some of the comments being made toward the board and it has nothing to do with dr go at all it is because you are jealous and have a chance to try to be a big dog. But when you Have a dog whose daddy was a duck dog and his grandfather was a duck dog and his dad was a duck dog, it’s almost a sure thing that puppy will be a duck dog. There are some things some of us will always want for but do it on your own time and leave this situation what it is. If dr go wants to sue let him do it the way it should be done and When the end of the day comes the board still had to make a decision and they did as they are selected to do. I’m sure everyone of them wish to god they could answer the main questions of why but in loyalty and legal instruction they cannot bc of it being an executive session decision.
The board did what the board is to do, make a decision and this is insane how some of you are acting. Dr. Go can open his on practice and be just as successful. He is already successful and he obviously has patients who want to see him.
Personally, dr go has taken care of someone dear to me a long time and has done a great job. He has also made a situation worse for another someone in my life by mistake. So I see both sides. Dr. Go saving people’s lives and making people Better is not in question here. He is a doctor and that is what they do.
And people lose their jobs all the time because of funding and other situations.
And the only one person comment I will address head on is Mr. Westermans. God is god and always will be God. It’s amazing how a person throws God in something when God has always been God and he has never changed. God didn’t take a job nor give a job. However, I believe God can take situations and make them better. And if I guessed correctly you probably have another job and your older sister does too. Arkat and Dumas hospital are no where tied together. Your sister lost a job but was she blessed with another ? Probably so, so be thankful and if not god still hasn’t changed and our faith should be just as strong to know there is something coming. Don’t throw god in gossip and garbage like this mess the people are making it to be. God is not in question or on trial here. You really need to seek guidance from God because would not have guided you to make a statement as that because he is the alpha and omega the beginning and the end. If we people worried about people going to hell and living a life faithful to God as much as people worry about things that don’t concern them then people’s faith would not doubt that God is in control and things would work for his good and not mans.
Dumas is being watched and laughed at right now bc of how our educated and non educated citizens are acting.
It’s just all so amazing. And the most amazing part is in six months when all over it’ll be forgotten. Be thankful there are People willing to give up their time to serve Dumas and invest in Dumas. itsa not always an easy task.
Lord, I got tired of trying to read all of your justifications and reasoning! Bottom line, Ya’ll don’t know the truth! Plain and simple and things will come to light! Dr. Go isn’t a saint and neither are the other doctors and to say you fired Dr. Go for the benefit of the hospital, PLEASE! At his reinstatement trial, the judge asked “is he an alcoholic, drug addict, a risk to others, etc”? You know what Cris Bolin said NO! Someone’s personal life outside the hospital is just that, there life. When a surgeon comes to work, let him work and once you leave, you leave work at work! How hard is that to understand? Firing people for no reason from the county they live and pay taxes to bring in friends and give them these great salaries is, God there’s no excuse! Instead of asking for the other doctors personal records, the hospital is a non profit, let’s ask for their salaries!
Seriously, this is your argument!? I misused a word incorrectly! Yes I must be more educated than you if this is all you have!
Everyone that is coming to Dr. Go’s defense so quickly…if your dear doctor is as wonderful as you say why not do as J. Daniel suggested and ask if Dr. Go would be willing to release his personnel records. And ask the other doctors as well. I’m fairly certain that Chambers, Maxwell, Lewellen would be happy to oblige you.
I’m sure most of the other doctors personal file are Not that personal and open for others! When you are out to get someone, you nit pick and look for reasons. If the Real truth came out on ALL of them, it won’t be pretty! No one is Wonderful and Perfect but if and when the WHOLE truth comes out “and it will”, those other “wonderful” doctors faults will be seen also!
Instead of personal records Jeff, let ask for salaries! The hospital is a Non Profit and public knowledge, I curious is to how Greedy the other doctors ARE?! Google DMH 990 and you will be surprised!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The other doctors Oblige! Boy do you have your blinders on! LOL They might print what they want you to see but we know better!
chambers is in a multimillion suit whe he came here so we already know his record and the board hired him anyway.
The only person with blinders on seems to be you Ms. Lane. My question is simply this….why not ask for his personnel records? IF he was let go for nothing what’s the harm? Are you afraid of what might come out? If not then please help everyone out and ask. It would certainly make your case stronger.
