Martha's Vineyard Hospital CEO Is Fired

Julia Wells Monday, June 5 2017 - 12:58pm

<p>After just 13 months on the job, the president and chief executive officer of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital was abruptly fired Monday morning for reasons that have not been disclosed.</p>

After just 13 months on the job, the president and chief executive officer of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital was abruptly fired Monday morning for reasons that have not been disclosed.

In a press release emailed to the Gazette, hospital board chairman Tim Sweet said Joe Woodin was “stepping down” from his role and that former president and chief executive officer Timothy Walsh would return as interim CEO. The release gave no reason or time frame for Mr. Woodin’s departure.

But speaking to the Gazette by telephone, Mr. Woodin said he had been fired.

“I just got summarily fired at 8 a.m. with no notice and no discussion of anything I’ve done wrong — by the board chairman [Timothy Sweet],” Mr. Woodin said.

Reached by phone, Mr. Sweet had little comment. “He is stepping down from his position. I would really like to stay with the press release,” Mr. Sweet said. He did say that Mr. Woodin’s departure is the result of a board decision although he could not say if there had been a vote.

“It was a decision of the board — I would rather not get into the process right now,” he said.

The press release, signed by Mr. Sweet, noted that Mr. Woodin had “brought many fresh ideas and changes” to the hospital since his arrival. “We extend our thanks to Joe for his dedication and hard work in our behalf and wish him fair winds and all the best wherever his next steps may lead,” the press release said.

But Mr. Woodin, a longtime rural hospital executive from Vermont who was hired last year to take the helm at the Island’s only hospital after a nationwide search, did not mince words.

He said he was asked without warning on Monday by Mr. Sweet to sign an agreement saying he was resigning for personal reasons — and he refused.

“I’m not resigning. I love this job. I just bought a house,” Mr. Woodin said.

“This is the worst of Island politics and this is between the board chairman and me,” Mr. Woodin said. “Apparently I have crossed him, although I have always respected him. I was speechless.”

Mr. Woodin said he was given no reason for the firing. “There have been no performance reviews given to me, no documentation, no phone calls, not a single concern over my performance,” he said.

Mr. Woodin, 56, was named in February 2016 to replace Mr. Walsh, who was retiring after 16 years. He started work last May.

Mr. Woodin came to Martha’s Vineyard from Gifford Medical Center, a critical access hospital in rural central Vermont, where he had been president and CEO since 2000. He also formerly held key positions at Fletcher Allen Health Care, formerly the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont.

Trained as an industrial engineer, he began work in business and manufacturing but early on in his career moved into hospital administration in Vermont, spurred initially by his work in a homeless shelter in Burlington, Vt.

At the time of his appointment, Mr. Sweet, the board chairman who also led the search committee, said Mr. Woodin almost immediately rose to the top of the candidate list. “He quite frankly seemed to be custom made for exactly what we were looking for,” he said.

For his part, Mr. Woodin said at the time his decision to take the Vineyard job was spurred by personal events.

“In life a lot of the things we do are structured and planned and we think through them . . . . and sometimes things happen in life that are dramatically different,” he said. “For me it was the loss of my wife and high school sweetheart that was sort of the calling that I could have easily ignored. But I decided I should probably have the courage.”

Mr. Woodin came under criticism after he announced in February that the hospital would be closing an elderly independent living unit at Windemere because of low residency and deep financial losses.

Last month, Mr. Woodin announced that the hospital had reached agreement with Martha’s Vineyard Community Services to convert a building known as the Red House to a crisis stabilization unit. The plan had been negotiated by Mr. Walsh, but Mr. Woodin put it on temporary hold saying he needed to find suitable space to house the billing department that would be displaced.

In the press release, Mr. Sweet credited Mr. Woodin with conducting a comprehensive facility study outlining the present and future needs on the hospital campus.

“Joe’s training as an industrial engineer came to the fore as he facilitated a collaborative review of the old 1972 hospital building and all the departments delivering care within,” the press release said. “His assessment showed that as MVH has continued to grow and evolve since the opening of our new hospital in 2007, there remains more work to be done to insure that the delivery of primary and specialty care will complement the environment and patient centered care that our new hospital has brought to our acute care. We are committed to continue the important work that Joe began to plan for our future and be the best we can be.”

