StrangeTony,
The Gentiva-Harden Healthcare merger might be in danger of disintegrating, given the departure of Harden's former Chief Operating Officer Chris Roussos to Epic Health Services on January 15, 2014. Roussos will serve as Epic's President and Chief Operating Officer.
After Gentiva purchased Harden they made Roussos President of the company's South Central Region. Gentiva CEO Tony Strange cited Roussos' importance to the merger in the September 19, 2013 investor call:
They also bring strong field leaders, including but not limited to, their current COO Chris Roussos, who will be joining our team as a key leader for us post-integration.
Strange reiterated Roussos' critical role as South Central Region President in the company's Nov. 5 earnings call:
"Harden's Chief Operating Officer Chris Roussos has been named the Regional President of our new South Central Region. This region includes Texas and the majority of the current Harden geographies, thereby reducing the integration risk for most of their existing businesses."
Roussos left a mere two months after being called integral to a successful combination. What does that do "the integration risk for most of Harden's businesses?" I imagine it increases it. This adds to Gentiva's epic mess, fractal-like in that it repeats at varying levels.
As for Roussos he clearly does not want to show any Gentiva connections. Epic made no mention of his South Central President position in their press release on Roussos hiring. Bloomberg also failed to include Roussos' Gentiva job in their summary of his career.
The company is looking for a new South Central Region President. Who's mendacious enough to join this bunch? I'd nominate our Branch Manager as an outstanding fit. It would have "crazy" joining "evil."
The kicker is I'd prefer the company's management pursue more honesty/truth telling, collaboration and actually seek feedback from employees and hospice physicians. Gentiva's executives see no need to do so or are incapable of such.
Anonymous
Fortunately, the Harden legacy, at least on the community care side where insulated from the fallout from this. That said, the defections are beginning. The finance team has left, with more to, follow.
ReplyDeleteOur lot is used to being treated like mushrooms. (In the dark, fed shit)