CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Randy Davis walked into his new office at Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital and left the walls bare. He had more pressing concerns than decorating.
Davis is the new CEO of the only hospital currently serving Clarksville and Montgomery County — a facility that spent years under Community Health Systems as Tennova Clarksville and built a troubled reputation among the patients it was meant to serve. "I could care less about pictures right now — right?" Davis said.
When Vanderbilt took full control of the 270-bed facility in February, Davis said the problems were immediately apparent. Staffing shortages were among the most urgent. They identified 270 positions they wanted to fill. They've filled about 70 so far. "We currently have 198 open positions right now that we're recruiting for. We brought in a bunch of travel, contract staff so we can immediately get beds open and get the flow open in the ER," Davis said.
To attract new employees, the hospital has already invested $12 million in higher salaries. Davis said the hospital has also hired additional cleaning staff to keep facilities cleaner and is expanding cafeteria hours to include dinner service.
The building, constructed in 2008, remains in good condition. But much of the medical equipment was not. "The majority of the major medical equipment came with the purchase of the hospital. Now some of it came over from the old hospital and was just brought over," Davis said.
That includes CT scanners, MRIs and a mammography unit. "Everything just needs to be brought up to standard," Davis said.
The hospital's reputation has long been a sore subject for many in the community. During a state hearing last year to consider approving two additional hospitals in Clarksville, former patients were direct in their criticism. "When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I couldn't bring myself to give birth at Tennova," Emily Valesquez said.
"Tennova is a joke. It's a laughable sad joke of a hospital," Christina Kane said.
Davis said he is aware of the community's feelings. "Right, well first and foremost, I get it. And I don't live in a bubble. I've seen the social media comments and these kinds of things," Davis said.
He said improving the emergency department is central to rebuilding trust — and he hopes to earn a level three trauma designation for the ER. "The front door of the hospital is the Emergency department, so where you go with your performance there is where you go with the reputation of the community," Davis said.
On the technology side, the hospital will have unified Vanderbilt electronic records up and running by Oct. 3.
Davis also has longer-term ambitions for clinical growth. He hopes to expand the cardiology department to include ablation procedures and to elevate the hospital's primary stroke center to a certified comprehensive stroke center.
Davis said he also envisions expanding specialty services, including pediatrics, as the hospital grows into a community and regional leader. Davis says he's currently evaluating whether expanded pediatric services should be housed at the main hospital or the satellite emergency room in Sango.
"But we understand that we have not been meeting the community's expectations, and frankly, we haven't been meeting our expectations. So we know we've got to get the right number of people in here and the right equipment," Davis said.
Davis said he is also embracing the competition coming from Ascension Saint Thomas and HCA, both of which are building new hospitals in Clarksville. He believes the added competition will elevate healthcare overall in Montgomery County.
"That does not give you time to put pictures on the wall," Davis said.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
Young or old, we all love to play board and card games! Those games become even more important when you are indoors and don't have the ability to get outside, like patients in a hospital. Austin Pollack shares the story of students in a Nashville family who have helped re-launch the Red Wagon project to collect games for patients at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.
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