Sarasota Hospital Board Central District, Seat 2: Bridgette Fiorucci

Explain what you believe to be the fundamental role of government.

Government’s fundamental role is to provide for the common defense, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for the people.

Explain what you believe to be the essential role of the hospital board.

The role of the hospital board is to provide financial oversight, quality oversight, setting strategic direction/mission oversight, self-assessment and development, management oversight, compliance oversight and advocacy.

When you are legislating and creating policies, which of the following would take precedence over the other: the individual or the collective “common good”? Why?

The patient’s safety and care always take precedence. That is why we got into the medical field. Policies that cause division between employees hinder our abilities to deliver the best medical care. Everything we do should be with our patients in mind and our policies should reflect that.

Why are you running for office?

Over the past three years, we have all had to readjust our priorities. We are living in unprecedented times, and we’ve all made changes in light of our new priorities and situations. 

However, the new priorities of Sarasota Memorial do not focus on employee safety, patient safety, transparency and informed consent. These are all matters of great importance that no longer hold priority in the policies of the hospital. 

As I work in the epicenter of people directly impacted by the lack of focus on these issues and am directly affected myself, I can see the deterioration of morale and care every day. 

When you witness such drastic changes that negatively impact so many people, it is impossible not to feel the urge to speak out. That is why I am running for the hospital board. 

I want to provide a voice for the patients and employees whose safety is no longer the top priority. I want to show full transparency to patients and employees about resource allocation and reasoning behind protocol implementations. And finally, I want patients to be able to make informed decisions about the care they are receiving. 

I want these changes to happen at Sarasota Memorial. 

Instead of just complaining and hoping someone else would develop solutions to our problems, I want to help create the change.

What needs to change at SMH Healthcare?

The priorities of the hospital need to refocus on employee and patient safety, provide transparency to board decisions and give the patient a voice in the plan of care that is uninhibited by non-medical professionals.

What distinguishes you from your opponent that makes you a better candidate?

I have worked at Sarasota Memorial Hospital for six years. As such, I have an understanding of how great our hospital can be. 

There are many decisions that have been made by our current board that seem good in theory, but when put into practice, are impractical and hinder good medical care. 

When decisions about patient care policies are being made without the input of those directly caring for patients, the effectiveness of patient care suffers. 

Presently, the board members are able to make a decision on policies and procedures without seeing how those decisions work in practice. 

I am directly impacted by the decisions the board makes. I am the one who mustd administer care to patients and see the consequences firsthand when that care is inhibited by board policies.

I have a vested interest to ensure that the hospital policies are made with patient and employee care in mind, and that they make sense to the people who must carry them out.

What experience do you have that would convince voters you would be a good steward and monitor of taxpayer dollars?

The board is filled with businessmen who should be good stewards and monitors of taxpayer dollars. Yet, last year they voted 8-1 to give the CEO a 10-year contract and a $300,000 raise.

Patient care should be the top priority of the hospital. I believe that any person who comes to us for help would like to receive the best care we have to offer. As such, the resources we have access to should be allocated to helping patients. 

To provide taxpayers’ confidence in the stewardship of their money, I would like to provide full transparency on where the funds are being allocated and why. The community provides for us, and we provide for the community; we should be able to show them that information.

If elected, what will be your guiding principles to determine whether to vote for or against legislation or policies?

Quality patient care and employee safety should be the hospital’s top priorities. Everything we do should be with our patients in mind; our policies should reflect that. 

I want every policy passed to be for the best of the hospital and its patients. 

I understand the realities of patient care and will support legislation that is feasible and effective in its implementation, to improve patient care and ensure employee safety.

A right does not impose an obligation on others. Free speech is a right. There is no right to having a car. In that vein, is health care a right?

As the county hospital, by law, we can’t turn away any person who comes to us seeking care. We take in anyone who comes in for help, regardless of if he or she can pay.