Coming sunday

Deaconess Medical Center, and Valley Hospital and Medical Center was in trouble last year.

Losses reached a disastrous $35 million; newly unionized nurses and technologists wanted a raise to make up for past wage cuts; and an exodus of talented employees threatened to erode confidence among doctors and patients.

Empire’s board of directors contemplated a sale, a merger, even a partial shutdown.

The board turned to Tatum Partners, a crisis management firm, and found Jeff Nelson to reorganize Empire.

So far, it seems to have worked.

Be sure to read John Stucke’s story in Sunday’s Business section.