Marshall Browning administrator resigns

The Marshall Browning Hospital Board of Directors has never strayed from the hospital's mission--provide quality hometown healthcare on a modern campus with an eye toward affordability, accessibility and physician recruitment.

During an executive session of the board last week, directors felt that wasn't happening and emerged from the meeting with a request that three-year hospital CEO Edwin Gast resign. His resignation was effective on Friday.

In the interim, hospital board president Dan Eaves---well respected retired bank president--will serve as the hospital's CEO. He was on the Marshall Browning campus Monday assuring all that the board will work through this transition.

He commented he is so impressed by the entire staff's commitment and sense of purpose as the board works through this difficult time.

"The board didn't feel like he (Gast) was leading us in the right direction," said Eaves, who like fellow board member Mark Maclin has 35 years of service to the board. "It didn't work out."

Eaves said Du Quoin deserves an ongoing physician recruitment program. "We shouldn't recruit when a doctor leaves," he said. "We should be recruiting all the time," he added. "We have a fiduciary responsibility to the hospital and to the community," he said.

Gast was hired by the hospital in January 2012 and began his work the following month at the retirement of longtime administrator William Huff.

Eaves said the differences centered on physician recruitment and Gast's interest "in taking the management agreement with Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) to the next level." On Monday, the hospital board voted for a one-year extension of the current SIH agreement entered into in 2011. "It was never our intention to merge or be acquired," said Eaves. He said SIH isn't interested in that, either.

Eaves said the need for gifted doctors and healthcare professionals in rural areas is strong and very hard to accomplish. "We are going to develop a longterm recruiting plan. SIH is actively looking. So is the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Association.

Marshall Browning is a not-for-profit 25-bed critical access facility that includes a medical clinic, therapy center and 22-unit independent living community, all part of a very successful five-phase capital development program. The hospital offers more than a dozen specialty clinics and employs over 200 employees. The hospital is affiliated SIH and is fully accredited by The Joint Commission.

Founded in 1923 through the residue of the estates of the late Marshall and Lillian Browning, the board has navigated through changes in administrators and healthcare--and will do so again.