Dr. Epstein and Mr. Price: Both of you have written excellent letters, which will have absolutely no effect on the Board and Administration of El Camino Hospital. As you both know, the Board has condoned criminal and/or unethical behavior by its own members and the CEO. They are all laughing at you and the rest of the population of the District all the way to the bank!

On November 22, 2007 there was an interesting article written by Linda Tat of the Bay Area News Group reporting that the Washington Hospital Board in Fremont concluded that Nancy Farber, the CEO of its 359 bed hospital, was appropriately paid $573,000 in total comp in 2006 - because she deserved it and her comp package put her at the 75th percentile of all independent hospital CEOs. El Camino Hospital’s Board says that CEO Ken Graham’s $698,000 for 2007 (total comp including salary and incentives) is simply matching the median (5oth percentile) CEO comp for high cost of living areas! Fremont would have to be considered a high cost-of-living area – and its 359 bed hospital is comparable to El Camino Hospital in beds, employees, and revenues. Amazing how different Boards interpret the same statistical data base so differently! ECH's Board claims that Mr. Graham is paid at the 50th percentile. Given that data point, I'd love to hear the ECH Board justify to the taxpaying public why Mr. Graham makes 20% more than the CEO of a comparable sized hospital in a comparable high cost-of-living area who is paid at the 75th percentile!

I have seen 5 CEO's at the helm of the Ship ECH during my employment. What saddens me is how the "family feeling" is no longer present and the motto "Patients First" is true for staff but our administration/Board only see $ signs. Cut-backs are evident in the "off stage" areas where employees travel unit to unit. Dirty floors-But Mr. Graham checks the visitor restrooms for a clean check when he arrives in the morning-try checking the "off-stage" area Mr. CEO! Our community needs to make the administration and Board more accountable for decisions made that we pay for with taxes.