Last night, Monday Aug. 24, we saw the first of what I hope will be several town hall meetings regarding the issue of Healthcare reform. As Dr. Robert Gross, DO, said before the meeting it's about insurance reform, the delivery and cost of care.
Many of us are confused, as to what should and shouldn't be reformed, and the public came out and expressed their concerns.
A lot of people, teachers, doctors, residents of the valley, got a chance to talk about their thoughts, opinions, and fears.
I was impressed that it wasn't a political debacle, and more about sharing.
We will cover the story in full on our new site: Your government, your problem: an owner's manual. http://yourgovernmentyourproblem.blogspot.com/
The story should be up tonight. Thank you all who organized and everyone who spoke.
(Oh, there was one person missing, the mouth that knows it all, our very own radio jockey, and KVHD board member, Bob Jamison. We will put a call into him and find out what stopped him from getting to the meeting. I'll call it, "What about Bob?")
Persistance and Tenacity, requires a new chapter, a new beginning....
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Update: pre-pre preliminary hearings continued/special meeting
After former Kern Valley Healthcare District pharmacist, Debbi Hayes, who was indicted along with Dr. Hoshang Pormir and Director of Nursing, Gwen Hughes, plead to a lesser charge Friday, August 14, the preliminary cases were continued to September 8.
Hayes plead to a conspiracy charge regarding injury to the public, but the other ten counts of elder abuse were dismissed, so now we are waiting to see what role she will play in the rest of the case.
The hospital is having a special meeting regarding the Hayes part of the case this morning at 9 am. I'll get a statement. Most likely the statement will be, that there was a special meeting. Generally that's how it goes.
I'm doing some research now on how the hospital decided how they would defend the staff. The first information I heard was that the doctor and pharmacist were to be covered by the hospital's liability insurance company, Betahc group. I was told the insurance wouldn't cover a felony case.
There was also expectation that Pam Ott would be indicted, and last year there was a meeting where three board members decided to defend her. It's my understanding, or actually lack of, as to why the three board members at the time, Bob Jamison, Brad Armstrong, and Barbara Casas, (the sticky three) voted to have the hospital pay for expenses in case Ott was indicted.
The other two board members voted against it.
I will try to find out more on this. As we know there is an on-going investigation and we will hopefully soon know who the other "conspirators" are and if they will be indicted too.
Hayes plead to a conspiracy charge regarding injury to the public, but the other ten counts of elder abuse were dismissed, so now we are waiting to see what role she will play in the rest of the case.
The hospital is having a special meeting regarding the Hayes part of the case this morning at 9 am. I'll get a statement. Most likely the statement will be, that there was a special meeting. Generally that's how it goes.
I'm doing some research now on how the hospital decided how they would defend the staff. The first information I heard was that the doctor and pharmacist were to be covered by the hospital's liability insurance company, Betahc group. I was told the insurance wouldn't cover a felony case.
There was also expectation that Pam Ott would be indicted, and last year there was a meeting where three board members decided to defend her. It's my understanding, or actually lack of, as to why the three board members at the time, Bob Jamison, Brad Armstrong, and Barbara Casas, (the sticky three) voted to have the hospital pay for expenses in case Ott was indicted.
The other two board members voted against it.
I will try to find out more on this. As we know there is an on-going investigation and we will hopefully soon know who the other "conspirators" are and if they will be indicted too.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Healthcare reform and the Kern Valley Healthcare District
I took a visit to our much beleaguered skilled nursing facility today, talking to the residents and wondering about the relationship between elder care and healthcare reform.
My feeling is that the residents of our nursing center or any nursing center need to be treated with respect and dignity, realizing these people were once young, had lives, families, jobs, opinions, likes, dislikes, goals, the same as the rest of us running around in the world.
They may not be able to live alone, or be cared for by busy working families, but the new reform must include monies to show that here in America we do respect our elders and we will stick by them to the end. (a natural end hopefully)
When you look at the horrifying record at KVHD in the past few years, you see a good example of what some of the major problems are with healthcare.
