Commissioners tackle Tennova complaints

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Bradley County commissioners held a work session Monday focused on concerns over long waits at Tennova Healthcare-Cleveland’s emergency department.

Community anger toward the hospital has simmered for years and was ignited in June when the Tennessee Health Services Development Agency denied applications from Tennova and Chattanooga-based Erlanger Health System to build new freestanding emergency departments in the county. The health systems argued the departments would reduce overcrowding and wait times in their current emergency departments.

But state regulators determined the current population in Bradley County isn’t large enough to justify additional emergency departments, prompting some concerned citizens to take matters into their own hands and confront Tennova. One of those efforts includes the “Enjoy the Wait Cleveland” campaign, spearheaded by resident Rodney West, asking Tennova to adopt the “30-minute-or-less” waiting-time pledge and post ER wait times on billboards like the health system does at its other hospitals.

“I’m glad that this is brought forward in that it appears to address issues that have existed for a long time,” said Commissioner Dan Rawls, District 6. “This isn’t just from outside constituents and people in the community, but my own experience.”

During Monday’s meeting, Coleman Foss, who has served as Tennova’s CEO for more than 10 years, acknowledged the hospital’s shortcomings and provided examples of steps already taken to improve performance — such as replacing key staffers and hiring a consulting firm — before fielding questions from the commissioners.

“I will be the first to tell you, we didn’t have some good processes in the past,” Foss said, adding that initially he didn’t want to “upset the apple cart,” but slow ER service became increasingly “intolerable.” Then Erlanger proposed building its own emergency department in Bradley County, causing Tennova “to hit the accelerator.”

In the last four months, the number of patients leaving Tennova’s ER due to frustration as well as the wait times have fallen below the state and national averages, Foss said.

Commissioner Jeff Yarber, District 5, said that citizens were largely in favor of outside competition from Erlanger, but given the state’s decision recommended that Tennova spend more time educating the public on ways the hospital is improving.

“Perception is everything,” Yarber said. “I believe as long as Tennova is doing a good job, people will continue to go there.”