Board Backs Salary Hikes for Future Hires at Hospital

RIVERSIDE, CA - Despite some misgivings, the Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to offer larger salaries to prospective candidates for executive positions at Riverside University Medical Center and also authorized the establishment of eight new positions at the hospital.

"I would rather have a root canal than be here asking for this," RUMC CEO Zareh Sarrafian told the board. "But we have to be able to hire qualified people to fill key positions. Certain positions are in gaps, below market. So, yes, some of the rates we're proposing are a substantial increase."

Sarrafian and Department of Human Resources CEO Michael Stock sought and got the board's approval to adjust the salary ranges for six positions by double digit percentages. Two of the jobs are filled.

Sarrafian and Stock argued that without fattening the salary prospects to make the unfilled positions more attractive, there would be little interest among qualified candidates.

"The healthcare business is so complex, the implications are significant if you can't get seasoned people on board," Sarrafian said.

He focused largely on the chief financial officer post, which has been a revolving door since the Moreno Valley hospital underwent a major reorganization to keep it from going belly-up three years ago.

The annual salary range in effect until Tuesday was $132,337-$237,793. Following the board's 4-1 vote, the range went to $208,098-$394,889.

"You have got to move ahead," Supervisor Marion Ashley said. "If we don't do this, if we don't make moves like this, why bother to even have a county hospital? We have to compete with the industry out there. We need good people, or the hospital can't succeed."

Supervisor Chuck Washington hesitated to support the "parity wage adjustments" but didn't see any alternative.

"Even if we were to walk away from the hospital, we would still have a statutory obligation to provide care for certain individuals, so we'd still have to spend money," he said. "If we remain disciplined, we'll end up in a much better place."

The eight new positions authorized by the board, which include a director ambulatory care operations and a healthcare administrative manager, will command six-figure compensation packages, as well, according to human resources documents.

Although no funding is required for any of the positions yet, Supervisor Kevin Jeffries found the whole concept incompatible with previously stated board goals of holding the line on spending and paring down costs wherever possible.

"I can't get on board with this," Jeffries said. "It's too much, too fast. We'll never compete with the private sector. I have respected what you've done before, Zareh, but I can't support this. Every year, you're coming to us for general fund subsidies. You have my confidence, but we're on a different page on this one."

Jeffries cast the lone dissenting vote.

"There are changes coming to Medicaid funding. It's going to be more costly (to cover indigent care)," county CEO Jay Orr said, alluding to the federal healthcare reforms under consideration in Congress. "There's no easy solution today."

None of the changes to the compensation schedule are likely to result in higher county expenses in the current fiscal year.

Board members have stated in the past that they reserve the right to collectively reject hires, or make additional revisions to pay rates for budgetary reasons.

– By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock