Following greater than a 12 months of experiences exposing what some present and former paramedics described as a “tradition downside,” Denver Well being CEO Robin Wittenstein agreed to an interview with Denver7 Investigates.

Wittenstein had beforehand declined a number of interview requests courting again to August 2021.

Denver7 Investigates printed greater than a dozen experiences previously year-plus, exposing how paramedics have been pressured to bypass nearer Degree One trauma facilities to carry vital sufferers again to Denver Well being Medical Middle.

Later experiences additionally confirmed frustration amongst firefighters who mentioned they have been ready on scene for Denver Well being paramedics and couldn’t present essential care to sufferers. A database obtained by Denver7 Investigates additionally confirmed that firefighters had, at occasions, waited in extra of 40 minutes on scene for Denver Well being paramedics to reach.

The interview with Wittenstein came about days after an interview with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who mentioned that what was uncovered was not acceptable.

Wittenstein is about to retire as CEO of Denver Well being on Sept. 1. She will likely be changed by former Colorado Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne.

Q&A: Denver Well being CEO speaks to Denver7 Investigates

The interview has been edited for size.

Denver7 Investigates | Aundrea’s Remaining Experience: A tradition in query

What is the message you wish to ship on this interview?

The message is absolutely fairly easy. Denver Well being has been offering EMS providers to the Metropolis of Denver for endlessly and positively has served the town to ship top quality EMS providers in partnership with the town of Denver. And we’re extremely pleased with the work that our paramedics have finished.

Have you ever watched our reporting over the previous 12 months plus?

I’ve seen a few of it.

What’s your takeaway? What resonated most with you?

You understand, Denver Well being has actually centered on not simply this, however in every thing we do on how we will all the time search for alternatives for enchancment. The partnership with the Metropolis of Denver has been a longstanding a part of who we’re and the way we serve the individuals of Denver.

It has been practically a 12 months since we made our first request to take a seat down with you and tackle points in our reporting. Why are you speaking now?

As we have gone via and the requests are available, we have tried to place the people who find themselves most greatest capable of reply these questions. And so over time, we have put in entrance of you medical and non-clinical people. At this level, I feel it is a chance for me to have a dialog with you and simply inform you how pleased with the work that we have finished and the work that we are going to proceed to do.

Our reporting has criticized the work of your paramedic division, particularly coming from paramedics, firefighters and knowledge. What do you say to the vital reporting that has occurred over the previous 12 months plus?

Once you have a look at the efficiency of the Denver Well being Paramedic Division, we’ve got efficiency targets that we’re held accountable to. These are set utilizing nationwide benchmarks and so they’re set via the whole e mail system. It is not Denver Well being setting targets. Within the final 12 of 14 years, Denver Well being has met its efficiency targets. One of many years that we have missed, 2019, was because of the progress of the town. … The expansion of the town, the variety of high-rise buildings, it impacted a few of our skill to have the ability to meet our response occasions. However after we’ve got a 12 months the place we did not (hit our mark), we added extra condominium coaching courses, we added extra ambulances, we did issues to handle that. In 2021, we didn’t hit our efficiency objective. COVID has been a problem. It has been a problem for everyone, not simply the EMS system. Though EMS methods throughout the nation have been hit onerous by COVID and staffing challenges.

How would you describe the connection with Denver Fireplace? Would you say it is cordial or confrontational?

I feel the connection within the partnership with the town general is excellent. We work actually carefully with them on a variety of totally different areas.

Would you be stunned to listen to that the fireplace division would not see it that method?

I’ve had conversations with the fireplace division. There are all the time going to be alternatives for continued dialog. I might not describe our relationship as adversarial.

Over the previous year-plus, our reporting has been vital of your paramedic division. Have we reported something inaccurate?

I consider that the reporting has not precisely mirrored the efficiency of the Denver Well being Paramedic Division.

A lot of the response thus far has been, as your medical director mentioned, “we have finished nothing flawed.” As you sit there immediately, are you able to say that Denver Well being has finished nothing flawed and that statements of paramedics and firefighters are out of bounds?

I feel a few of it we will clearly say we have finished nothing flawed from the angle of a few of the discussions about the place paramedics take sufferers, for instance. I might by no means and I hope that no well being care skilled or govt would ever sit and say, “I’ve finished nothing flawed.” Any time there is a concern introduced up about any affected person care difficulty, there’s all the time alternative to have a look at what’s been finished and what else may be finished.

Have you ever modified something due to the testimonials or the knowledge in our reporting?

There have not been particular adjustments which have been essential. We proceed to look, as I mentioned, based mostly on the response time, for instance, and the publicly obtainable data. This isn’t secret details about whether or not or not Denver Well being achieves its efficiency targets. We’re including ambulances and paramedics. That’s one thing that occurs regularly and has occurred through the years.

What do you say to the paramedics, the firefighters that stepped ahead and mentioned your tradition wants to vary?

We’re all the time wanting on the tradition of Denver Well being. We speak to our workers repeatedly. We ask them questions. Once more, it isn’t totally different while you’re fascinated by how workers exist inside a company like Denver Well being, and it’s about the way you ship well being care.

However after a 12 months of reporting, you simply mentioned to me, nothing has modified. All these individuals got here ahead and mentioned you have got a tradition downside, but you have modified nothing?

We proceed to speak to our workers to see what else do we have to do, or management is interacting with them repeatedly. By way of the response occasions, we’re persevering with to have a look at that once more.

We sat down with Mayor Hancock final week. He noticed our tales and he mentioned it is time for Denver Well being to vary. He mentioned that not altering shouldn’t be acceptable. What’s your message again to the mayor?

My message is that we are going to method this in precisely the identical method we have all the time approached it, which is having conversations with the Metropolis of Denver.

In entrance of those cameras, will you decide to the adjustments the mayor is looking for?

I’ll decide to proceed conversations with the Metropolis of Denver round what they do, how the partnership works, what they’d prefer to see as the town adjustments and evolves. As we have a look at our efficiency knowledge, as we have a look at the efficiency knowledge of the police, the fireplace and 911. Any time we see one thing that is not fairly what we wish it to be, we completely sit at that desk and have conversations about what is going on on and what else must occur. And I depend on my companions on the metropolis to do the identical factor.

Sources inside the town of Denver have mentioned the fireplace division desires its personal medical director on this contract. What’s your place on permitting Denver’s fireplace division to have its personal medical director so it may higher serve the individuals of Denver?

We’re in conversations with the Metropolis of Denver proper now over the best way Denver Well being companions with the town how issues change yearly. There are a number of adjustments right here and there. I am not going to debate and negotiate the connection with the Metropolis of Denver via the media. We’re having the suitable conversations with the best individuals sitting on the desk and we’ll end these out.

Fireplace sources inform me a medical director offering the chance for firefighters to work as paramedics and do superior life help could be higher for the individuals of Denver. Do you agree or disagree?

As I mentioned, we’re not going to debate the best way that the system works on tv.

How would you describe the continuing discussions with the town?

Oh, I feel the conversations are good. Either side have a deeply vested curiosity within the relationship between Denver Well being and the Metropolis of Denver. I feel there’s been great alternatives for not only a partnership through the years, however actual innovation. Issues have come out of our partnership which have superior well being and well-being for individuals who reside within the metropolis of Denver. And that is been on each side. … I would say the conversations are precisely what I might count on from a accomplice who’s as deeply dedicated to this partnership as we’re.

Do you count on this contract to be resolved below your watch, or do you suppose will probably be below the brand new CEO’s basket?

The traditional course of the working settlement is that it would not get finalized till the top of the 12 months, however I count on that we must always have the overwhelming majority of the contract framed out earlier than I go away.