Short staffing a nursing home is pretty much saying that they are not worth the time, trouble or money. I strongly disagree.
But that is what happened here at our SNF, in the Kern River Valley. When the CFO, of the hospital, Chet Beedle, took out his pencil and calculator, the money disappeared from the nursing center, and the quality of care with it.
The nursing home administrator/CEO, Pam Ott, lead the way to allowing a new type of reform in the nursing center three years ago, which was medicating patients to the point of not needing much staff to care for them. It was all about the money, not the residents or their families.
In fact, a family member, who had promised her mother before she died that she would take her back home to the heartland, was told by Mr. Beedle that she could not collect the tiny sum offered by the federal government for burial costs. It was all of $200, but the family had to fight to get it.
She eventually got this money, but not after a very disgusting display on the part of the old administration, and current CFO.
Is it more money that's needed or is it a change in the way we look at our elderly residents?
It will have to be both.
When I looked in the eyes of the residents today I wondered what medicines are being used now. Has KVHD and its prescribing staff, now not under threat from the leadership, being more rational or conservative in its approach?
The pharmaceutical industry was let loose to run the world on TV with advertisements which began a whole new look at medicine. Oh, we need to give you our drugs and we will even show you how to talk your doctor into getting them for you.
Thanks, big brother. I hope you've been paid off well.
Drugs to cure foot fungus which can take out your liver? This industry is pumping out stuff like a cancer upon society. They're no better than the drug dealers living around the corner from you. If you're depressed, don't take a walk or talk out an argument or change jobs: pop a pill, you'll feel better.
I actually was in the Rural Health Clinic one day and could not stand it that the tissue boxes, the pens, the brochures, the posters, were covered in pharmaceutical ads, so I put graffiti on all of them. (Yeah, that was me)
The elderly have been over medicated for years. Partially because that generation had a trust in the medical profession and didn't question their doctors and caretakers.
I shared a bathroom with my grandmother and couldn't fit my toothbrush in the medicine cabinet as it was full of prescription bottles. Though I was young, I questioned the amount of pill popping she was doing. And the fact that she was forgetful, was she taking them the correct way.
Her decline I attribute to the healthcare she received. I'm sure the pharmaceutical companies would laud praise on themselves for keeping us alive longer, but I'm not so sure that is the case. I know far too many people who have been damaged by pharma, and I am also one of them.
Even over the counter drugs have serious side effects, but we throw them in our shopping carts like it couldn't happen to us.
You can keep a heart pumping with all sorts of drugs and procedures, but can you keep a heart laughing and happy?
In a nursing home, who are you going to question and really, will anyone listen?
Three years ago, the nursing home administrator, Pam Ott, didn't listen to the staff, residents or even the families who questioned the staffing and medications. How disrespectful and cruel to avoid contacting families and explaining the risks of certain medicines. It's an illegal and sometimes deadly practice.
I recently had surgery and while in the hospital was given an overdose of drugs. I told them it was an overdose, but even my protests were not heard. I was threatened that if I didn't take the whole dose, I would get none at all. So, I did. And then, only afterwards, did they check and find their mistake.
So, if they could do it to me, the biggest mouth in the west, then the people most at risk are the elderly and infirm. We have certainly seen that here at KVHD. There's no denying that anymore.
But how can we change this? How can we be more compassionate?
Yes, caring for the elderly and disabled is no easy task, but what about other options?
Like natural vitamins, emotional support and alternative therapies. Lets quit giving our lives and the lives of our seniors over to the pharmaceutical industry.
Yes, it would require more staffing and money to put our grandma in a spa tub to relieve her arthritis pain than it would to take some multi-side effect pain reliever.
Could a patient stiffened from Parkinson's disease use a daily massage and some aroma therapy rather than just leaving them alone in this probably terrifying condition.
I wondered as I looked at one woman today if she had enough vitamin D to process her calcium, as she has seen little sunlight in recent years.
We all know as we age we don't digest and assimilate our food as well, gaining all the nutrients we need. What about a serious focus on nutrition just for the elderly? A multi vitamin is not going to make up for quality nutrition.
