750 Hospital Loop

Craig, CO 81625

October 18, 2018

Statement for Release to the Press re Recent Board of Trustees Public Comments by Neilene Folks
and Community Members

The Board of Trustees of Memorial Regional Health and its Senior Leadership Team participated in and
listened carefully to the public comments expressed by community members in Open Session at the October 18,
2018 Board meeting. The public comments focused on the recent termination of a Physician Assistant
employment agreement with MRH. While the concerns expressed by community members at the Board meeting
are welcomed and understandable, these public comments do not accurately reflect the underlying factual basis
for the personnel decisions of MRH leadership to provide quality patient care in this community.

In summary, this specific personnel decision was deliberated by MRH leadership for many months. Most
importantly, this decision followed extensive efforts to coach and proactively encourage positive behavioral
change under the terms of the employment relationship, fully concentrating on the MRH core values of effective
communication, collaboration and problem solving to achieve both greater trust and our quality patient care
objectives. These coaching efforts were unfortunately not successful, and a difficult decision was made to
conclude a contract with the provider.

As is the case in similar employment situations, MRH will neither publically disclose the confidential
details of any employee’s performance, nor the individual’s employment relationship with the hospital or its
clinics. Indeed, those matters and communications are sensitive and maintained as confidential between an
employee and MRH to effectively operate the healthcare delivery system. Following this approach places the
employment relationship in the proper context for all communications: directly within the individual employee
and employer relationship. That this particular contractual termination has been publically and inaccurately
communicated by the Physician Assistant is unfortunate. The Board supports the leadership team and its decision
to drive progress in all areas of patient care.