I would like to bring attention to a situation that has developed regarding a very slanderous course of action taken by Mr. Tim Trottier, CEO of Natchez Community Hospital and also Dr. Mike Wheelis who works at Community.

The letter in question is one involving the above two individuals at Community Hospital who wrote false and slanderous statements about Natchez Regional Medical Center, and they are:

1. Allegations that NRMC was left unstaffed by proper medical personnel

2. A patient was denied treatment because of this unstaffing. Both of these allegations were proven to be false.

These false statements by Mr. Trottier and Dr. Wheelis, seem to be the basis for the letter that was written and copied to the Adams County Board of Supervisors, the Natchez Community Hospital Board of Trustees, Natchez Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees, AMR Ambulance, Metro Ambulance and Dr. Kenneth Stubbs.

But all the allegations were later proven to be untrue. Boy! How unprofessional is that, not to even mention the ethics, or lack thereof.

The Natchez Democrat had on its Web site the fact that Mr. Trottier or Dr. Wheelis admitted that the allegations in this letter had not been checked to see if in fact their letter was factual.

Next, I love the dumb statement that Dr. Wheelis made.

He said, “we did not back it up, that’s why we wrote the letter. If it had no merit that’s great.”

That is kind of like telling your best friend that his wife is running around on him, and also telling all his friends and neighbors and his pastor this same allegation. Then, when your best friend says that he has verified that his wife has not be unfaithful, you say, “if it has no merit, that’s great.”

Well, a lot of damage has been done by this time.

On the corporate Web site for Healthcare Management Associates — the corporate owner of Community Hosptial — it states that their corporate philosophy is to run an organization that demonstrates the highest ethical standards. It further states they aim to conduct business in a manner in which upholds the highest of standards of ethics and applicable laws.

Mr. Trottier and Dr. Wheelis, it seems you two are way south of the corporate philosophy, as stated on their Web site. I would think the corporate headquarters of HMA would find your conduct in this matter most lacking and most unprofessional.

I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me that you have possibly made Community Hospital very vulnerable to a lawsuit by NRMC.

It makes me wonder, did you have too subtle an agenda? Perhaps, trying to sabotage NRMC when they have publicly stated they are looking for a buyer?

I wonder, could you have been trying to make NRMC’s value less so your current employer could scoop it up at a fire sale price?

Kirk Bartley

Natchez resident