Increasing the quality of life in nursing homes could be expensive, so should we just not do it?
But American medicine is about who makes the money and that's the bottom line. Currently, Pharma is winning.
Reform our minds first and realize how ludicrous it is to allow these drugs with so many dangerous side effects to be the first course of action. It has become part of our culture.
Even children are being over medicated. Little Bobby was acting out in class, and the teacher recommends that he might need to be seen by a doctor and get on some medicine. He could be ADHD or anxious, so a little Ritalin or antidepressant might help. (Him or the teacher?)
Finally, we need to reform the thought that the elderly are just "soaking up" the funds when they have reached a certain age. Hey, they worked, raised families, and produced money which went into the government coffers which are so easily depleted these days for some pretty ridiculous things.
We are "all" hopefully going to get old and we may suffer illness, unable to help ourselves some day, how do you want to be treated?
Think about it and take the time to join the national discussion on healthcare reform right here in the valley next week. See, Town Hall meeting post below.
My feeling is that the residents of our nursing center or any nursing center need to be treated with respect and dignity, realizing these people were once young, had lives, families, jobs, opinions, likes, dislikes, goals, the same as the rest of us running around in the world.
They may not be able to live alone, or be cared for by busy working families, but the new reform must include monies to show that here in America we do respect our elders and we will stick by them to the end. (a natural end hopefully)
When you look at the horrifying record at KVHD in the past few years, you see a good example of what some of the major problems are with healthcare.
Short staffing a nursing home is pretty much saying that they are not worth the time, trouble or money. I strongly disagree.
But that is what happened here at our SNF, in the Kern River Valley. When the CFO, of the hospital, Chet Beedle, took out his pencil and calculator, the money disappeared from the nursing center, and the quality of care with it.
The nursing home administrator/CEO, Pam Ott, lead the way to allowing a new type of reform in the nursing center three years ago, which was medicating patients to the point of not needing much staff to care for them. It was all about the money, not the residents or their families.
In fact, a family member, who had promised her mother before she died that she would take her back home to the heartland, was told by Mr. Beedle that she could not collect the tiny sum offered by the federal government for burial costs. It was all of $200, but the family had to fight to get it.
She eventually got this money, but not after a very disgusting display on the part of the old administration, and current CFO.
Is it more money that's needed or is it a change in the way we look at our elderly residents?
It will have to be both.
When I looked in the eyes of the residents today I wondered what medicines are being used now. Has KVHD and its prescribing staff, now not under threat from the leadership, being more rational or conservative in its approach?
The pharmaceutical industry was let loose to run the world on TV with advertisements which began a whole new look at medicine. Oh, we need to give you our drugs and we will even show you how to talk your doctor into getting them for you.
Thanks, big brother. I hope you've been paid off well.
Drugs to cure foot fungus which can take out your liver? This industry is pumping out stuff like a cancer upon society. They're no better than the drug dealers living around the corner from you. If you're depressed, don't take a walk or talk out an argument or change jobs: pop a pill, you'll feel better.
I actually was in the Rural Health Clinic one day and could not stand it that the tissue boxes, the pens, the brochures, the posters, were covered in pharmaceutical ads, so I put graffiti on all of them. (Yeah, that was me)
The elderly have been over medicated for years. Partially because that generation had a trust in the medical profession and didn't question their doctors and caretakers.
I shared a bathroom with my grandmother and couldn't fit my toothbrush in the medicine cabinet as it was full of prescription bottles. Though I was young, I questioned the amount of pill popping she was doing. And the fact that she was forgetful, was she taking them the correct way.
Her decline I attribute to the healthcare she received. I'm sure the pharmaceutical companies would laud praise on themselves for keeping us alive longer, but I'm not so sure that is the case. I know far too many people who have been damaged by pharma, and I am also one of them.
Even over the counter drugs have serious side effects, but we throw them in our shopping carts like it couldn't happen to us.
You can keep a heart pumping with all sorts of drugs and procedures, but can you keep a heart laughing and happy?
In a nursing home, who are you going to question and really, will anyone listen?