On Monday Mr. Woodin said: “I am being tossed out. My computer has been shut off and I’m packing up. This is unbelievably unseemly.”

Comments

What about performance

Islander Too

What about performance reviews?
If Woodin so quickly rose to the top of the heap during the hiring process, is it possible the board went too fast?

I wonder how long you have

lee West Tisbury

I wonder how long you have been working at the hospital and how his tenure affected your usual unproductive routine.....he was the best thing that ever happened to MVH

You make quite the

WTone EDG

You make quite the assumptions. I've been here 9 years and actually perform multiple roles that probably constitute nearly 2 full time positions. My production was and still is quite high. I'm not alone however as there are many of us here that carry quite heavy loads. I'm not an islander and I am not related to nor did I know anyone before I started my employment here however, I've been promoted several times which I earned from a lot of hard work and dedication. Thank you though for sharing your opinion.

We as community demand to

MV Citizens Chilmark

We as community demand to know the reason for the firing. The board must provide us with a legitimate reason for the firing and if it was justified, we will accept it. If it is not justified, then the board needs to be held accountable.

Who is the board accountable to anyway?

Mr. Woodin was just what the hospital and the community needed at this time. Tim Walsh served the hospital well and did a great job, but a new direction was needed. Mr. Woodin brought a new culture of accountability to the hospital that made a lot people feel uncomfortable that were in positions of authority. He was slowly bringing an end to the status quo and elevating the level of professionalism. He was demanding integrity and for managers and workers to step up their game.

Read what Tim Sweet said about Joe Woodin last year when he was hired:

Tim Sweet, chairman of the hospital’s search committee and the board of trustees said, “We feel incredibly fortunate to have found someone of Joe’s caliber and long experience to take over the helm of our hospital.”

Joe Woodin has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare field and is considered a dynamic leader with an outstanding record of achievement. He is a strategic thinker and results-oriented manager who is known for being collaborative and helping organizations achieve their business objectives and mission.

Concludes Mr. Sweet: “Based on Joe’s success in a startlingly similar hospital environment and after meeting with him, we unanimously agreed that Joe is custom-made for the challenges ahead at MVH.”

We hope that the board has the integrity to do the right thing and provide the citizens of MV with the real reason for the firing.

This is cronyism at its

Same old same old vH

This is cronyism at its finest, Mr Woodin stepped on a lot of old boy toes in his first 12 months cutting away dead wood from the top down, it was only a matter of time before Mr Sweet convinced the other stooges on the board of directors to terminate him by any means necessary. This is what happens at MVH, the good old boy network is alive & well just like it had been for the last 20+years.
What's needed here is a through investigation by and independent body appointed by Partners Healthcare, then & only then will the real story come out.

Martha's Vineyard Hospital is

Nelson Sigelman Vineyard Haven

Martha's Vineyard Hospital is a vital Island institution and readers ought to be concerned about such an abrupt change in leadership. However, it is unfair and wrong to call the board members "stooges." The members of the board are accomplished professionals who volunteer to sit on the board. Look at the names of the board members. Agree or disagree with their decision — you may want to wait for more information to be revealed — but there is nothing that justifies labeling the good people who serve on the board "stooges."

Hard to agree with a decision

WashAbhored Edgartown

Hard to agree with a decision when the reason behind it were not divulged.

Sounds like the new guy found

Me Oak bluffs

Sounds like the new guy found money being wasted and was trying to help and someone did not like it. Pretty obvious...

Time for partners healthcare

Island guy Chilmark

Time for partners healthcare to take controll of the hospital. The bot is out of controll.

If there was a vote, doesn't

Alison OB

If there was a vote, doesn't that have to be documented in minutes? Shouldn't it be on record why he was fired? Why doesn't that Sweet guy just say what happened to make the Board fire a guy who most people seem to be supporting?! It seems everyone including Mr Woodin would like to know.

