Bumpy start to NUMC-Northwell marriage -- and an unrelated subpoena
A multi-year partnership between the Nassau University Medical Center and Northwell Health, intended to stabilize the public hospital's shaky finances, appears to have had a bumpy beginning, according to minutes of NUMC's last board meeting.
As part of the deal to help build a leadership team at the public hospital, Northwell executive Winifred Mack took over as interim president and CEO in April for a six-month term with options for renewals.
But not even a full five months into her six-month agreement, Mack gave notice on Sept. 9 that she would be leaving Oct. 15, according to George Tsunis, chairman of NuHealth, the public benefit corporation that runs the East Meadow hospital and related facilities.
Minutes from NuHealth's governing board's Sept. 9 public meeting say that Tsunis
thanked Mack for her service and noted "that this was a capstone to a long career and that she was deserving of a great deal of gratitude."
But the board didn't seem as gracious in a subsequent closed-door executive session. Minutes of the session--the first time executive session minutes have been publicly posted on the hospital website this year-- say:
"The board resolved unanimously that effective immediately:
1. Winifred Mack may not hire, fire, promote, move personnel, or bind the corporation during the remainder of her tenure as CEO through Oct. 15, 2019,
2. Megan Ryan, EVP/General Counsel, is to be reinstated and invited to all of the remaining meetings Winifred Mack conducts and Northwell holds."
Tsunis on Tuesday downplayed the restrictions imposed on Mack's final actions at the hospital. He said the board wanted to ensure that she wasn't taking actions that the board did not know about.
But what does "reinstated" mean in regard to general counsel Meg Ryan, whose contractual salary, Tsunis acknowledged, had been increased from $300,000 to $350,000 earlier in the year?
Tsunis said Northwell had removed Ryan from some important hospital committees and the minutes simply referred to Ryan being reinstated as a contributing member of those committees.
Meanwhile, Northwell continues as a vendor, Tsunis said.
Tsunis temporarily is acting president and chief executive as a search for a new CEO continues.
But there was something else in those minutes.
The Sept. 9 minutes also notes that the board unanimously approved Ryan's request to increase the 2019 cap for the law firm of Abrams Fensterman, LLP by $200,000 "due to work on a federal subpoena."
What federal subpoena?
Tsunis declined comment except to say the hospital often self-reports incidents of concern.
As part of the deal to help build a leadership team at the public hospital, Northwell executive Winifred Mack took over as interim president and CEO in April for a six-month term with options for renewals.
But not even a full five months into her six-month agreement, Mack gave notice on Sept. 9 that she would be leaving Oct. 15, according to George Tsunis, chairman of NuHealth, the public benefit corporation that runs the East Meadow hospital and related facilities.
Minutes from NuHealth's governing board's Sept. 9 public meeting say that Tsunis
thanked Mack for her service and noted "that this was a capstone to a long career and that she was deserving of a great deal of gratitude."
But the board didn't seem as gracious in a subsequent closed-door executive session. Minutes of the session--the first time executive session minutes have been publicly posted on the hospital website this year-- say:
"The board resolved unanimously that effective immediately:
1. Winifred Mack may not hire, fire, promote, move personnel, or bind the corporation during the remainder of her tenure as CEO through Oct. 15, 2019,
2. Megan Ryan, EVP/General Counsel, is to be reinstated and invited to all of the remaining meetings Winifred Mack conducts and Northwell holds."
Tsunis on Tuesday downplayed the restrictions imposed on Mack's final actions at the hospital. He said the board wanted to ensure that she wasn't taking actions that the board did not know about.
But what does "reinstated" mean in regard to general counsel Meg Ryan, whose contractual salary, Tsunis acknowledged, had been increased from $300,000 to $350,000 earlier in the year?
Tsunis said Northwell had removed Ryan from some important hospital committees and the minutes simply referred to Ryan being reinstated as a contributing member of those committees.
Meanwhile, Northwell continues as a vendor, Tsunis said.
Tsunis temporarily is acting president and chief executive as a search for a new CEO continues.
But there was something else in those minutes.
The Sept. 9 minutes also notes that the board unanimously approved Ryan's request to increase the 2019 cap for the law firm of Abrams Fensterman, LLP by $200,000 "due to work on a federal subpoena."
What federal subpoena?
Tsunis declined comment except to say the hospital often self-reports incidents of concern.
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