Why vote for me?

By Dale Chamblin

Based on the outcome of this election, the entire 5 person board could be nothing but doctors and nurses. I am the only candidate with a degree in Finance and a career as a Chief Financial Officer for a multi-state corporation. The board needs the balance and perspectives I can bring.

When the measure C construction projects began, I chaired the Citizens Oversight Committee to ensure that your tax dollars were being well spent. Not only did we review all the expenditures, but we regularly published reports to keep you, the public informed about our oversight efforts.

A brief 17 months ago I was asked to fill a vacant seat on the hospital board. I've been working with staff to reconstitute a citizen's committee to get public input, and due to my work, starting in January, board meetings will be televised. I want provide the same level of transparency for the board that we successfully did with the Citizens Oversight Committee.

All of us board candidates want our hospital to maintain its undisputed level of high quality. Where we differ is in the pricing of services and administrative costs. According to recent pricing data, comparing Tahoe Forest with the 3 Reno area hospitals, we are priced lower in 92% of similar hospital procedures. And we provide those services with an administration that is paid median wages when compared to other similarly sized hospitals.

Can we do better? I always like to think so, but as I know from my career in a highly competitive industry, when your costs are already well below the median, lowering them risks sacrificing quality.

You've all been reading about the ebola outbreak in Texas due to poor infection control management. We do not have poor infection control management. Tahoe Forest has a surgical site infection rate that is about one tenth that of the average US hospital. Should we reduce administrative salaries to save a few dollars, lower the quality of our administrative team and risk this high performance level?

...what would we save? Presently our top 4 hospital administrators are earning an average of the 58 percentile according to data provided by the California Hospital Association. If we reduced those salaries to the lowest level on their charts, the 25th percentile, we would be able reduce the cost of an average $1,000 hospital visit by just $2.41. Is it worth it?

I have a passion for thoughtfully weighing these options and making the best decisions I can for your benefit. Again, I hope to get your vote.