Again to Mayor Hancock. In our interview, he particularly cited the selections to bypass Degree One hospitals. He particularly cited response occasions and Mayor Hancock mentioned what we have reported can’t proceed. What do you say to Mayor Hancock?

I would say the Denver Well being Paramedic Division makes use of the suitable tips for deciding the place sufferers ought to go. In fact, the primary resolution standards is what is going on on on the scene. What does the affected person want? What’s their medical situation? The second factor that will get thought of is what does the affected person need that the affected person or their household need? And the third is the rules to carry the affected person to the closest, most clinically acceptable place. And that is what our paramedics use to determine which hospital the affected person ought to go to.

With all due respect, we have been speaking for 25 minutes and it appears like your place is the best way it has been for greater than a 12 months. This hospital has finished nothing flawed and every thing that these firefighters and paramedics have mentioned lacks accuracy. Am I listening to the best factor?

No, you are clearly not, as a result of I’ve by no means mentioned we have not finished something flawed. I’ve not mentioned we’ve finished something flawed. What I’ve mentioned is, as points have come up, we have handled these, we have thought of what we have to do. … You understand, Denver Well being takes significantly the problems that come up and we make adjustments as wanted. So issues have modified. We’re including capability. We’re developing with new methods to ship care. These are a response to a few of the issues not that you’ve got mentioned, however a few of the knowledge and the knowledge in entrance of us.

So the testimonials in our reporting have had zero affect on something Denver Well being has finished previously 12 months?

I’ve not mentioned that. What I’ve mentioned is as data has come ahead, as we consider it, we make adjustments based mostly on what we hear.

So the paramedics that got here ahead, the firefighters who got here ahead and criticized your hospital or your paramedic division, what do you say to them?

It is onerous for me to say something. I do not know a lot past the few snippets that you just occur to suppose have been acceptable to placed on on air.

(Are you) questioning the accuracy of what we have reported?

I am merely saying that I am not responding to the few snippets that I heard. We talked to our paramedic division, and I feel for those who spoke to nearly all of the individuals in our paramedic division, they might say the identical factor that I say. We’re pleased with the work that this division has finished. They’re proud to put on the Denver Well being patch and they’ll proceed to do the best factor by the individuals who reside, work and play within the Metropolis of Denver.

Particularly on this new contract, will you permit paramedics which can be Denver firefighters to deal with sufferers?

Denver firefighters who’re paramedics do deal with sufferers now, however we’re not going to have a dialog about what particularly will find yourself in that contract. We’re on the negotiating desk with the Metropolis of Denver, and we’ll have these conversations there.

However they don’t seem to be allowed to do superior life help?

We’re having the conversations within the place that they belong, which is on the desk sitting with the Metropolis of Denver.

If the fireplace division believes that makes affected person therapy higher, why would you not help it?

Once more, I am not going to…

You could have a chance proper now to say “if that makes affected person care higher, I help it.” Why would you not help that in entrance of those cameras?

I am saying that we’re not having the conversations about what is going to or is not going to change within the working settlement based mostly on media interviews. We’ve these conversations within the acceptable locations the place they need to happen with the best individuals across the desk.

In conclusion, ought to the individuals of Denver count on higher service out of your paramedic division?

The individuals of Denver get nice service from our paramedic division proper now, and they need to count on that to proceed into the long run. Any adjustments will occur based mostly on the expansion of the town, based mostly on adjustments in high-rise buildings, based mostly on altering wants of the Metropolis of Denver. We reply to what the people who we serve want, and they’ll proceed to see adjustments as their wants change and evolve.

With all due respect, you have dodged a variety of questions.

I’ve given you the solutions that I feel are acceptable and correct. Once more, the work that the paramedic division does is absolutely superb. And I am extremely pleased with it. And I am pleased with the partnership with the Metropolis of Denver.

So the individuals of Denver ought to conclude that the reporting we’ve finished previously 12 months might be not on the mark?

I feel the individuals of the town of Denver can come to their very own conclusions.