Why is it You know more about why Dr. Go got fired and not the Whole community? Apparently you know but it’s not public knowledge to the rest! If he has to release his Personal records, so should the rest and they are personal for a reason! I don’t think the board really want to say because that would open a Big can of worms and everyone else dirty laundry will be made public! Don’t live in glass houses and throw stones!!!
Personnel and Personal are two very different things….please look up the definitions. Also, thank you for repeating what I’ve already said….I encouraged all citizens to ask for the personnel records of ALL doctors. And as far as your claim that “I’m not one to keep BS up!”, I do believe you have more posts here than anyone else.
Boy how ya love to grasp at straws. I misspelled or used a word?! LOL
What am I afraid of? NOTHING! It’s not my job on the line?! Second, you defend something you are not clear about and third, if you only knew the truth!
First I know more about the situation than the whole community and now I’m not clear about it. Maybe you should take a break and collect your thoughts.
You are clear on what you are told. I’m done! I have nothing else to prove. I just know Dr. Go is a great surgeon! My thoughts are not muddied and I know more than you think!
I just have to get something off my chest. The hospital lied about everything including Dr. Go’s firing. If you called the clinic they stated that he left. No, he did not leave, he was let go and before his contract was up. If he did something so terrible why would you go to court to be able to finish your contract and get your patient’s settled and taken care of? Does that make sense to any rational person? If I was this bad doctor and person and knew my secrets could come to light, I would have left but no Dr. Go chose to stay! Went to court to defend himself and won! What does that say about him and why do the hospital have to lie? As a matter of fact, the employees there can’t discuss anything regarding his clinic in fear of losing their jobs. Last time I checked, America had Freedom of Speech! Done! End of Sentence!
J.D. do you live here or just in our business?
All I can say is “Jerry…. Jerry…. Jerry…. Jerry”””” Good lord peeople get a life……….
Repeal good points on the information you provided. And sorry for the their and there my type checker changes words and spells for me. But I am glad you read all of that so closely, I personally take criticism positively.
My main point in all I said, we are attacking the wrong things with this. Support the dr, I support the dr but I also support the fact that we must respect decisions not agree or disagree. But the thing with it all, Dr Go if he wants to
, could easily open his own clinic in Dumas .
Oooo and elect another mayor ??? What does the mayor have to do with him serving on the board? They are two separate things and from the look of things, much has gotten done within Dumas since the current mayor has taken office. You need to look at his job as mayor as mayor and leave this situation where it belongs.
When you have a board that’s not listening to the community and can not give a yes or no answer, it’s makes you wonder if they are all in this together no matter what. First it was stated in the meeting that Cris decided not to renew his contact and let him go before his present contract was up and then later in meeting the board came to a decision. Which is it? So if One person makes a decision, it seems the rest just fall into place and yes the Mayor should be concern. When you have this many people disappointed in your decision and you can’t point blank give them an answer, well yes the community will start looking somewhere else come re-election time. All the board did was beat around the bush all night in this meeting. BTW, where were the other board members?
No opening another clinic is Not that easy and like one of the patient’s said, even when he goes to the hospital to check on his patients, he will have to fight the staff daily. Thank for the open mind and I should have been more open minded but I don’t think people really know the Whole Truth! Please, I’m serious. I’m not one to keep BS up! If Dr. Go did so bad, why did he fight to come back and did?
the city owns the hospital building so the mayor has a lot to do with it since he was a board member and made the motion to fire Dr. Go. you need to research!
Companies and people surround themselves with people that are on their team/side. Take what DMH say with a grain of salt. Ask yourself, if Dr. Go personal records were so bad, why would he come back for his 60 days? If what he done was so bad, he would have left and not challenge any of this! He stills wants to practice here! What is that telling you? Someone is trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill! Plus if I was the CEO of DMH and I knew in my heart, I did the right thing, why didn’t you defend yourself? Don did your talking for you! That’s would be like if someone accused me of “stealing or whatever” and I knew I didn’t do it, I would scream it at the top of my lungs, I didn’t do that! I would defend myself until the end, not shift my keys, water and phone around on the table. People ask about the board and the relationship between DMH and to me it’s like this. If you elect the President of the U.S. and if he/she was able to select his/her own Congress, House, whatever, guess who they would pick? They would pick the people that would pass what they wanted! BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER!!! Either way, the truth good or bad for either and I mean “The Truth” will come out.
