Broward Health action spurs $8.5M deal’s delay

The Broward County Commission voted Tuesday to delay a routine grant to Broward Health out of concern over the hospital district’s controversial decision to fire its chief executive officer.

The 6-3 vote held up for at least one week an $8.5 million contract for Broward Health to provide services to the poor. The district, which serves the northern two-thirds of the county, has been providing the services under an expired contract. Commissioners supporting the move said they expected it would have no impact on services.

The delay came in response to a mysteryshrouded vote last week by the Broward Health board to fire interim CEO Pauline Grant over accusations she had been involved in accepting kickbacks. Board members provided no specifics, and Grant has denied any wrongdoing.

“This is our statement to Broward Health’s board that they ought to get the house of the hospital district in order,” said County Commissioner Dale Holness, who made the motion to delay the grant contract.

The vote to fire Grant came at a meeting for which the agenda gave no indication that accusations against Grant or her possible dismissal were to be considered. The board, all appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, fired Grant after a presentation by Broward Health general counsel Lynn Barrett, who brought in two outside law firms to say Grant likely broke the law and should be dismissed.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office is investigating the board for a possible violation of the state openmeetings law, with public corruption unit chief Tim Donnelly leading the inquiry, according to Ron Ishoy, spokesman for the Broward State Attorney’s Office. Broward Health is the brand-name of the North Broward Hospital District, which levies property taxes and operates five hospitals and other treatment centers.

The county’s action came after several representatives of northern Broward County urged the commission to hold the Broward Health board accountable. Several said the board appeared to be acting on behalf of interests other than the sick people.

Among the speakers was Dorsey Miller, a former chairman of the Broward Health board.

“In my opinion it was an illegal act because it was conducted during an illegal meeting,” he said. “We must send a solid message to that board, letting them know that the action they are taking to throw this district into disarray is not the proper action to take.”

Jasmin Shirley, senior vice president of Broward Health Community Health Services, said, “I do understand the sentiments that have been raised by many throughout Broward County.” But she urged the county to not delay the contract, saying Broward Health was doing good work for uninsured people.

Rocky Rodriguez, chairman of the Broward Health board, could not be reached for comment.

There has long been talk that Scott, a former private hospital executive, wants to see the district privatized.

State Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Lauderhill, said, there was “a concern about the board devaluing the asset for some ulterior motive.”

“I come here asking you to join us in wanting accountability, wanting due process, wanting them to understand that their fiduciary duty is to the patients, the end-users of their services, and not to Tallahassee or who appoints them to the board,” he said.

Members of the Broward Health board who voted to fire Grant were Rodriguez, Beverly Capasso, Linda Robison and Christopher Ure. Voting against was board member Maureen Canada. Another board member, Sheela VanHoose, was absent but later sent a sharply worded letter to her colleagues criticizing their decision to fire Grant.

The board promoted Chief Operating Officer Kevin Fusco to the job of interim CEO, despite demoting him from the same job in March after complaints from employees that his administration had created chaos and an atmosphere of fear. Through a spokeswoman, Fusco declined comment.

Although Broward Health officials and board members repeatedly refused to discuss what Grant is alleged to have done, Grant in an interview said the accusations date to her previous job as CEO of Broward Health North, the system’s hospital in Deerfield Beach. She said she was accused of being involved in kickbacks by an doctor who was upset about being removed from an oncall list.

Separately this week, Broward Health board member Canada sent a letter to Scott Monday describing what she called the general counsel’s “incompetence” and “lack of knowledge and understanding of the Sunshine Law,” which she said had put the board at risk.