Dr. Okolo Fires Dr. Mavis Matthew And Justa Encarnacion; Head Of Human Resources Resigns

ST. CROIX — Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ken Okolo, has fired J.F.L.’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mavis Matthew and Chief Nursing Officer Justa Encarnacion, hospital sources with direct knowledge of the dismissals, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter, have said. The Consortium reached out to J.F.L. Public Relations Officer Erica Parsons, who stated that Dr. Matthew and Ms. Encarnacion had been “separated” from the hospital. Ms. Parsons said the hospital had no further comment on the matter.

Separately, The Consortium has learned that the hospital’s Human Resources chief, Frank Abednego, resigned today.

It is not clear what prompted the two firings and one resignation, but hospital sources have said that Dr. Okolo, who was chief operating officer before being chosen as CEO following Dr. Kendall Griffith’s departure, has been difficult to get along with. Asked about those accusations, Ms. Parsons said her experience with Dr. Okolo, though coming from a different position, has been good.

“That has not been my experience,” Ms. Parsons began, referring to the accusations. “Dr. Okolo is very knowledgeable, hardworking and concerned with the direction of J.F.L. and moving forward. And that’s what I have seen thus far.” Ms. Parsons said both Dr. Mathew and Ms. Encarnacion have “contributed greatly to the success of J.F.L., and I wish them well in their future endeavors.”

Dr. Matthew had come under fire following multiple Consortium reports, where former C.E.O. Kendall Griffith revealed that she was the one who brought Nedra Dodds to J.F.L. Dr. Griffith told the publication that Ms. Dodds was at the facility days before he knew about her arrival.

“Let me just clarify, Nedra Dodds was someone I hadn’t met before. I had never met the woman before in my life,” Dr. Griffith said. “I was in the emergency room when the chief of the ER told me about this physician, and that she could help us out with processes and so forth.” Dr. Griffith said he was then told that Dr. Dodds had been having challenges with her practice in Atlanta, and he immediately refused to hire her.

“Immediately I said no. I said I’m not interested. We are too much under the CMS scrutiny to even think about bringing anybody like that into the organization. Then someone called her and told her that the CEO was in the ER, and just when I was in the parking lot getting ready to leave, I was flagged down and told that Dr. Dodds was here.”

“So I had a conversation with her, and she confirmed that she had been in our hospital looking at our processes, and think that she could help. She said that she had a thriving practice in Atlanta.” Dr. Griffith said he then asked Dr. Dodds about the issue with her license in Georgia, and she confirmed that some patients had died, however it was her colleague who was responsible for those deaths. “But because I own the practice, my license is being pulled in,” Dr. Griffith said, quoting what Dr. Dodds told him.

Ms. Dodds has since been arrested on a felony murder charge, which carries a mandatory life sentence, as well as other charges.  And Ms. Dodds’ former assistant, Kevin McCowan, was also indicted on felony-murder and other charges.

Feature Image: From left to right: Justa Encarnacion, Dr. Ken Okolo and Mavis Matthew.

Correction: March 21, 2016

A previous version of this story stated that Frank Abednego, who resigned from J.F.L. today was the chief of Human Services. Mr. Abednego’s position was chief of Human Resources.