Hospital CEO on administrative leave of absence

Commissioners to determine further action after investigation

Lake Chelan Community Hospital CEO Dave Bernier is on paid administrative leave, according to a statement last Friday, June 26, by Mary Pat Scofield, chairwoman of the hospital’s board of commissioners.

“This is a personnel matter and on the advice of our legal counsel, we cannot and will not comment on private personnel matters,” Scofield wrote in a statement sent to local media.

She added that actions in the matter are in line with the hospital’s policies for all employees.

“Any further action, if warranted, will be taken at the conclusion of the current investigation,” Scofield wrote. “A temporary, very qualified and experienced administrative team is in place and operations are running as normal with absolutely no interruption of services or quality of care.”

In the absence of a CEO, hospital policy shifts administration of the facility to Chief Financial Officer Kevin Abel. Scofield said in a Monday morning phone interview that Abel is acting as the hospital’s administrator with the support of other administrative personnel.