Three years ago, the nursing home administrator, Pam Ott, didn't listen to the staff, residents or even the families who questioned the staffing and medications. How disrespectful and cruel to avoid contacting families and explaining the risks of certain medicines. It's an illegal and sometimes deadly practice.
I recently had surgery and while in the hospital was given an overdose of drugs. I told them it was an overdose, but even my protests were not heard. I was threatened that if I didn't take the whole dose, I would get none at all. So, I did. And then, only afterwards, did they check and find their mistake.
So, if they could do it to me, the biggest mouth in the west, then the people most at risk are the elderly and infirm. We have certainly seen that here at KVHD. There's no denying that anymore.
But how can we change this? How can we be more compassionate?
Yes, caring for the elderly and disabled is no easy task, but what about other options?
Like natural vitamins, emotional support and alternative therapies. Lets quit giving our lives and the lives of our seniors over to the pharmaceutical industry.
Yes, it would require more staffing and money to put our grandma in a spa tub to relieve her arthritis pain than it would to take some multi-side effect pain reliever.
Could a patient stiffened from Parkinson's disease use a daily massage and some aroma therapy rather than just leaving them alone in this probably terrifying condition.
I wondered as I looked at one woman today if she had enough vitamin D to process her calcium, as she has seen little sunlight in recent years.
We all know as we age we don't digest and assimilate our food as well, gaining all the nutrients we need. What about a serious focus on nutrition just for the elderly? A multi vitamin is not going to make up for quality nutrition.
Increasing the quality of life in nursing homes could be expensive, so should we just not do it?
But American medicine is about who makes the money and that's the bottom line. Currently, Pharma is winning.
Reform our minds first and realize how ludicrous it is to allow these drugs with so many dangerous side effects to be the first course of action. It has become part of our culture.
Even children are being over medicated. Little Bobby was acting out in class, and the teacher recommends that he might need to be seen by a doctor and get on some medicine. He could be ADHD or anxious, so a little Ritalin or antidepressant might help. (Him or the teacher?)
Finally, we need to reform the thought that the elderly are just "soaking up" the funds when they have reached a certain age. Hey, they worked, raised families, and produced money which went into the government coffers which are so easily depleted these days for some pretty ridiculous things.
We are "all" hopefully going to get old and we may suffer illness, unable to help ourselves some day, how do you want to be treated?
Think about it and take the time to join the national discussion on healthcare reform right here in the valley next week. See, Town Hall meeting post below.
Town Hall meeting on Healthcare reform Monday, Aug. 24, in Lake Isabella
Oh, Mr. McCarthy, Senatorial sage, you can have your Bakersfield Town Hall bash, but we're having one here in the Kern River Valley. And since we have had to fend for ourselves to reform our own local healthcare, what a good thing it is. (Okay, Senatorial Sage just sounded good, I couldn't find anything to go with Congressional. Wonder why?)
Here let me find the article about it in the local paper. Hmm, let's see, someone was busted, singers, a few ass kissing stories, where is it?
Well, I guess the paper has other things to do than worry about your healthcare, so I'll tell you about it. (like we didn't know this already)
Dr. Robert Gross, DO, Kern Valley Healthcare District physician and board member will be debating...Oh, jeez, "tower of power" radio jockstrap, Bob Jamison.
The Town Hall meeting will take place Monday, Aug. 24th, at 6 pm, at the senior center in the veteran's room.
And we will be covering this as our first story on our new blog: "Your Government, Your Problem: an owners manual." http://yourgovernmentyourproblem.blogspot.com/
It's an important issue, frightening to many, so come out and let's all get more information. I'll see you there. (Well, if my health is in order I will)
UPDATE: MORE INFO on Monday's Debate:FORMAT: http://krvr.org/index.php?option=com_joomlaboard&Itemid=26&func=view&id=16427&catid=11
FLYER: http://tinyurl.com/8-24-Health-Care-Debate-Flyer
It may be moved to the larger, Senior Room (instead of the Vets Hall), Kern River Veterans/Senior Building, 6405 Lake Isabella Blvd., Lake Isabella.
