
Financial problems at Anesco, an anesthesia group contracted for decades to provide services at all Broward Health hospitals, has led to employees leaving or going unpaid and a notice of termination for the service provider.
Broward Health leaders formally gave Anesco 150 days’ notice that its contract at the taxpayer-funded hospital system would end after discovering the anesthesia/pain management company breached the contract’s terms. Several Anesco employees told the South Florida Sun Sentinel they had not been paid in three weeks by Anesco, while others were paid only after they threatened to walk out.
Anesco, founded by physicians Dr. Richard Meli and Dr. Paul Kolber, has had the exclusive contract to provide anesthesia services to the four Broward Health Hospitals for decades. Those hospitals are Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Broward Health North in Pompano Beach, Broward Health Imperial Point in Fort Lauderdale, and Broward Health Coral Springs.
Broward Health CEO Shane Strum said the health system had renegotiated terms that were more favorable to Anesco several times in the last 18 months to help them with their financial issues.
“They have an obligation to the district to provide services,” Strum said. “If they are not meeting payroll that would be a problem. They have to abide by the terms of the contract.”
Strum said if Anesco becomes unable to staff appropriately, Broward Health would hire temporary anesthesiologists or certified registered nurse anesthetists to keep its operating rooms open. While elective surgeries could be postponed, for now, “it’s business as usual,” he said.
On its website, Anesco calls itself “one of the leading single-specialty anesthesia and perioperative management companies in South Florida.” The website says Anesco services four large metropolitan hospitals and two surgery center facilities with more than 150 full and part-time professionals. Its professionals provide anesthesia for cardiac, liver transplant, trauma, OB/GYN, pediatric and burn operating rooms. Meli has numerous medical-related companies in which he is an officer, according to state records.
The number of staff appears to have dwindled, and it’s unclear how many professionals still work for Anesco. It is also unclear why the company is suffering financial problems.
Over the last few years, anesthesia groups in states like California, Texas, and Georgia have filed for bankruptcy. Industry experts say the pressure to maintain staffing levels while facing low reimbursement rates from insurers has created financial strain.
Numerous attempts to reach Meli on Tuesday went unanswered.
This is a developing story. South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.
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