Pam Ott's management company...look at this stuff

Update: This company was brought in under a "time and material" contract and the costs according to documents I have was more than 2 million. According CFO Chet Beedle's business plan 2010, we spent 1.2 million in five months with them. Actually they were there for a year and the costs were out of control. Finally, according to Tracy Brown who started with the first company, then took over under contract, until she was asked to leave in 2009, she was not paid all monies due her. I am looking into that matter right now. Brown left when Tim McGlew, the current CEO arrived. The final cost for her year of service is being investigated)

Just to let you know a little bit about the company, or as Pamela Ott, called them, "the management team," I have compiled a few records which may help you understand how this team got to KVHD.

Sycamore management came to the board of directors on or around 5/4/2007 and the owner, Don Doyle, handed them a business card, he said.
The hospital skilled nursing facility was being threatened with closure, and they had no other choice as the CEO let things get to the wire, than to take on this expensive management firm. The contract was signed on 5/27/07, just before the immediate jeopardy would close the SNF.

The next blog will show you how Department of Health Services let the CEO off the hook when it is and was apparent, that the problems were with some of the top administrators.

Here is a news release about Sycamore management, the team, Ott said, would take care of all of the problems in the SNF. They would visit yearly and keep things up to date. Yeah.

In the news release, what stands out is the fact that a CEO was indicted for elder abuse and Sycamore came in when the company was near death.

Following that story is the current resume from Sycamore regarding what they accomplished here at KVHD.

CEO faces elder abuse charges, files for bankruptcy protection
By Christina Lucarotti-Stubler, Record SearchlightApril 12, 2006

The CEO of two Shasta County nursing homes who faces criminal elder abuse charges has filed bankruptcy for his corporation following a move by the state to take over management of the businesses.
Robert Roy, 64, of Millville, who was arrested in December, owns Western Care Management Corp., which does business as Rehab Specialties Inn in Anderson and Applewood Inn in Redding.
Together, the 125-bed and 143-bed nursing homes have about 180 elderly patients and 180 employees, according to documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Sacramento.
Management of both facilities has been taken over by the California Department of Health Services, which recently appointed Ermel Don Doyle Jr. of Sycamore Asset Management as the temporary manager, documents show.
"We're confident patients are in good hands," Department of Health Services spokeswoman Patti Roberts said of Doyle's placement.
Roberts said both nursing homes remain under investigation. She said there is no projection of how long the temporary management might continue.
Roy's arrest came after an investigation of Rehab Specialties revealed that persistent understaffing had put patients at a significant risk of injury and possibly death, state officials said at the time.
It is unclear how much money Western Care Management Corp. owes to the 94 creditors listed in the bankruptcy documents.
According to the documents, an IRS tax lien was filed against corporation in November 2003 in the amount of $226,538. Two judgment liens also have been filed, one for an unknown amount, the other for $104,584.
The trustee appointed to oversee the bankruptcy believes the businesses can be sold together if they are kept in operation, the documents said.
Roy is scheduled to appear Monday in Shasta County Superior Court for a settlement conference regarding the misdemeanor criminal charges.

And now for Sycamore's own perspective on what they did at our skilled nursing facility...

Don Doyle

EDUCATION-1987 California Coast University Santa Ana, CA Bachelor of Arts, Business Management 1980 Fanny Allen School Of Nursing Winooski, VT
CLINICAL EXPERIENCES 1984-To the Present Consultant 5/07 - present Kern Valley Healthcare District, Mountain Mesa, California (74 beds)

Assumed management of the operations of a troubled distinct part skilled nursing facility owned by the Kern Valley Healthcare District. Administered day-to-day operations of facility, including significant staff training, implementation of new policies and procedures and significant interaction with Department of Public Health. Prior to assumption of management, the facility had experienced 3 substandard surveys, with deficiency levels in multiple areas ranging in scope and severity from levels G to L, including an immediate jeopardy for medication errors, with only 10 days from revocation of Medi-cal and Medicare certification and imminent closure by the California Department of Public Health. Within 3 months, the facility was been returned to professional standards of care and received a zero deficiency survey. Daily management of operations has been returned to Healthcare District’s long term management. Sycamore currently provides contract Interim Administrator and Registered Nurses to the facility. Sycamore also provides consultation as requested