For years, my wife worked at

Jeff

For years, my wife worked at MVH. So, I know a little bit about the inner workings of the hospital. That said, I know more about inner personal relationships. Right now I have major problems with the Board of Trustees. The way Mr. Woodin was terminated was wrong. Someone from the board should have had the gonads to talk face to face with him rather than making a phone call. Mr. Woodin's termination puts the MVH board in a very bad light. I strongly suggest the board needs to have a major makeover. It is not easy to work and do well on the Vineyard. We will miss Mr. Woodin and trust he will experience a much better work environment somewhere else.

Martha's Vineyard Hospital is

Robert J Laskowski MD Oak Bluffs

Martha's Vineyard Hospital is a vital community resource. As a non-profit it is "owned" by the public, despite being a "private" organization. The Board of Trustees consequently has a responsibility to the public. Part of that responsibility is transparency. Comments on the Board's action published in the Gazette raise questions about the Board's motives. Doubts like these are corrosive of trust. An organization as important as Martha's Vineyard Hospital needs to have the community's trust to carry out its mission of service. The Board in its responsibility to the community must do all it can to demonstrate that it acts in the interest of the community. I urge it to do so.

I agree. TRANSPARENCY!!

Hey guys, can we all just

Drama Queens WT

Hey guys, can we all just wait to play the executioners song until we know what happened? All this fodder is truly ridiculous!
Calm down and breathe. Sometime soon the answers will be revealed. Until then my goal is to get some blessed work done today! Let's try to keep drama at bay and put patients first as always. Peace.

This effects hundreds of your

Alison OB

This effects hundreds of your neighbors. This effects our healthcare services. These posts is cuz people care about the community. People are just asking to know what happened, before it is too late for the hospital/

If the hospital is owned by a

Islander Too

If the hospital is owned by a corporation, why should anyone donate money to it?

The hospital is not owned by

Home OB

The hospital is not owned by a Corporation. they are just supported by one. and seeing how this action is playing out in public it makes one wish it was owned by a corp and not managed by a board of island cronies

Mr Tim Sweet does not own the

Paulli D Edgartown

Mr Tim Sweet does not own the MV Hospital. He owes the community a reason and response to why Mr Woodin was abruptly let go. If Mr Sweet can communicate he knows that there are ways to discuss the reason why the board agreed to do this. SPEAK UP MR SWEET WE WILL NOT SIT IDLEY BUY WHILE YOUR CRONIES ON THE BOARD THINK THEY OWN THE MV HOSPITAL IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND.

Ahh, sadly the MV Hospital

Gregg Perry Vineyard Haven

Ahh, sadly the MV Hospital hasn't belonged to us since Mr. Sweet and Mr. Walsh sold it to Partners Healthcare in 2007. They control just about everything over there despite what the public is told. Here is an interesting quote by Mr. Sweet from that time "It comes down to one word all the time and that is control - are we going to lose our sense of identity, control and autonomy? We have been thoroughly convinced that is not the case," he said, adding: "Partners' general philosophy is to allow individual hospitals to operate as usual. And we think the potential for rewards is huge. I know on the Vineyard we are very independent-minded, but when you sit down and think about it, the hospital is right now controlled by 15 trustees and really the ultimate control rests with the Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Attorney General. Operations will not change at all."

Yes, MVH affiliated with

Paulli D Edgartown

Yes, MVH affiliated with Partners for $5 million dollars, but Partners does not own or run the board. $5m does not buy a hospital. That deal was all about patients, you know, the ones that get the Oak Bluffs ambulance ride to Boston. You see this on the ferry weekly of not daily. The board owes the community some answers. No CEO is going to take a job where professionals are treated like this. Especially coming to an island.

I am demanding a public

Paul Chilmark

I am demanding a public hearing and everyboard member should be there, no to run the meeting, to answer our concerns and explain their actions.
I get better attention at the Walk in Clinics than at the hospital for minor issues.
The new CEO was just that , a CEO. It is his task of monitoring performance evaluations and getting to know everyone in order to implement change .
I agree , it is the board that needs to be changed .
Out with the old and let the CEO lead the hospital to health .
Time for us Vineyarders to demand change .
Do it now !

The hospital finally hired

Mary Edgartown

The hospital finally hired someone who had a good vision for the community, as well as the viability of the hospital and the morale of the staff. No explanation for the firing? Are they taking a page from Donald Trump with the firing of James Comey?

