Teresa Johnson
A member of the John C. Fremont Healthcare District Board of Directors is leaving her position.
“It happened pretty quick,” said Teresa Johnson, who will be leaving Mariposa County and moving out of state after she and her husband sold their house.
It comes at an interesting time since Johnson was in line to serve another four-year term on the board. Only three candidates filed for the three open positions. Because of that, none of their names appear on the ballots for the Nov. 3 election.
What happens next remains to be seen, but the scenario is likely to be the board will put out a notice for the open seat, candidates can apply and then one will be chosen to fill Johnson’s seat.
Johnson’s resignation letter indicates her final day will be Nov. 19, but that could change, depending on how the board handles the situation.
She said when she decided to seek the four-year term, the plan was to stay in Mariposa. However, she said “financial” considerations are forcing them to leave the county and move to another state.
“I am giving the board a choice,” said Johnson, noting she will continue to legally be a resident of the county until she establishes residency in another state.
Under the current scenario, board member Rob Fox is slated to have a two-year term while member Jon Wurl has a four-year term he is completing. Wurl could possibly opt to take the four-year term Johnson is leaving, meaning the new appointee would be on for two years.
All of that has yet to be determined by the board and their legal counsel.
Johnson has been on the board roughly five years, first being appointed and then being elected.
The hospital’s future
For Johnson, she wanted to be on the board to see the hospital succeed.
That has not changed.
“I do,” she said when asked if that remains her goal. “That’s why I ran.”
Johnson said with the new board members in place, she feels they are heading in the right direction.
“We were at a crossroads,” said Johnson. “We could stay stagnant or we could change. We changed.”
She said just some of the more recent accomplishments include new bylaws, new job descriptions for the board members, getting more familiar with the Brown Act and developing new policies and procedures, to name a few.
“There are no gray areas,” she said. “The board is the governing body.”
Johnson also had high praise for CEO Stacey Kuzak, who she said has good intentions and wants everyone involved.
“She knows we have shortcomings,” said Johnson.
Johnson said Kuzak has “sought mentors” and has involved many people in her goal of turning around the financially troubled hospital.
“She has built a team at the executive level,” said Johnson, who predicted there will be a financial turnaround within two years, even going so far as to say she thinks the hospital “will be in the black” within the next year.
Part of that, she said, is the current working relationship they have developed with the Oak Valley Healthcare District in Oakdale. Though there is not yet a formal agreement, she said that is in the works and thinks it will help improve JCF in the long run.
“It’s huge,” she said.
Already, she said, patients can get treatment in Oakdale and then return to JCF when beds open up. That is especially true for elderly patients who need long-term care but there are no spots at JCF.
It’s also the same for those who need surgery, she said. They can get the surgery in Oakdale and then be returned to JCF for recovery.
The long road
Johnson said she believes Kuzak has the vision to lead the turnaround at JCF and it’s happening now.
They are “digging into” the financial situation, she said, including accounts receivable and billing issues that have plagued JCF.
“I see it as an iceberg,” said Johnson.
She said “since day one,” Kuzak has “gone to the bottom of the iceberg and is chipping off the pieces.”
Johnson is the first to admit the “finances are a mess,” but said the lack of administrative leadership has led to that situation. She believes Kuzak can turn it around.
“The biggest thing is Stacey and her team,” she said. “She is a team player.”
Johnson also said that Kuzak “had no idea what she was getting into” when taking over the role after yet another CAO was embroiled in controversy and left.
“She outlined a vision,” said Johnson.
Before, said Johnson, she “watched so many mistakes and I voiced my opinion and nothing was heard.”
Now, she said, the administration is listening to the board, the employees and the public.
Part of that is the current push to get a new hospital built by 2030, which is required by California state law because of earthquake standards.
“I do,” she said, when asked if she thinks there will be a new hospital. “The board and CEO are working as a team.”
Shaping the future
One issue Johnson said has been difficult is how some people don’t want change to happen, but it’s something she says is vital.
“Change is hard,” said Johnson. “But necessary.”
Johnson said in the past, she saw “a lot of good opportunities go by the wayside because of bad decisions.”
Though she said there will still be mistakes, she feels the leadership of Kuzak along with an active board will make those less.
“The goal is to stabilize it financially,” she said. “We need to grow the doctors and grow the hospital staff.”
Another major change, she said, is that board members now know their roles and are not trying to get involved in what should be the duties of the administrators they hire.
“We are not butting into their business,” said Johnson. “We are governing.”
She said Rose Fluharty, the chair of the board, is “solid” and feels she will lead JCF in the right direction.
Johnson stressed the board chair is the liaison to the administration and understands the chain of command that she said has been lacking for years.
Johnson said she is hopeful many people apply for her open seat.
“I hope they do,” said Johnson. “We need new blood. I encourage people to apply for this.”
She also encouraged people in the community to communicate with the board members to voice their concerns.
Just last week, Johnson said she had a hard fall at her house and had to go to the emergency room. She was impressed with how everything unfolded.
“I was treated well after the fall,” she said. “I saw a doctor explain everything to a patient and he was thorough. That is the skill level we need to search for every day.”
The bottom line for Johnson, she said, is what a hospital should be all about: “Caring for the people.”
Though she is leaving Mariposa County, Johnson said she will always hope there can be a turnaround and that JCF is here for the long term. She said the public getting involved is crucial in order to make the healthcare district work.
“That is the key to making that hospital solid,” said Johnson.
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