Published: May 30, 2008 09:54 am         

Health center clinicians want director to resign

CUMBERLAND - A plaque on the outside wall of the Tri-State Community Health Center building on Kelly Road indicates that the facility is "a testimony" to the late Edward Dressman's dedication "to provide access to quality health care in the community."

But a 2 1/2-hour meeting Thursday night between the center's board of directors, doctors and nurse practitioners centered around a personnel controversy - apparently stemming from the medical director's effort to help support staff through a grievance process - which could ultimately jeopardize the care that underinsured and uninsured patients served in the facility Dressman helped to realize.

Wayne Spiggle, a part-time physician in the Cumberland office, said after the meeting the interchange between the clinical staff and board members was "very open" and that the clinical staff "left the meeting hopeful that the board is listening and understands" the complaints alleged about the management practices of Executive Director Leslie Colbrese.

Spiggle said the message from the clinical staff was to the point - the board was asked to force the resignation of Colbrese, reinstate Matthew Hahn, the medical director fired earlier this month and change policy to prohibit those in the grievance process from being retaliated against.

Hahn, the 2007 Maryland Rural Health Summit's Outstanding Rural Health Practitioner, was told in early May his termination was effective in 90 days. About two weeks later, Hahn said he was notified not to show up to the Hancock office anymore.

Spiggle said the clinical staff felt that Colbrese damages the reputation of the federally qualified health center and negatively impacts its ability to treat patients.

The health center is federally funded under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Tara Balsley, of HRSA, said her agency has no oversight over the health centers and the federal government doesn't have "any influence on hiring or things like that."

But U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett has taken notice. Lisa Lyons Wright, Bartlett's press secretary and legislative assistant, said Bartlett is gathering information "in a confidential manner before he (makes) any public statements about the ongoing controversy."

She said the matter is further complicated because the issue also impacts Pennsylvania and West Virginia officials and patients.

Bartlett is "aware and concerned," Wright said, "for patients who depend upon the health centers, for the health professionals who operate and upon whose professional care the patients depends for the contributions that the health centers make in the community."

Spiggle said the board is being given "a very short timeframe" with which to address the issues brought up at Thursday's meeting. If board members fail to act, he said, "the clinical staff have a responsibility to speak out."

Board President Cordelia Carson said before the meeting, which was closed to the public and the media, that it was "premature" to issue a statement. She was unavailable for comment after the meeting.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.