This is ridiculous. If you've

Charlie OB

This is ridiculous. If you've ever talked to Joe, you would know that this is a crazy situation. Things don't seem to add up at all... I think we should have a public forum! Invite Joe and Mr. Sweet, and let's really hear what they have to say. This is a disgusting situation, and the board shouldn't be able to get away with this!!!!!!!!! This is some Trump tactics!!!!!

I thought Mr. Woodin was a

Peter Laursen MD Vineyard Haven

I thought Mr. Woodin was a very wise and good leader. He was fair in all of my dealings with him, and I'm sorry to hear of his departure.

The Board owes the Island

Fred G Edgartown

The Board owes the Island community the answer to why it fired the CEO.
If there are any journalists on the Island now is the time to start digging. Start with the nepotism at the hospital.

Partners appoints 3 board

Hmmmm Chilmark

Partners appoints 3 board members, among them the Partners Chief Counsel. Presumably, this move had his blessing.

I remember when it was

Ellie Spencer Warrenton, VA

I remember when it was announced he was coming here, a friend (administrator at a Vermont hospital) said we were really, really lucky to have gotten him.

Who is Timothy Sweet. Where

Paulli D Edgartown

Who is Timothy Sweet. Where does he come from and what is his background. How is connected to the island?

I can't see myself continuing

Hospital Donor Vineyard Haven

I can't see myself continuing to donate until a full explanation comes forward. Mr. Sweet and his board should not be above the community.

Enjoy the summer, you will

A Summer Person Via Kansas

Enjoy the summer, you will land in a better place, The Dark State of the Vineyard is deadly, just ask the bank in Vineyard Haven and the new roof in their future,
Small Town, Small Minds,

See you at the end of the Month

Sounds like politics as usual

Abraham Seiman Oak Bluffs, MA

Sounds like politics as usual. While residents of M.V. continue to ignore what is going on, nepotism, cronyism, and corruption will continue unimpeded.

This is a surprising and

Jim Butterick OB

This is a surprising and disappointing turn of events. In my contacts with Mr. Woodin, and what I have seen of him on the island and in the news media, he seemed to be the right person with the right background for our island hospital. His experience with another Critical Access Hospital in a rural area of New England seemed entirely appropriate for running our hospital. His efforts to find and fund beds on the mainland for mental health and substance abuse patients, his turning over a hospital building to MV Community Services for Crisis Intervention, his embracing of other island organizations, his convening of interested parties to talk about the unique needs of Medicaid patients, and his engaging with the work of the Rural Scholars on the opioid crisis all seemed to point in the direction of his realizing that the hospital is the community resource it must be and in a leadership position for a variety of health care needs.

Joe was a breath of fresh air

Charles Hodge Edgartown

Joe was a breath of fresh air and a community resource. The hospital board must be obligated to provide some details regarding the basis for their seemingly abrupt and secretive maneuver.

This saddens me. It also

CL West Tisbury

This saddens me. It also makes me very angry. I know, in time, the truth will come out- it better! Joe Woodin really is a perfect fit for this hospital- for many of the reasons mentioned in the (above) letter. He loves his job. He loves the island. And he is always very happy to share this with anyone who wants to chat! It is insane that Tim Sweet took it upon himself (and perhaps a couple of the Board members- but I know not all...) to FIRE the CEO of the hospital- WITHOUT GIVING HIM A REASON WHY. It's just wrong- plain and simple. I am of the opinion that our community deserves an answer, and it goes without saying that of course Joe deserves an answer. I know- in time. It's just hard to let this go by without speaking up. I think it is appropriate to put a time limit on how long a person can be a board member, and more importantly, how long one can be the Chairperson. The quicker we put this into action the better. This is not over by any means. We want an answer.

