AUBURN - Auburn Memorial Hospital's newly minted chief executive officer and president brings the confidence to the job only a Boston Red Sox fan has, joked Dr. Saul Rosenblum, president of AMH's medical staff.

Scott Berlucchi joined AMH two months ago and just a week before the hospital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure $13 million in debts.

On Thursday night, Berlucchi and other AMH leaders held a public reception to introduce Berlucchi to an audience of 60 and to touch upon their vision of AMH's future.

Attendees went through a receiving line with Berlucchi, Berlucchi's wife, Aileen, and their sons.

Robert Bergan, president of AMH's board of trustees, said the previous two years of millions of dollars in losses, a strict financial turnaround and Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing were probably the most difficult in AMH's existence.

But “we know from letters to the editor and comments on the street” the community cares deeply about the hospital's future, said Stephen Zabriskie, president of the Auburn Memorial Hospital System Foundation.

Berlucchi praised the hospital's growth from $400,000 of cash on hand to $2.5 million and reaching “black ink, cash in the bank.”

John Baran, AMH's interim chief financial officer, noted the hospital lost more than $10 million in 2005 and 2006, but 2007 has brought modest gains. The bankruptcy filing has gone smoothly so far and donations from foundations and private individuals are �-percent going into bricks and mortar.” The bankruptcy is expected to be finalized in several months.

Berlucchi was fully informed about the bankruptcy when he decided to take the job, Baran and Bergan said. Berlucchi opted to come before the bankruptcy filing rather than after.

After a successful stint with a financial turnaround firm and hitting the black again, AMH's leaders were faced with a choice between spending 20 years to pay back $13 million in pension obligations or to invest in the hospital's infrastructure and medical equipment, Berlucchi said.

“Our hard decision was to lean on you and the way out of this, tactfully and strategically, was Chapter 11,” Berlucchi said.

Berlucchi highlighted:

* plans to open a free-standing ambulatory surgical center;

* intent to seek partnerships with tertiary-care hospitals in Rochester and Syracuse with complex services not available at a community hospital;

* opening a women's diagnostic imaging center;

* updating operating rooms;

* renovating medical rooms from rooms for two patients and bathrooms for four patients to solitary rooms;

* bringing AMH's psychiatric facility into the hospital from North Street;

* installing a modern heating and air conditioning system to reduce energy costs.

“There's no reason we can't be the envy of all of central New York in terms of patient care,” Berlucchi said.

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net