County Healthcare (CCCCH), a non-profit advocate for transparent and effective leadership from the North Shore Health (NSH) Board of Directors, posted a new online petition on March 13th. The petition seeks an independent review of Dr. Bruce Dahlman’s termination last fall by the hospital-chosen contract employee provider, Wapiti Medical Staffing.
Wapiti is a for-profit agency that provides NSH with ER doctors and other professionals. Dr. Dahlman, a long-time resident of Cook County, has served NSH for 40 years.
In a review of Dahlman’s termiÂnation by NSH staff, made pubÂlic by the NSH board of directors this winter, Dahlman was cited for a dozen so-called violations, each occurring between July 2023 and the renewal date of his contract, NoÂvember 1, 2023. Dahlman says neiÂther Wapiti nor NSH notified him of those violations until November 1, 2023, when Wapiti terminated his contract, and he was offered no opportunity to defend his record. His contract with Wapiti contained language that prevented him from working directly for any facility where he worked as a Wapiti conÂtractor. Thus, he could not be hired directly by NSH going forward.
CCCCH arose after some of its leadership withdrew a petition it had started online in November, calling for the board to terminate hospital CEO Kimber Wralstad and reinstate Dr. Dahlman. The petition had more than 700 signers withÂin days of going live online when the hospital board called a “closed-door” meeting to discuss possible legal action for defamation, not naming who or what was considÂered defamatory. Petition organizÂers were intimidated and withdrew the petition.
Specifically, the current petition, which is at www.change.org, is askÂing “that the NSH Board of DirecÂtors engage an impartial third party to conduct an independent investiÂgation into Dr. Dahlman’s dismissÂal to include an assessment of how a negative workplace culture may have contributed to a concerning number of locally based professionÂals leaving NSH over the past five to six years.”
CCCCH rejects the board’s interÂnal review of those issues, finding it inadequate and incomplete. The peÂtition asks that the inquiry’s results be reported to the public.
Petitioners end with this stateÂment, “We believe such an invesÂtigation could go a long way in restoring trust and confidence in North Shore Health.”
Dr. Dahlman has accepted an asÂsignment with a staffing firm that provides ER doctors to the InterÂnational Falls, MN, hospital. The Dahlmans have rented their Grand Marais house to a young pastor and his family, recently called to the Grand Marais Evangelical Free Church. They’ve taken an apartÂment in the Twin Cities to be near and care for the doctor’s 95-year-old father, who is in assisted living. Dr. Dahlman will also be in NigeÂria and Kenya for medical missions this spring.
“We have always considered Grand Marais our home,” Dr. Dahlman said. “We’d be back in a heartbeat.”
Dr. Dahlman supports CCCCH and its petition for an independent review of his termination.
He’s very concerned about the sitÂuation at NSH, which has led to the departure of medical professionals and other staff. He describes manÂagement’s philosophy as “Kick out rather than listen to us, which is to the detriment of patient care.”
In a March 17 report to its memÂbers, the CCCCH steering commitÂtee states, “Our group’s focus is necessarily on the actions and inacÂtions of the board members. It’s the only reasonable portal for commuÂnity members to attempt to address how the hospital is managed.”
The report reiterates the group’s primary purpose: “We want an inÂdependent investigation into Dr. Dahlman’s termination and the workplace culture at NSH, and we want improved accessibility at board meetings and better access to our elected representatives when we have questions.”
Members of CCCCH have beÂcome regular attendees at NSH’s monthly board meetings and appear to have had some success in getting the board to provide amplification devices that allow hard-of-hearing citizens to participate in discusÂsions.
