In response to the recent My Turn column and news story that graced your newspaper from Kootenai Health, I have not read so much smoke and mirrors from a local organization trying to protect their image for quite a while.

The article where the CEO of Kootenai Health talked about how the reorganization of the Kootenai Cancer Center was due to the implementation of Obamacare is in stark contrast from the letter that he sent out dated April 2013 to the "Friends of Kootenai Health." In his letter he stated that the changes were caused by their strategic plan that was developed over 18 months ago which will take them to the year 2020. This plan also calls for the development of a nationally recognized Cancer Center.

So I am confused as to what actually caused the changes in the Cancer Center: Obamacare or your strategic plan. Or will you just say that the strategic plan was caused by the new legislation (1500+ pages) of which no one understood at the time.

It is also interesting that you want your oncology program to be nationally recognized when you had internationally and nationally recognized staff that were terminated. One oncologist was told that his contract would be renegotiated but that must have slipped by you because there was no attempt by Kootenai to renegotiate as he was promised. Instead, he was escorted from the facility on his last day after numerous years of service without even a thank you from KMC.

In fact, all seven medical oncologists that have left were forced to leave because they had their contracts terminated by KMC. It started with Dr. Grosset and Dr. Iacaboni, followed by Dr. Tezcan, Dr. Chester, Dr. Ahmad, Dr. Mason, and most recently, Dr. Samuels. These are all great doctors who provided care to the people of Kootenai County. But the current Administration of our public hospital decided to fire these oncologists for frivolous reasons. This is in stark contrast to Dr. Martinez's explanation of the reason for the physician turnover. Did you also see that Dr. Martinez is on the Kootenai Health Foundation board of directors?

Why were the doctors fired? As stated above, Jon Ness will cite "Obamacare" as a reason, but let's get real - Obamacare has nothing to do with it. What about the purported goal of wanting a "Nationally Recognized" Cancer Center? Again, what kind of a goal is this? We are Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; we will never have the population to support a Mayo clinic. How about a more realistic goal of providing superb oncology care to the people of Kootenai County, which all seven oncologists did before they were fired?

It is time the Hospital Board hold the current Administration accountable for their actions. It is our money that they are spending and their goal should be to provide for our health needs-not drive excellent doctors away. If the Board is not going to hold the Administration accountable, then it is time for some new blood on the Board. People, please vote for the two seats open on the Board. The election is May 21st. Let the hospital know we want our doctors to stay here to take care of us.

John Pilgrim is a Coeur d'Alene resident.