Physicians at "Sonny" Montgomery VA Medical Center Call for Director's Resignation

Full Article at: VA doctors want boss out, 'Shouldn't be director,' union leader says

Jerry Mitchell

A group of physicians working at the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson is calling for the resignation of Medical Director Linda Watson and questioning her competence.

"It's fair to say physicians are pretty much outdone with the director and the leadership here," said Joseph Simon, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 589, representing VA physicians that serve in non-supervisory positions. "She shouldn't be director of the hospital."

"The call for Watson's resignation comes after a U.S. District Court jury last week awarded retroactive pay raises to three radiologists who had complained of a hostile work environment at the Jackson VA. The jury did not award any other damages.

The radiologists - Brighid McIntire, Linda Finnegan and Margaret Hatten - had sued alleging they were discriminated against and were judged by the quantity of their work rather than the quality of their work.

"We claimed, and the jury believed, their pay was tied into productivity," said their attorney, Dennis Horn.

"The radiologists testified that two years later they discovered 52 cases of failure to diagnose significant disease that had been missed in analyzing tests."

"Simon and another Local 589 leader sent a July 10 letter to Eric Shinseki, secretary of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, on behalf of the physicians they represent, saying, "Physician trust in our current facility leadership's character and competence is now beyond repair. Our leadership has created a culture of privilege and intimidation. Medical providers are viewed as objects to be manipulated to achieve performance targets by any means necessary."