Schneider Regional Medical Center Photo Credit: SCHNEIDER REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Executives at the Schneider Regional Medical Center (S.R.M.C.) will enjoy annual salary increases and retro payments dating back four months for a combined $94,667, with virtually all the medical facility's top brass — the chief executive officer, chief nursing officer, chief medical officer, chief financial officer, legal counsel and chief compliance officer, vice president of quality and performance improvement, vice president of facilities management, and the chief information officer — enjoying thousands of dollars in both retro pay and annual salary increases. The raises come even as both hospitals continue to struggle financially.
The territorial board, which held its latest meeting on Monday afternoon, also voted to search for two permanent CEOs. Dyma Williams has been acting chief executive officer at the Juan F. Luis Hospital, where Senate President Novelle France has expressed favor for her permanent placement. Mr. Francis cited Ms. Williams's ability to carryout the task at hand and the stability resulting from permanency as the reasons for his advocacy. At S.R.M.C., with yesterday's board meeting being former CEO Bernard Wheatley's last, the board earlier this month appointed Dr. Luis O. Amaro as an interim replacement.
In the past, the board has chosen as permanent CEOs persons in the acting role.
The raises come as the board prepares to use millions of dollars approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to solicit proposals to start the work of rebuilding the medical facilities. In November, Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett announced that FEMA had released $10.5 million to begin the rebuild process of J.F.L. The sum is part of an approved $80 million for the hospital. During Monday's board meeting, the territorial board authorized the solicitation of a request for proposal for architectural and engineering services through the Dept. of Property and Procurement, falling in line with Ms. Plaskett's description of the funds' use. Territorial board members are hoping to have the RFP out by February 22.
The raises lift already rich salaries for the S.R.M.C.'s top brass. The CEO salary, currently $310,000 annually, will climb to $322,000 as part of a $12,000 annual increase. There's also a four-month retro payment — between Oct. 1, 2019 to Jan. 31, 2020 — of $4,000, according to the salary increase sheet obtained by the Consortium.
The chief medical officer salary climbs from $175,000 to $182,000 on an annual increase of $7,000. There's also a $2,333 retro payment for this position.
The chief financial officer salary increases to $179,000 from $165,000 on an annual increase of $14,000. A retro payment of $4,667 was also approved.
The chief nursing officer salary goes up to $152,000 from $145,000 on an annual raise of $7,000, along with a retro payment of $2,333.
The vice president of facilities management salary climbs from $145,000 to $155,000 on a $10,000 annual increase; the legal counsel and chief compliance officer's salary increases to $135,000 to $142,000 on an annual $7,000 increase; the chief information officer position also sees a raise of $7,000, carrying the salary up from $125,000 to $132,000; and the vice president of quality and performance improvement salary goes from $121,000 to $128,000 on an annual raise of $7,000. Each of these positions also received retro payments between $2,333 to $3,333.
Hospital Territorial Board members include Acting Chairman Kirk Callwood, Treasurer Jenifer O'Neal, Secretary Justa Encarnacion, Physician Representative Olivine Anne Treasure, Christopher Finch, Cornel Williams, Nurse Representative Gretta Hart-Hyndman, Nurse Representative Faye John Baptiste, and Physician Representative Sydney Comissiong.
