Vital Times 2019 - 89

One of the younger anesthesiologists who had just joined
our practice as Vituity earlier in the week, confused by
the significance of the vote, asked out loud, "Can you
address what the partnership track of this proposed group
would entail?" I nudged the young anesthesiologist, and
whispered loud enough for the others to hear, "I think
what Henry is saying is: if you raise your hand now and are
willing to fight for this group you are a partner right now".
Henry smiled at me from across the room and agreed,
"Yes, that's the deal. Get it while it's hot." The remaining
hands quickly shot up.
One detail remained: what to call the group? "Gas 2.0 for
now. We can pick a real name later", the group quickly
decided as we left the meeting.
As I left the meeting, I thought about how to describe
what I just saw. How would I describe the leadership of my
friend? There was a story here that I would have tell one
day.
I remember a story of leadership I had heard on NPR radio
once about how the Coastal Commission in California
was formed to battle deep-pocketed developers to block
development on the coast. As activists they were disliked,
but eventually prevailed by sheer force of will. They were
described, respectfully by their foes, as "unreasonably
unreasonable". That describes Henry in this battle;
anybody listening to reason would be sipping fine Chianti
in that Italian villa. But some leaders, the best of them, have
a warrior heart. You can't buy that heart. Unreasonably,
unreasonable Henry.
In the months to come, Gas 2.0 became abbreviated as G2.
Papers were filed, assurances were sought, and largely most
of the anesthesiologists stayed. Complaints were flying
about from every direction. It was a bad time, every day a
gut check, to smile at work.

Vituity grudgingly granted us our release. Envision was
unable to get enough coverage. The medical staff revolted
and HCA capitulated. Regional Medical Center would be
covered by a different anesthesia entity.
And then the day came; would G2 assume the Good
Samaritan Hospital Anesthesia contract? Hey whatever
happened to the name change?
******
I've been asked by my CSA colleagues, "What was it like
to be between three corporate giants, alone in a financial
battle for survival?" My answer is always that as partners,
as colleagues, you have to stick together. Whatever comes
along, you have a better chance of survival if you are group.
Even alone, already discarded for death in a corporate
arena against better armed foes, an anesthesia department
with the right stubborn leadership and the willingness to
fight together can survive.
We had been dumped by HCA, sold to Envision, and
left defenseless by Vituity. From the ashes arose G2, a
frankly amazing story of leadership and a case study of
group survival, teamwork, and courage. A medical group
molded from the clay of corporate battle. A still small
group of veteran and reluctant anesthesiologist-warriors.
Unreasonably unreasonable and free - for now.

"Stay together and you will survive. "
- From the Academy Award-winning movie Gladiator.

I would stop by Henry's office to check on him. Weekby-week the odds of success kept changing. The Henry
odds kept changing though...10%, 25%, 40%, 50%...
until "wait until the ink dries and the patients are under
anesthesia."

Annual Publication 2019 | 89

Vital Times 2019

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