Definitely! One that is qualified and FAIR!
Well Jeff again you defend what u really dont know… Please explain to me why Dmh can not get in the financial black. Creditors are placing Dumas on hold for supplies and drugs everyday and asking for their money. While the administration pays for more security cameras to monitor staff instead.
The number one goal of any hospital is to provide CARE to the community it serves. The second should be to maintain a healthy and happy relationship with the COMMUNITY AND STAFF. If this is not the CEO’s or the BOARD’s top priorty than all should be asked to resign.
Delta Memorial Hospital is subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act despite its 501 (c) 3 IRS status.
From FOIArkansas.com:
The Arkansas attorney general has said that advisory boards and committees are subject to the FOIA if they are directly supported by public funds. Mississippi’s law restricts coverage of its open records law to entities “created by the Constitution, or by law, executive order, ordinance or resolution.”
In Arkansas, records of any agency “wholly or partially supported by public funds or expending public funds” are open under the FOIA, as long as the private group does “public business” or is otherwise connected to governmental activities. Arkansas courts have specifically held that law firms hired by a city, a hospital receiving federal funds and an athletic conference are subject to the open records law.
I wonder who won the bid for the security cameras? Possibly mayor??? You know his business now sells survelience equipment and services. The cameras probably wouldn’t be a bad idea if were placed on Cris Bolin, Doris Fortenberry, and others 24/7!
Love it! They don’t have money but they afford all these cameras that are not needed!
Doris Fortenberry was mentioned in an earlier post. She is the Presonnel Director at the hospital and she didn’t seem to keep former employees records “locked tight” when she said in the public meeting that she fired a former employee. Even if that employee mentioned that she was fired in that meeting for all to hear (and she did), Fortenberry shouldn’t confirm or disclose anything regarding ANY personnel matter, whether it’s a doctor, nurse, or a clerk especially in a public meeting. The EEOC protects employees from employers disclosing that kind of information. Fortenberry should not have said anything. I am not surprised at the madness going on in the community regarding this. Some people are misinformed about all the law, rules and regulations applying to a hospital. It’s hard for even board members to understand it all, it seems. But, I am surprised at Fortenberry who should know better. Is the hospital so large and fires so many people that Mrs. Bolin turns firing over to an underling like Fortenberry? Fortenberry stated she fired the young woman who spoke up, not Mrs. Bolin. Mrs. Bolin should be aware of the circumstances of every firing there and sign off on them after a careful review, since wrongful termination rulings can result if things aren’t handled correctly and to the letter of the law. I don’t know what Fortenberry’s credentials are but she sure didn’t behave as a professional Personnel Director should have at that meeting. Just sayin’ that Fortenberry brought that up and it’s out there for all to see. It didn’t seem to help anything or add anything to the conversation for Fortenberry to behave as she did. It just seemed to inflame even more people.
L. Davis, I agree with you. Fortenberry had no right to reveal my personal records. I also feel that she didn’t have the authority to terminate me.
I agree with the two of you. Any idea what qualifications she has to hold the title of HR Director? Like someone above said, the cameras need to be turned on in the administrative offices and on some of the other employees. Oh but wait, that won’t happen because then there might be something found that might truly be cause for some terminations.
First of all, I know HIPPA and the hospital is not in compliance at all! How can a doctor that’s not employed by the hospital go into a patient’s file that I guess she plan on taking over when Dr. Go is gone without that’s patient’s consent and call that patient and change their meds? If you were not on duty that day or in that clinic on a certain day, you CAN NOT access anyone file even if you are an employee of that practice! As for ignorant, I guess it works both ways. Believe what you want to believe but you have a lot of nerves to come in and claim to know everything and call a community “an angry uneducated mob”! As for the greater good, Please they are only thinking about their greater selves! SMH because if you only knew the Truth and not just their truth! Plz same your time if I left an e or i or whatever out in a WORD!
As for Mr. Daniels or whoever that keep worrying if I left out an i or e in a word, what the heck does that have to do with the issue at hand? Stop grasping at straws and address the real issue! Who haven’t use a word out of context or misspelled? That’s all you can come up with. OOHH she misspelled or misused a word, so freaking what! We just lost our only surgeon and a doctor the community apparently love and want! How about that?! All that bull you are trying to sell, well we ain’t buying!