Paybacks Are Hell

PACSman: I love how all the hot potatoes get thrown at me and then when I finally say what I feel I am the one accused of being politically incorrect. It’s not just Ms. PACS who does it either. I’ve run into this problem my entire life, most recently almost 25 years ago when I last worked as an employee for one of the major PACS vendors (can you believe I’ve been on my own for that long?). They asked me a question, I gave them an answer. They said, “That’s not what we want to hear.” So I answered, “Well, why don’t you just save us both the time and trouble and tell me what you want to hear, so I can tell you that instead of what I really think.” That was the wrong answer apparently. They replied: “You have a bad attitude towards management.” “No,” I said. “I just have a bad attitude towards a$$holes which is what you are being by asking me a question then telling me you don’t value my thoughts or opinions.” OK, so maybe I was a tad strong in making my point, but it got through to them and they to me as well. I didn’t belong there. What’s funniest though was being able to come back 20 years later to the same company as a consultant and telling them ostensibly the same things I said 20 years prior, and charging them as much for two days of my time than they paid me in an entire month. Paybacks are indeed hell……which leads me to today’s topic.

I have specifically avoided talking about the entire Emageon “deal” over the past several months, especially in print, because I have too many people that I consider friends still with the company. My tongue has also been bloodied way too many times from biting it, but I did very well by saying nothing. You should be proud of me. Unfortunately the handwriting is on the wall for many of those I know, which makes me sad. There is much too much overlap between both companies, and since AMICAS is the buyer, guess who loses? The good guys in the trenches, of course. And management? Well many there will lose too, except the big cheese himself who walks away with his head high and pockets filled to the brim. This is America - it’s the way it should be, right? The stock price plummets 90%+ , the company sells for less than half it should have in a matter of two short weeks, and he gets $1.7M to say “Adios amigos!!” …That buys a lot of Taco Bells for sure.

Now, this isn’t my blog site (I sorta wish it were) but rather one I picked up from a posting my good friend the Dalai had in a comment on his post about Agfa today. I got on the site and simply roared. The site, http://dearchuckjett.blogspot.com/, is a “tribute” (and I use the term very very loosely) to the big Kahuna at Emageon from his ex-employees, current employees, those he has worked with and the like. It’s all done anonymously and such and looks like it’s been up since February 10th, after news of the HSS/ Stanford “investment” going south. That didn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to figure out either - the feds had been investigating Stanford since last July, but those are minor details…Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies. Emageon took the Rod Tidwell approach to financing as outlined in the movie from Jerry McGuire - Don’t know, don’t care - just “show me the money.”

Now Chuckie really isn’t a bad guy like the Child’s Play character of the same name might imply - he really isn’t - but I think it fair to say his business acumen might leave just a little something to be desired. After all the company that he was in charge of showed a $42M loss in 2008 and he walks away with $1.7M? Um..can we talk? Reminds me of AIG on a much smaller scale - but the Emageon Board or someone approved it so...not that tax payers. Now I’ll admit market and economic circumstances did play a small role in some of what happened, but all? Nah….As I tell my kids, you have to accept responsibility when you are responsible. Harry Truman said it best when he was President, “The buck stops here.” It’s not with Congress or the Senate or the Board or the investors - the buck stops here, with the President…and last time I checked Chuckie was that plus CEO too. I can only hope that Dr. Steve Kahane at AMICAS continues to maintain the “buck stops here” attitude he has had since Peter McClennan left as President and he stepped into both roles. A ballsy move for sure, but the mark of a true leader.

AMICAS was one of the few PACS companies whose total gross revenues were actually up this year over FY 2007, albeit just under 1%, but they took a $27.3 million “goodwill impairment charge” hit that significantly impacted their bottom line profitability. Now I’m all for Goodwill- heck I even shop there frequently - but $27.3M buys a whole lotta jeans… So AMICAS - call me and let’s talk- please… The first hour, as always, is free. I’ll even give you two hours because I like ya. The last thing this industry needs is you guys going off on your own as blind as Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles combined hoping that you’ll do it right. The financial burn rate for both companies is much too great to screw this one up and I have more people I know at AMICAS than I do at Emageon. So call me….please. Now, where was I?

I was also asked today about what I thought about the Pam Pure’s departure from McKesson. I never met the woman so I can’t comment on her personally, but do know McKesson is uncharacteristically tight-lipped about it all so something has to be up. I know many many people in McKesson and have worked with the company on many projects. To the person they have all been very above board and fair to the max. That is so unusual in this industry. If they couldn’t do something they would tell me so - not BS me or try and squeak out of something on a contract technicality like a very large PACS leader did recently with a customer of mine leaving me saying nothing after? Adding insult to injury, we didn’t even get kissed either.

The bottom line is what goes around comes around….and it will…because revenge is sweet…and paybacks are hell. Just ask Chuck…and those who are doing the blogging on that site well know…

Ms. PACS: I think the expression is "Paybacks are a B#*ch"? But you wouldn't know anything about paybacks...now would you? What I like about you PACSman is that you're good at telling it like it is without getting under anyone's skin;)

But every now and then, even I, the demure Ms. PACS feels like lashing out and telling someone how full of #$&^ they really are. It is at those times I turn to a lil' book that reminds me that, indeed, "Paybacks are a B#*ch". It's called Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (1996) by Daniel Goleman. Goleman argues that our emotions play a much greater role in thought, decision making and individual success than is commonly acknowledged. He defines “emotional intelligence” as a trait not measured by IQ tests, but as a set of skills, including how to control one’s impulses, being self-motivated, having empathy and social competence in interpersonal relationships. Another self-help book? I think of it as confirming what we already know - don't burn bridges.

With the dearchuckjett blog you can look at it in two ways. It could reflect a certain degree of Emotional Intelligence because it might be a good way for people to vent so that they don't blow up at people who are currently relevant in their professional and personal lives. It's not complete justice, and it's definitely tied to an inferiority complex - they got kicked around on the playground - which we all undeniably struggle to overcome throughout our lives, but applied in a positive way, that may motivate many to reach their potential.

Then there is the burning your bridges part where if you even care what Emotional Intelligence dictates - it's not so smart. If Chuck makes a come back or has friends in those high-places where you want to go...you're smoked. And the odds are someone's identity on the blog is going to be revealed.

But maybe they are more like you, PACSman: tell it like it is and 20 years later, tell him how it's done - and get paid for it. You just might have some of what pop-psychology, mumbo jumbo calls emotional intelligence. But just remember what's happens when you play with fire...eventually you get burned.