I feel sorry that Windemere

edward j. higham Boston and Martha's Vineyard

I feel sorry that Windemere seems to be part of this imbroglio at the Hospital. I spent years on the Oversight Committee of Windemere. It started when the Hospital was raising money for the expansion and building of a new hospital. At a meeting I asked, "How much of this money that you are raising is targeted for the modernization of Windemere? The answer was "None of it." So I then began many years on the "Oversight Committee" as I had a family interest in hoping that Windemere would be re-built so as to serve an aging community. If there was a commitment to invest in Windemere as there was to invest in the hospital, there would be a state of the art nursing home on Martha's Vineyard now. I fought hard for Windemere beginning 10 years ago but there was not a serious and prolonged commitment by the Board, in my opinion, to make Windemere a real good, modernized Nursing Home. At times I argued my heart out for enlightened action but almost always hit a stone wall. The hospital took 10 or 11 units from Windemere to use for office space and they were never given back to Windemere. Unit 3 was modernized but there never was a hue and cry by the Board to keep all the units full. I pleaded that a strong and vital Marketing Program be initiated so as to build a community response that would, in time, assure that Windemere was kept as close to full as possible, including the return of Unit 1 from the hospital. I presented Demographic Studies but the Board never had a strong leadership conviction that Windemere was vital to Martha's Vineyard. It was alwaYS, "They want to go off Island"; "Their families will take care of them (somewhere??)." The Board never supported me or dictated that a "Waiting List" had to be developed or that it was an essential tool for predicting how and when Windemere would stay as Martha's Vineyard's vibrant and financially stable Nursing Home. So as it was 10 years ago, Windemere was never a top priority to flourish and to survive on the Island. So when I read the comments regarding the Board my mind turns to their attitude toward Windemere. It was a flawed and terrible attitude and policy and now it appears too late to save Windemere. Members of that Board should be removed for that policy of negligence! It was an example of malfeasance in office and new and capable members should assume office. Respectfully, Edward Higham

Unless the firing was because

Hugh Weisman Chilmark and New York

Unless the firing was because the board became aware of criminal or near criminal behavior on Mr. Woodin;s part (i.e. embezzlement, moral turpitude, overt sexual harassment, etc.), it beggars the imagination that they would fire someone without a warning, without an explanation, without even the courtesy of weeks or months notice. We've seen firings like this (Comey) when for some reason, the person who's fired is making the boss uncomfortable about something that they (the boss) has done or is doing. We don't know the facts, but it's not unreasonable to suspect that the Board is worried about being held accountable for something that they would rather not be public.

Wow....what fireworks and the

Donald MV

Wow....what fireworks and the 4th of July is a month away. With so many people threatening to discontinue their donations....me thinks one thing....Mr. Sweet better also start packing his bags.

Joe was more than policies at

Fred Thornbrugh West Tisbury

Joe was more than policies at my work place. In the most basic way, communication and I believe, based own my personal experience, the level of authenticity was beginning to pull us together. We are, after all, an empathy based industry. I personally expect more in my workplace than the silent agenda conducted behind closed doors! Shame on you!

I have known Joe Woodin for a

Islander OB

I have known Joe Woodin for a long time. His decision to come to MVH was based on his belief that he was being called...to a new life. To a new opportunity. To help an organization that had the potential to make a huge difference in the community. Joe is an honest, truthful, caring, and moral leader. Change is never easy, but when it's led by someone like Joe, it can be exciting...difficult at times, yes, but exciting. If the members of the board who decided that Joe was not the right fit for MVH had ANY moral fiber, they would have handled this professionally. Maybe they'd have talked to Joe about their concerns. Maybe given him direction. Suggested a different course or action or approach. But to handle it this way...to fire someone without cause or explanation...that speaks of arrogance and entitlement. Apparently this is not the island's community hospital...it belongs to Tim Sweet and a handful of board members. Boy do I miss the the old island hospital and the days of Doc Rappaport...

Shame on Mr Sweet & Martha's

Dorothy Shannon RN New Hampshire

Shame on Mr Sweet & Martha's Vineyard Hospital! Joseph Woodin has an outstanding & exemplary record as a Hospital administrator! His character & integrity are of the highest caliber. The fabric of this man is unblemished. Perhaps Mr Sweet didn't think a Substance Abuse Program fit the image of rich island living & would rather ferry those seeking quality treatment off to the mainland? It will be interesting to see if that project development is "fired" too in the coming weeks/months. I commend Mr Woodin for being proactive in striving for the highest quality healthcare for all! God bless Mr Woodin...

