Shakeup at breast care center as surgeon, director exit

Oct. 07--WINDBER -- Changes in two of Windber Medical Center's trademark programs do not signal a change in the community hospital's direction, its leader says.

Hospital President and CEO Tom Kurtz has confirmed that the Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center's only breast surgeon, Dr. Dianna Craig, is no longer employed by the hospital. In addition, Patty Felton is no longer director of the center.

Kurtz would not discuss what led to the changes, except to say that Craig's separation was "contract issues."

"Windber Medical Center's chief of surgery, (Dr.) Kim Marley, is currently seeing patients at the Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center," hospital spokeswoman Amy Jeffords said in an emailed statement.

"Dr. Marley has experience with the Clinical Breast Care Project," the statement continues. "(Dr.) Deborah Simms, a board certified breast surgeon, will see patients at the (breast center) temporarily, beginning October 13."

Windber hospital and Windber Research Institute are partners in the breast care project through Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

"Patient care is our top priority, and it has not been compromised during this transition," Jeffords said

Cindy Lecomte, hospital vice president for ancillary services, is filling in as acting director of the Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center.

Kurtz also confirms that the hospital is ending its official relationship with Planetree International. The Derby, Connecticut, organization promotes and recognizes patient-centered care.

At Windber, it has taken the form of hotel-inspired decor and the smell of bread baking in the hallways, along with pet therapy, music therapy, aroma therapy and massage therapy.

Windber became the first hospital in the state to join Planetree in 1998. It achieved the organization's elite Patient-Centered Hospital designation in 2009.

"This recognition differentiates Windber as a hospital firmly committed to ensuring that its patients, staff and visitors feel cared for, supported, listened to and empowered as partners in the health-care experience," Planetree Inc. President Susan Frampton said at the time.

That commitment will continue even as Windber sheds the Planetree banner, Kurtz pledged.

"It is ingrained in the Windber Medical Center culture," Kurtz said. "We didn't need a franchise to tell us that."

The hospital will be able to use the fees charged by Planetree to improve the actual patient-centered care, he explained.

"It was getting too costly," Kurtz said.

"We took a look around, and no one could actually identify what Planetree does for the hospital."

All of the programs will continue, he pledged, noting that insurance companies and government payers are shifting to a performance model that will reward hospitals for patient satisfaction.

"It is valuable for us right now," Kurtz said. "This is what people are going to pay us for in the future: patient-centered care and patient satisfaction. We can't abandon any of that."

Randy Griffith is a multimedia reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 532-5057. Follow him on Twitter @PhotoGriffer57.

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