Some Prince George’s County Hospital system doctors are saying it’s time for County Executive Jack Johnson to release the millions of dollars the county has been withholding from the system.
“I think that the system has tried to do the things that the county has asked for,” said Carnell Cooper, chief of trauma surgery at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly. “I think they have done a good job and I think at this point, that the county should release the money in order to take care of the short term problems we have.”
Suresh Gupta, a doctor of internal/pulmonary medicine at Prince George’s Hospital Center, said Dimensions Healthcare System’s board of directors has “changed quite a bit.”
“If they don’t [release the money], what else are they waiting for?” he asked.
Dimensions, which runs the county-owned hospital collective, has been locked in a struggle with the county for several months, with Prince George’s withholding $14 million from the system until four board members resign. The company had refused that demand and has discussed shutting down the hospitals and health centers it runs.
On Sept. 13, the board ousted former chairman Calvin Brown, who had battled Johnson over control of the system, voted to make Bill Williams chairman and selected Del. Barbara Frush, D-Prince George’s, to replace Brown.
With the ouster of Brown, the previous resignation of Donald Foran and the planned resignation of George Bone, the county appears to be getting what it wants. Johnson had targeted the trio and Williams for removal.
But after a Monday meeting with Williams, Johnson said he is happy with Williams and is no longer seeking his removal. “We agreed that we are going to work together,” Johnson said.
Johnson said Tuesday he will decide within the next two weeks whether to release the money.
“The county said they wanted board changes so they got some,” said Willie Blair, a trauma surgeon at Prince George’s Hospital Center. “They got changes in a big way. They got the chairman out and some of the other people they wanted out.”
Johnson spokesman John Erzen said the county executive will likely want to meet with the County Council and Williams before making a final determination on the release of any money. Johnson had wanted the designated positions held by Foran, Bone and Williams eliminated and filled by public members, which hasn’t happened.