Boards that do not have term

BSS VH

Boards that do not have term limits are, quite simply, not truly in service to or of any value to the organizations they supposedly help manage. Such boards are ego-driven, small-minded people who suffer from selfis delusions of grandeur. No one can ever know what really happened when such a board is holding the reins, and engaged in the nepotism so rampant in that particular situation. Sadly, we will never know what happened, but no one can ignore the positive feedback Joe has received in this and other forums.

On the face of it, Joe Woodin

Tad West Tisbury

On the face of it, Joe Woodin's firing is simply incomprehensible, particularly when one learns that there are ranking members of the Board who had no knowledge of this until after the fact.

Not only do we deserve an explanation, but . . . barring fraud, defalcation or other criminal activity on his part . . . Joe should be reinstated.

It is possible that Mr.

MV Citizens Chilmark

It is possible that Mr. Woodin was forced to out of a job he loved by the "powerful" chairman of the board Mr. Timothy D. Sweet, vice chairman Edward F. Miller, and only a few of the board members which was not a well thought out and contrived plan. Below is the likely scenario that happened where this group convened and made the mistake of "deference to the Executive Committee, or the Board Chair. No one owns a tax-exempt non-profit like MVH. No one committee, director, or individual can control the organization. The executive committee, if one exists, is typically charged with acting on behalf of the entire board when the board is not in session and cannot be easily convened. It is, however, accountable to the full board and should not be permitted to operate as a “mini-board.” The chairman's primary duty is to preside over board meetings and to act as a liaison between the board and the chief executive. The chair does not have the power to override decisions of the board."

There is a wellspring of support for Mr. Woodin which is growing stronger daily. My advice is that we continue to voice our opinions in the press, reach out to Partners for answers, continue to unite as a community, and request to see the governing documents of the MVH Board of Trustees. There is power in numbers and power in the truth.

I have worked with Mr. Woodin

MT Edgartown

I have worked with Mr. Woodin and the hospital staff under his leadership on several projects to improve delivery of health care services to the islander community. He was always professional, accessible, listened to our concerns and worked hard to come up with solutions. He made major strides in just one year on several fronts - all aimed at improving the status quo. I appreciated his innovative approach, thoughtful process, careful implementation but most importantly the positive outcomes. He cared. It is hard to imagine what reason could the board have to ask for his resignation.

Somebody knows dirt on

Pete Chilmark

Somebody knows dirt on somebody else......either side.
Mimics Washington

Very troubling action by Mr.

Kevin McMann Boston/Edgartown

Very troubling action by Mr. Sweet. Did he act alone or with the majority backing of the entire Board? If this was a grudge between Mr. Sweet and Mr. Woodin then other Board members should have intervened. A Board Chairman is far easier to replace than an experienced CEO. My vote doesn't matter -- but, Mr. Sweet should be booted and Mr. Woodin returned to his role. This is a crisis in confidence in the full board and someone needs to step up and explain this action.

It's time for the full board

Fred G Edgartown

It's time for the full board to do the right thing and bring back Joe Wooden. It appears the people who worked with him daily know the true quality of his leadership and respected him. It's time for the Island community to take back it's hospital by demanding Mr. Wooden's return.

Agree! Working here at MVH

MVH Nurse

Agree! Working here at MVH was a pleasure under Joe Woodin. He was such a positive influence on this organization. He was changing the culture to be innovative and serve the community with the best that we have. Please reinstate him.

This is a list of the

William Edg

This is a list of the Trustees of MVH from their web site. They have not removed Mr. Woodin as of 10:25am 6/7/2017

Timothy D. Sweet, Chairman
Edward F. Miller, Vice Chairman
Earle A. Ray, Treasurer
Mary R. Brown, Secretary
Joseph L. Woodin, President & CEO
Pieter Pil, M.D., PhD, Chief Medical Officer
Debra A. Burke, D.N.P., M.B.A.
Susan C. Crampton
Brent L. Henry, Esq.
Michael R. Jaff, D.O.
A. Anthony James
Ronald H. Rappaport
John H. Schaefer
Warren J. Spector
Walter S. Teller

I heard from several

KH Edgartown

I heard from several employees that the guy was a tyrant. No doubt the hospital needs change but it should be through balanced leadership ...

Martha's Vineyard Hospital CEO Is Fired

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