By Deb Murphy
To assess the situation at Toiyabe Indian Health Project, you have to look at bits and pieces of information surrounding the suspension of four administrators a month ago.
- Action taken by Bishop City Council may indicate the suspension is instead “staffing changes.” The Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding, initiated by Toiyabe, to take over administration of the Eastside Bike Share Program because staffing changes limited Toiyabe’s “capacity to administer the program.” The MOU transferred $65,000 of grant funding to the City to cover the cost of managing the program.
- Flyers have been circulated in the area requesting those concerned with a loss of medical care to contact Indian Health Services’ director Beverly Miller ([email protected]). According to a source familiar with the operations of the federal agency, the Service is reluctant to step into a situation unless medical care is jeopardized. The flyer states “valuable employees” have already left and “other providers and support staff are considering employment elsewhere.”
- A letter to Toiyabe’s Board of Directors, dated July 28 and signed by 19 members of the medical staff, expresses concern the suspensions are “detrimental to Toiyabe’s reputation, health services and staff morale.” The letter goes on to ask that the administrators return to work, with mediation, “while the investigation of allegations proceeds.” It goes on to state “we are faced with deadlines for critical projects… maintenance of major grant and loan requirements that we cannot allow to fail.” The 19 signers received disciplinary action.
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Toiyabe…smh.
I would like to know what training, education and experience the Board of Directors have in running a Medical Clinic.
Giving disciplinary action to employees that expressed concern to the board about the situation, seems to indicate that the board is in over their head and is lashing out covering for their rash actions.
It is absolutely appalling to read that the 19 members who signed a letter expressing concern regarding the livelihood of Toiyabe received disciplinary action. These are real problems that can have a deterimental impact on receiving necessary and not to mention readily accessible medical care without it costing an arm and a leg. In speaking with some elders, they told stories of when Toiyabe did not exist and they had to travel to Nevada, Arizona or Southern California to receive medical care. It sounds like these board members need to stop being bullies and think of the well being of the very people who elected them! The people are right, this is impacting Toiyabe’s reputation and providers are leaving. They have created an instability that is not appealing to recruiting or retaining qualified medical service providers. They are even turning over the the bike program along with $65,000 in funding because Toiyabe cannot sustain the program now due to not having enough staff. The program was just STARTED!!! What is next?