----Would love to know the "rest of the story" at Citizens'.----

Again the employees (which results in the patients) are paying for Brown's little pet projects. Funny how the last set of cutbacks and "low census" occurred just as the Healthcenter was being built.

Is Mr. Brown an hourly employee? Those are the ones who taking five days off would affect....hourly employees. Salary employees get paid per year, right? Also, I would imagine that Mr. Brown has more than five vacation days to use, also. Considering all that, it's insulting to have him compare his situation to the ones who are "in the trenches." Reminds me of Bob Moore comparing himself to the actual workers in VISD.

"We're in the summer months, and it's always a little slow for hospitals".

WHAT? I would believe from the pace of business at the little rural hospital for which I work, as well as the other "little" hospitals in the surrounding areas, we are getting the patients that Citizens is losing for whatever reason.

We have been going gangbusters, and there IS NO summer slump at our humble little hospital, for sure. Every now and again most hospitals do experience a "slumpy" few weeks, be it during the summer or whenever. It is a business that tends to wax and wane, and most employees are asked to "flex" during those periods. But from my experience, they are few and far between, and the upswing after the downturn (the downturn usually a very brief period) always more than makes up for the slow times.

Is this really a "slump" or the symptom of a much more troublesome trend for Citizens? If there exists a slow period for patient flow right now, you sure couldn't prove it by me, or any of my coworkers. We have been so busy that we don't even know which end is up for these past few weeks. The inpatient census has been greater than during the earlier part of the year, and that doesn't even include the outpatient and emergency services, which has been brisk as well.

Why is the story SO different just a county over at Citizens? I spoke to some previous coworkers at DeTar the other day, and the story there is quite different than at Citizens'.

Would love to know the "rest of the story" at Citizens'.

The mandated time off will affect about 1,100 employees,

-------"including me," Brown said-------
So who is the patients gonna miss -- Brown
or the staff who is actually there to care for them.
I don't know too many people who work in hospitals that have time to "just sit around"

Can you say "Under time" ?

Kyle please please please only do that IF you have good insurance otherwise you are just going to fall under that stigma that VISDmom has put out there.

dedication...so few have what it takes. that's sacrificing for one's art.

but remember that you will need to go at 3am. that's when justobserving said no one would be able to help you.

Trudat
As usual, you have no idea whats going on what stone age do you live in.Have you been cut hours without pay, I think not!!!
Hats off to you!!! N4796V YOU DID YOUR MATH...
Also, do salary people that have to take off Mr.Brown did you put your 40 hour work week back to the 960,000 loss....
What it all boils down too, is the bad decisions that management makes that cost us money,the little people get punished...
Maybe, i could park in your covered parking space when you are off.....

It's a visual and olfactory aesthetic - I'm a method actor.

i love your enthusiasm, son.

what's the reason for the dirt and not bathing? the sunburn would be enough to get you in.

I will roll around in the dirt, not bathe for a week, sit outside in 100 degree temps without sunscreen then immediately drive myself to Citizens for treatment.

Don't thank me, I'm just doing my bit for the local economy

Gee, alot of good posts here! But no one mentioned the "BIG BLOW UP" between Mr. Brown and a group of cardiologists who have taken their patients and "business"to the other guys! Let's see-at Citizens you have MICU, SICU, and (cardiovascular)ICU or CVICU. CVICU has been collecting dust for a lonnnnggg time. SICU has been closed several days in a row at times. What REALLY brought this on is the above, which has led to a $960,000 one month loss, as well as, Mr. Brown and his snowjob over the hospital board of directors. Don't believe me? That's Ok, I don't mind. You have the right not to, as well as, finding out for yourself like I did! And YES-IT IS affecting Emergency room personnel! Mr. Brown says the days off affect him, too, but did HE lose any salary over this "business" decision? My guess is-----------------NO!
---------------------------Just my 3 cents worth----------------------------

OMG I was under the impression that the medical field was the way to go if you never wanna be laid off or get your hours cut or have to worry about being forced to take "time off without pay" Guess I was misinformed!!!!! So basically, Detar must have all the action because I have a friend who works there and they aren't having to "take time off for five days in a row----without PAY!!!" And they have had tons of work done all around their hospital too!! I have family who work at Citizens and I feel so bad for them because they are putting this in the paper and letting the whole town know what they are being put through and it's embarrassing.....I'm sure David Brown doesn't care.....he makes the "big bucks" but for the rest of the staff.....this isn't right.....oh well now the whole town knows who counts at this hospital!!!!!!!!!

As usual, most people commenting on this article have no idea what they're talking about.

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

It's time for Victoria residents to pull together and start getting sick or hurt more often so we can help Citizen's.

I understand any business that is slow has to lay low or let go. That is just business 101. And as far as vacation goes that's just one of the perks of being at a job and having tenure. I wouldn't see a problem with taking time off, if it were for the team, because I'm all about the team. But let's see what great management has been implemented there. Let's leave the parking garage for last.

We have a cancer treatment facility that with generous contributions we were able to have a multimillion dollar PET/CT machine, they wouldn't have the money to purchase that but that's a mute point. So we are saying as a hospital we are goign to find your cancer, not to mention we have a radiation therapy program to help you treat it. Then to help the matter, we will keep our doctors in pristine condition for your upcoming treatment, by installing covered parking for them and the CEO's nice pasty skin, but Dr's did their time in med school so my hat goes off to them, and their catered lunch everyday. But then when it comes to the Relay for Life and the hospital starts a team up and decides to go to Brown for money for uniforms for the team, it gets denied. Hey if the hospital found a cure for cancer that would be bad for business, who would pay for the new PET/CT.
Then walk around the hospital and you'll see CMC umrella's, CMC hand sanitizer, CMC calendars. If there is anything that brings patient care to a whole new level it's that.