INFO: Gary Amstutz (760) 379-4720 luminous_vision@yahoo.com
I would like to add here, that this discussion regarding healthcare reform is far too important to turn into a political melee. Politics seems to be divisive, whereas discussion of issues can bring about important change.
My hope is that we all turn out for this event regardless of our political affiliations or feelings. Set them aside for when your father-in-law comes over and you need something to argue about. Just a thought.
Here let me find the article about it in the local paper. Hmm, let's see, someone was busted, singers, a few ass kissing stories, where is it?
Well, I guess the paper has other things to do than worry about your healthcare, so I'll tell you about it. (like we didn't know this already)
Dr. Robert Gross, DO, Kern Valley Healthcare District physician and board member will be debating...Oh, jeez, "tower of power" radio jockstrap, Bob Jamison.
The Town Hall meeting will take place Monday, Aug. 24th, at 6 pm, at the senior center in the veteran's room.
And we will be covering this as our first story on our new blog: "Your Government, Your Problem: an owners manual." http://yourgovernmentyourproblem.blogspot.com/
It's an important issue, frightening to many, so come out and let's all get more information. I'll see you there. (Well, if my health is in order I will)
UPDATE: MORE INFO on Monday's Debate:FORMAT: http://krvr.org/index.php?option=com_joomlaboard&Itemid=26&func=view&id=16427&catid=11
FLYER: http://tinyurl.com/8-24-Health-Care-Debate-Flyer
It may be moved to the larger, Senior Room (instead of the Vets Hall), Kern River Veterans/Senior Building, 6405 Lake Isabella Blvd., Lake Isabella.
INFO: Gary Amstutz (760) 379-4720 luminous_vision@yahoo.com
I would like to add here, that this discussion regarding healthcare reform is far too important to turn into a political melee. Politics seems to be divisive, whereas discussion of issues can bring about important change.
My hope is that we all turn out for this event regardless of our political affiliations or feelings. Set them aside for when your father-in-law comes over and you need something to argue about. Just a thought.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Let's begin the day, and watch...
Well, it took me a few hours just to get out of bed, so I did not get out to go to court this morning. (Not because I didn't want to, but physically I'm not in great shape, and some days are "no can do days," and apparently this is one of them)
My understanding is that there is a motion for an extension on the cases, so I will get an update later this afternoon.
A few thoughts, from last night. I laid in bed thinking about the families of the victims, wondering what I would have done if it was my family.
The first thing that came to mind was had I heard the crappolla coming from that hospital dismissing my pain and heartache, I would have probably done something very bad.
I have much respect for the restraint the families have taken in this matter. We have many ways to fight for justice and bring out the truth, and I will give my all to make sure that happens. (Although my all is not what it used to be, it's still pretty strong)
The local radio station, AKA KVHD board member, Bob Jamison, the CEO hugger, put up its version of the story of the pharmacist's plead out in court on Friday on the radio "snewz" site.
I think Mr. Jamison ott to follow this story closely, as people are beginning to talk, or tell the truth.
We all remember your great defense of Miss Ott, Bobby J., back in 2007. We are reading it over and over, the transcript from that really interesting show you put on to keep the community blind.
Yet now you (QAB "smooth news" Scott Costa) reports on the case as if, yes, it wasn't all in my mind, as you told everyone it was. The DOJ doesn't think it was all in my mind. The families who were hurt don't think it's imaginary.
What is your story now? I found your arsenal of smoking guns you claimed I would never find.
Hey Costa, want a real story, call and interview me.
But in 2007 that is what you told us all. What do you think now Bob? Do you feel at least a bit uncomfortable about all of this as you were one who knew when families were being told there was nothing wrong, that there definitely was.
Will your news reports continue to slant toward casting the blame on all others without any responsibility yourself?
Scott why don't you download the interview from my blog with Ott and Jamison and put it up on your site. Hey its a great archive.
Now the newspaper is another matter entirely as families were looking for true information, but I have made them privvy as to why there was none after I left. They know, and eventually I will tell the whole story.
