Rally calls for patient choice amid new NCH pilot program

Diane Pawl of Naples does not want to live in a world where her primary care doctor can not take care of her in the hospital.

“Your own physician knows your history in and out,” Pawl said. “He knows what medicine bothers you and don’t he knows what lab work might be abnormal for you, but normal for me. So why have more tests?”

But Naples Community Hospital is testing out a policy in which only their own physicians take care of patients.

“Very scary,” Pawl said. “I hope it doesn’t happen to me and I hope it’s nothing that serious because my option then would be to go to a different hospital.”

More than 100 people showed up to a rally where they voiced those same concerns.

Their message is loud and clear: fire NCH CEO and President Allan Weiss. Weiss is the man who spearheaded this new policy.

Dr. Ron Gary, a private physician, sends his patients to NCH Healthcare System. He said that change is needed.

“We love NCH and that’s what we’re fighting for,” Dr. Gary said. “We want this hospital to be a world class institution and we want to improve it.”

Everyone at this rally, especially Pawl, hopes NCH’s board of trustees hear their message and stops this controversial decision.

“We’re not going to give up,” Pawl said.

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Christina Carranza, NCH Healthcare System magnet program coordinator, said Tuesday her NCH family should feel some love.

“We’re very proud of our organization and our integrity,” Carranza said. “I felt like was being pulled apart and I just felt like we need to just take care of each other.”

Hundreds of NCH doctors and nurses met at the Garden of Hope and Courage Tuesday morning to show their support for their leadership.

“I was very pleased to see our NCH family come together in a time where we really need it,” Carranza said. “To show that we’re committed to each other and our patients and community and we’re doing the right thing.”

Over the past week, some NCH doctors and physicians gave management a vote of no confidence in CEO and President Allen Weiss and his Chief of Staff Kevin Cooper.

Weiss said he believes the hospital is overall heading in the right direction.

“One time or another, all of us are going to be patients and we want to go to a place that takes care of patients and puts them first,” Weiss said. “That is our focus.”

Weiss said the policy allows for patients to spend less time at the hospital while receiving around the clock care. He said the hospital’s work could speak for itself.

“We deliver great care,” Weiss said. “We’ve also had Moody’s bump us up a notch to a very high rating with an A1, which is very unusual for someone our size.”