From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE — HCA Healthcare executives “will be awarded performance bonuses in 2025 based primarily on hitting profit targets, rather than success in providing quality of care, the company disclosed in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,” Asheville Watchdog reported on March 7.

HCA operates Asheville’s flagship Mission Hospital and five other regional hospitals in Western North Carolina.

“In its S.E.C. filing in February, the Nashville-based HCA reported that its executive officers, including the chief executive, Sam Hazen, will continue to be ‘eligible to earn performance awards based upon the achievement of certain specified performance targets … weighted 80 percent for the achievement of certain EBITDA targets and 20 percen t for the achievement of targets associated with certain quality metrics,” Asheville Watchdog noted, adding, “EBITDA refers to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, a measure of core corporate profitability. The ‘quality’ metrics listed include ‘infections and sepsis … complication and mortality … and care experience,’ according to the filing.”

Asheville Watchdog added, “However, if the executives fail to achieve 90 percent success in hitting their EBITDA targets, ‘there will be no payment with respect to the quality weighted portion’ of their bonus plan, the filing reported.

“Hazen’s total compensation last year was $23,799,137, an increase of nearly $2.5 million over 2023.

“As reported March 6 by Asheville Watchdog, Mission Hospital has reduced the hourly pay by $25 for at least 63 nurses who are part of the hospital’s Weekender Program. Many of the weekend nurses were hired last year following federal and state investigations into violations of healthcare standards at the hospital.

“Despite the investigations and resulting sanctions, Mission Hospital was recognized by the ratings website Healthgrades in January as one of its top 50 ‘2025 America’s Best Hospitals.’ 

“The award puts Mission in the top 1 percent of U.S. hospitals providing the highest level of quality care, according to Healthgrades. 

“Mission also received the Healthgrades Top 50 award for 2024 and 2023, a period in which the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued Mission Hospital an immediate jeopardy citation surrounding four patient deaths that occurred in 2022 and 2023. 

“The citation was lifted after the hospital submitted a plan of correction,” Asheville Watchdog reported.