Breaking news
Posted
on Wed, Feb. 18, 2004
PHILADELPHIA - A Tenet Healthcare Corp. executive overseeing the closure
of the Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital lost his job on Tuesday, two
days before a scheduled court hearing on the hospital's demise.
Phillip S. Schaengold was among nine Tenet employees in Philadelphia who were
laid off on Tuesday, as Schaengold sat for a lengthy deposition in the case.
Schaengold had overseen Tenet's operations in Philadelphia since May.
"He's no longer of any use to them," said Nancy Pickering, an MCP
cardiologist who is leading the legal fight to save the hospital. "They
put in these interim people for three to six months, they do a hatchet job, and
then they leave."
Others who got pink slips in Philadelphia include Robert Pavlich, director of
business development, and Andrew Devoe, chief operating officer, and support
staff.
Tenet still has more than 200 staff positions in its city office, in the
company's regional business office and its clinical quality, human resources,
compliance, reimbursement and legal departments.
Tenet, a Santa Barbara, Calif.-based company, cut some top managers on Jan. 28,
when the company announced it was selling 27 hospitals, mostly in California.
MCP, which opened in 1930 in the city's East Falls neighborhood, has said it
would stop taking admissions at the end of the month and close by March 31.
The state Department of Health is threatening to sue if that happens, saying it
hopes to find a buyer to keep the facility open and wants MCP to remain open to
ensure a smooth transition.
"Tenet knows we could file that complaint," said Susan Anderson, a
lawyer who is leading Gov. Rendell's efforts to save MCP Hospital. "And
that complaint will not be filed if we can work out something."
Tenet spokeswoman Margaret Shiver said the layoffs reflect an effort to flatten
management, and are not tied to this week's court hearing.
"We hope these talks will continue and the governor will not see a need to
join the lawsuit," Shiver said.
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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer