10:49 PM. Time For Southeast Health Rick Sutton To Be Shipped Back To Alaska

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
[email protected]
334-790-1729
Date: Jan 31 2023 11:17 PM

DOTHAN:        Since being home and able to rest has afforded me a lot of time to think. I watch little to no TV but have watched New Amsterdam.

As I have watched it there has been a lot of time to reflect.

In my opinion Dothan-Houston County was “once” a premier health care community. Dothan-Houston County thrived on quality healthcare. And we do with Flowers Hospital.

But since Rick Sutton arrived in Dothan-Houston County from Colorado and/or Alaska, Southeast Health has been swiftly going down hill, in my opinion. The CEO has focused on a top notch dining facility, Starbuck’s, Chic-Fil-A in the heart unit.

But Southeast has no Ear, Nose and Throat, no on staff Vascular, CEO Rick Sutton ran off one of the three Neuro Surgeons. Those doctors who were the “rock” of Dothan-Houston County, Southeast Health Rick Sutton has, in my opinion, been poison to the healthcare community.

Long time physicians such as Dr. Nunley left a long time practice at Southeast Health and moved one block from Flowers Hospital and no longer practices at Southeast Health.

At no fault of the Emergency Department staff of Southeast Health, or majority of staff, but of CEO Rick Sutton, people sit for hours upon hours in the waiting room of Southeast Health waiting to see a doctor. Sutton is not a visionary in solving the problem but is a dictator who if you disagree with him you go into unemployment or exile.

This is not Rickey Stokes opinion, alone but the opinion of long term members of the Dothan Medical community.

Rick Sutton, CEO of Southeast Health is not engaged in Dothan-Houston County. His off time is spent at the beach or his home in Alaska. He is only a part of the community as long as the majority of the 13 member HealthCare Authority continues to pay him six or seven figures.

There are 12 of the 13 members of the Healthcare Authority who are appointed by the Houston County Commission. Only 1 ( one ) Houston County Commissioner has stood up to the Healthcare Authority, D3 Ricky Herring. The other Houston County Commissioners have a long standing history of being wimps to the authority.

While the Houston County Commissioners appoint 12 members, the Houston County Commissioners are not privy to any meetings, minutes, financials or anything of the hospital.

PROPERTY TAX 

Southeast Health CEO Rick Sutton and the Healthcare Authority has demanded to the Houston County Commission to go up 1.5 mills of property tax. But guess who in Houston County pays no property tax?  Southeast Health and ACOM.

They own property like the old Sony Property, property on John D. Odom Road and property all over. Sutton and the Healthcare Authority has placed the Houston County Commission in a no say so position but to increase the property tax. All while Southeast Healthcare and ACOM pay ZERO.

Flowers Hospital pays over $ 300,000.00 a year in property tax.

SUTTON ARRIVED TERMINATING STAFF 

I will give Southeast Health Rick Sutton the fact he did not know COVID was going to hit. But he arrived from Colorado/Alaska and began to terminate people from long time employment with Southeast Health. He has run qualified physicians from Southeast Health. Some refer to Southeast Health as Middle East Medical Center.

Long time physicians like Dothan Pediatrics no longer see babies when born at Southeast Health. When parents selected Dothan Pediatrics it is after the baby is born and released from Southeast Health they see the child. A great pediatric practice, Dothan born and Dothan built.

THE TIME IS OVERDUE 

It is clear the Healthcare Authority is not going to make changes. The time has come for the Alabama House of Representatives and Alabama Senate - local delegation, to put their foot down and do something. Changing the laws where the Houston County Commissioners, elected to represent, are privy to the meetings, minutes and financials of Southeast Health. With the increased property tax demands from an exempted entity, oversight is required.

And failure to the local legislative delegation to give the public peace of mind is the local legislative delegation failure to represent the people.

My opinion, time for a change to someone who cares about Dothan-Houston County, the community and people, that becomes engaged in the community and interacts in the community.

One the staff of Southeast Health can respect and not operate in fear of. One who solves the problems and not the restaurants.

THANKFULLY - we have Flowers Hospital.

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