McKay Healthcare seeing changes at the top

Not all happy with the process, though

The McKay Healthcare and Rehab Center in Soap Lake has seen a change at the top, but not everyone was happy with the way it came about.

Bruce Buckles, superintendent for the public hospital, left for a sabbatical in March. He recommended Bill Riley, who currently serves as executive director for the Big Bend Economic Development Council, to replace him as the interim superintendent.

Buckles relinquished his duties because of a potential conflict of interest that arose from his employment for the Council for Aging based out of East Wenatchee, McKay board member Mary Ackerman said.

Buckles had served as both superintendent and administrator at the hospital until November 2003, when Lee Mallott of Walla Walla was hired as an administrator.

Typically in public hospital districts, the superintendent oversees the entire district, while the administrator manages the individual hospital.

In small districts with one hospital, such as McKay, one person often fills both roles.

Soon after Riley was appointed in March, he and Board President Jean Hads approached Mallott and asked for his resignation, Mallott said in a telephone interview with the Herald.

"They indicated that I did not agree with some of their philosophy," Mallott said, adding that they had otherwise given no reason to request his resignation.

Messages left for Riley at his home and the Big Bend Economic Development on Wednesday were not returned before deadline. A message left for Hads, who is on sabbatical from her duties as a board member, at her home was not returned.

Mallott said he was concerned about whether the hospital could continue subsidizing the McKay/ Mother Theresa Youth Outreach Center, which is a program designed to health programs and other after-school activities to children.

At the May board meeting, the hospital had received about $1,000 in donations to offset expenses of the youth outreach center, but the program cost the hospital between $90,000 and $100,000 for 2003, Mallott said.

While the program is great for Soap Lake if it attracts enough money, the hospital's core mission is long-term geriatric care, Mallott said.

"You could tell they (Riley and Hads) were not happy with my opinions on the youth center," Mallott said.

However, the board and Riley have made efforts to reduce the costs at McKay Healthcare. During the May board meeting, Riley announced the hiring of a new hospital administrator, who he said would be paid less than Mallott had been.

The new administrator is Mary Prentice from Graham, Wash., who started work on Monday, Ackerman said.

The board will also hold a strategic planning session on June 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to plan the hospital's future. The session will be moderated by George Sharp of the state Office of Community Trade and Economic Development at no cost, Ackerman said.

"We're trying to save money wherever we can," she said.

Still, some community members with ties to the hospital are unhappy with the way Mallott left his post. The board called a special meeting at the end of May to hire a new administrator, met behind closed doors for a half hour, then Riley announced he had hired a new administrator.

Riley, who, as superintendent, has the power to hire and fire the administrator, did not name Prentice at the time because she had yet to pass a background check.

As soon as Riley banged the gavel to close that meeting, several people in the audience of about 30 — who packed the small room in the hospital — began loudly voicing their concerns that the public had been kept out of the loop during the management shakeup.

When asked specific questions about the Mallott's resignation, Riley said his hands were tied.

"You're trying to talk about an issue that, publicly, I can't talk about," he told the assembled crowd at the meeting.

April Leask, whose mother is a resident at the adult nursing home, said at the meeting that she is unhappy with the way the hospital board does not seem to vote on anything in the public. Instead, she said, Riley seems to call the shots.

"I'd like to know why we have a board," Leask said.

Ed Ollom, who has been a resident at the hospital since February, said he was sorry to see Mallott go.

"The administrator (Mallott) was really a nice guy. He made me feel good," Ollom said.