Oregon Firm Paid $370K Yearly To Run ARMC Surgery Room

(June 2) he county is paying a Portland, Oregon-based firm at a rate of over $370,000 per year to provide the county hospital in Colton with an operating room manager in the wake of the recent departure of Karen Jarvis, who previously worked directly for the county in the operating room manager capacity.
The main campus of the county hospital, known as Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, opened in Colton in 1998. It offers a full range of medical services, including surgeries.
In September 2014, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center received notice that the operating room manager was going to retire. A request for recruitment for the position was completed and still remains open. Two candidates applied for the position, but only one had operating room experience. That candidate was interviewed in February 2015, but did not accept the position. As there were no other qualified candidates, consultant quotes were requested and received from four vendors. Of those vendors, Whitman Partners was deemed the most cost effective, and the only vendor who offered operating room managers as a specialty.
On March 6, 2015, Master Blanket Pusrchase Order No. 152837 was issued to Whitman Partners in the amount of $67,940 for the period of March 1, 2015, through May 15, 2015, for the provision of an interim operating room manager.
As it turned out, the interim operating room manager began work on April 24.
On May 20, 2015 Whitman Partners announced it placed Nancy Hungarland at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center as the director of surgical services. Hungarland was previously the interim perioperative team manager at University Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hungarland oversees the operations of the operating room, pre-operative, post-operative, gastroenterology laboratory, and pain clinic. She plans, directs, coordinates, controls and evaluates the operation of the department and oversees staffing and budget for nursing care in the surgical services department in compliance with established standards, and is scheduled to provide an operational assessment at the end of the contract period.
According to R. Richard Pitts, the interim director of Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, “The experience and knowledge of this manager is vital to maintain compliance and efficiency in this department for the provision of patient procedures and care. Of these vendors, Whitman Partners was the most cost effective, and the only vendor who offered operating room managers as a specialty.”
A change order was processed to revise the effective dates of this purchase order to April 24, 2015, through December 31, 2015.
The original eight-week period agreed upon for the services of the interim operating room manager provided by Whitman Partners ends this month. The increased amount requested will provide sufficient purchasing authority for the extension of the services to be provided by Hungarland. The agreement document with Whitman Partners includes a provision requiring the vendor to find and provide a permanent candidate to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for this position. A placement fee of 25% of the candidate’s first year’s income upon hiring of a permanent candidate is required of Arrowhead Regional Medical Center as part of this provision.
The search is being conducted by Colin Mahoney, executive recruiter at Whitman Partners and he is being assisted by Jim Carver, partner and executive recruiter.

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