EDMONDS
Hospitality never registered high on the list of priorities among previous administrations at Stevens Hospital.
Emphasis on overall patient care and communicating the hospital’s strengths with the public may be the reason Stevens Chief Executive Officer Michael Carter was the first administrator in four years to report that the hospital was making money instead of losing it.
For that, he was awarded a 6.4 percent raise and a near $50,000 bonus last month by Stevens’ board of directors, bringing the CEO’s annual salary to $364,434.
“Stevens provides the same standard of excellence – the same quality medical services – as our competitors,” Vice President of Administration Jack Kirkman said. “Before this administration, however, no one was communicating that with the public.”
Kirkman said previous administrations’ lack of engagement in the community bolstered people’s perceptions of Stevens as a second-rate institution.
“No one wants to come to the hospital. In fact, you’d be thrilled if you never had to set foot in the hospital a day in your life,” he said. “That’s our clientele. If people don’t know about the good things we’re doing it only takes a couple of problems in the Emergency Room to reinforce a negative public image.”
Kirkman, who was brought on board in March — a little more than six months after Carter was hired — said the key to Stevens’ recent turnaround is the CEO’s emphasis on building strong relationships with hospital staff as well as members of the public.
That, along with improving the hospital’s financial situation, was among the main objectives assigned to Carter by the board of directors.
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