So then let's take a department that is running nearly 1mil behind budget and rather than restructure that dept they decide to just close it down after 1pm. Now that would sound great to some, but considering it is the CASH COW of the departments,surgery, it's idiotic. If you ever could see Detar's surgery schedule, you'll notice more patients scheduled there of Dr.'s that are even on Citizens payroll.
So then lastly the parking garage, the prime of them all. Yes the hospital needs the parking lot, yes parking was horrible. But did any of you fine paying citizens, and possibly patients at one time, ever get an invitation to the VIP parking garage opening party? I bet not, and that is pathetic considering the hospital paid nearly $8,000 for the flip out invitations alone. Then got the art cars to be there($$$$) had it catered ($$$$$) and had live music($$$$$$). If you remember for a minute the same thing happened when the huge project of the "Imaging Center" opened right around Christmas time. Family's were forced off of work so Mr. Brown could host his VIP party out there also.

Hey I guess the team of workers at the hospital just got a good taste of taking one for the team, work hard for the big man so he can have his first class party with the who-haws of the Golden Cresent while you are on unpaid leave.

It is totally understandable what is happening. The Healthcare industry is NOT the best place to be right now. I work at a hospital that is barely making it, and it is good to see that at least the employees are taken care of now. We are looking at facing the same problem, but 5 days with no pay is a lot better than no pay at all until another job comes along. And yes, our Administrator continues to get a nice pay raise every year.

Oh and as for walking ALL that distance for an xray or what have you, there are the volunteers in the little carts driving through the parking lot ever so eager to give you a ride or your loved one can be dropped off at one of the many covered entrances where there are waiting wheelchairs. There are also many, many handicapped spaces located near all hospital entrances.

VISD- It is affecting full time nurses AND the nursing staff in the ER. As I said in my post before you MIGHT be ok if you visit during peak hours but if you get sick say after 0300 there won't be the same amount of nurses there as say midnight! And it doesn't matter what type of person is occupying an ER bed, a patient is a patient and thinning nurses is not the answer.

You know, the only thing missing in that photo of David Brown would be the hint of a halo-like glow around his head. He looks rather angelic, doesn't he?

Okay, a few comments...

Anxious - if the nurse you talked to was a FULL-TIME nurse at CMC, she would not need to go to an agency. She may be what is called "PRN" or "as-needed." In that case, what she says may be true.

I have no idea what Mr. Brown makes, nor is it any of my business. Nearly every CEO of every large business makes CONSIDERABLY more than any of his employees; that is how the system works. The parking garage was very necessary because it is virtually impossible for visitors, patients, and staff to find parking during day without it. Perhaps you would like your ill or disabled loved one to have to walk all the way across campus in the South Texas heat to get to Radiology for an x-ray, but I don't.

Lastly, this is a far greater way to handle the downturn in numbers of patients than to resort to layoffs, would you not agree? He is not asking staff to take all the days off in a row; you can take them one a week as far as he is concerned. Does is negatively impact employees, especially those on the far low end of the scale (like diet aids, building services, etc.)? Of course. But the alternative is far worse - no job at all.

As far as patient care goes - I can promise you that will not be affected. Patient care staff will be adjusted as the number of patients increase. ER visits can be a pain, I know. There are long waits. However, if everyone without insurance or a personal physician did not use the ER as their personal doctor's office for a cold, that would change. They triage patients...most injured/ill gets seen first. Multi-car accidents tie up large numbers of beds and personnel; we've been having lots of those lately - just read the paper or watch the news. Having been a patient at CMC several times, both admitted and in the ER, I have never received sub-standard care. That will not change now.

Yes, I work at CMC. I am not a nurse, but neither do I have any vacation remaining on the books until my anniversary in September. So I am impacted in that my five days off will be without pay. I care in that it is not something I planned; it is not convenient; I didn't plan for it in my household budget. But I most certainly would be in dire shape if we had to resort to layoffs. I am in no way implying this is the most perfect place in the entire world to work; like most places, it has its upside and downside. But we haven't been putting employees out on the streets like in other areas of the US over the past couple of years...this occurrence is the first in our history as a hospital.

I am sure people will disagree vehemently with me on the majority of this post, as is their right. However, unless you work here on a daily basis, you really can't have a clear view of what is going on.

What a crock! I don't even know where to start with this other than to repeat WHAT A CROCK!!

Edith- you're a few years behind. Good ol Dave made $400,000.00 a few years ago and more likely than not gets about a 50K raise a year- even when the staff that really keep the place running are faced with never-ending pay freezes.

Is he going to be the one taking out the trash, scrubbing toilets and washing the dishes when those employees take that mandatory time off (with or without pay)? I think NOT! He is going to stay barricaded in his glass house along with his other cronies enjoying all those perks and benefits that they deny the lowly grunts still hanging around.

As far as not affecting the ER and the OR, that's a whole lot of bunk too. In at least one of those departments, staff are going to be required to come in late and leave early. Just be sure if you need those services that you visit during the peak hours of the day.

BSspotter- you need a new pair of binoculars because you sure did miss that one!

Talked to a nurse who had to go to working at an agency part-time to make sure they had enough pay. Apparently, the CEO built a new parking garage and Mr. Big is cutting back on nurses so he can pay for it.

A very reasonable decision.

Maybe David Brown could take a short-term pay reduction during this slow time, you know, just until things pick up. Everyone should do their part, and isn't his salary like $400,000.00 a year?