If at any moment, any of you think that all the information is on this blog, you are wrong. Yes, I've held back, much like a savings account, waiting for that rainy day. But I've got things on everyone, and in case anyone wants some of this information, all you have to do is call me.
Here's the QAB report:
Charges Against Hospital Pharacist Dismissed Debbi Hayes, the former pharmacist with the Kern Valley Hospital, has had all charges, except one, dismissed against her in the case involving patient abuse and deaths at the Skilled Nursing Facility. Hayes had 11 felony counts against her, including causing harm or death to an elder, but had 10 of them dismissed and plead “no contest” to a charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice. The charges were dismissed this past Friday. She paid just under $300 in fines and was given 3 years probation. However, the other two defendants in the case, Gwen Hughes, the former Director of Nursing for the Skilled Nursing Center, and Dr. Hoshang Pormir, a former staff physician, will both be in Bakersfield court today at 9AM for a Pre-Preliminary Hearing and then are scheduled to be back in court tomorrow morning at 8:30AM for a Preliminary Hearing. They are both facing multiple felony counts including charges of causing harm or death to an elder or dependent.
Now scroll down and read the report the way I wrote it.
My understanding is that there is a motion for an extension on the cases, so I will get an update later this afternoon.
A few thoughts, from last night. I laid in bed thinking about the families of the victims, wondering what I would have done if it was my family.
The first thing that came to mind was had I heard the crappolla coming from that hospital dismissing my pain and heartache, I would have probably done something very bad.
I have much respect for the restraint the families have taken in this matter. We have many ways to fight for justice and bring out the truth, and I will give my all to make sure that happens. (Although my all is not what it used to be, it's still pretty strong)
The local radio station, AKA KVHD board member, Bob Jamison, the CEO hugger, put up its version of the story of the pharmacist's plead out in court on Friday on the radio "snewz" site.
I think Mr. Jamison ott to follow this story closely, as people are beginning to talk, or tell the truth.
We all remember your great defense of Miss Ott, Bobby J., back in 2007. We are reading it over and over, the transcript from that really interesting show you put on to keep the community blind.
Yet now you (QAB "smooth news" Scott Costa) reports on the case as if, yes, it wasn't all in my mind, as you told everyone it was. The DOJ doesn't think it was all in my mind. The families who were hurt don't think it's imaginary.
What is your story now? I found your arsenal of smoking guns you claimed I would never find.
Hey Costa, want a real story, call and interview me.
But in 2007 that is what you told us all. What do you think now Bob? Do you feel at least a bit uncomfortable about all of this as you were one who knew when families were being told there was nothing wrong, that there definitely was.
Will your news reports continue to slant toward casting the blame on all others without any responsibility yourself?
Scott why don't you download the interview from my blog with Ott and Jamison and put it up on your site. Hey its a great archive.
Now the newspaper is another matter entirely as families were looking for true information, but I have made them privvy as to why there was none after I left. They know, and eventually I will tell the whole story.
If at any moment, any of you think that all the information is on this blog, you are wrong. Yes, I've held back, much like a savings account, waiting for that rainy day. But I've got things on everyone, and in case anyone wants some of this information, all you have to do is call me.
Here's the QAB report:
Charges Against Hospital Pharacist Dismissed Debbi Hayes, the former pharmacist with the Kern Valley Hospital, has had all charges, except one, dismissed against her in the case involving patient abuse and deaths at the Skilled Nursing Facility. Hayes had 11 felony counts against her, including causing harm or death to an elder, but had 10 of them dismissed and plead “no contest” to a charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice. The charges were dismissed this past Friday. She paid just under $300 in fines and was given 3 years probation. However, the other two defendants in the case, Gwen Hughes, the former Director of Nursing for the Skilled Nursing Center, and Dr. Hoshang Pormir, a former staff physician, will both be in Bakersfield court today at 9AM for a Pre-Preliminary Hearing and then are scheduled to be back in court tomorrow morning at 8:30AM for a Preliminary Hearing. They are both facing multiple felony counts including charges of causing harm or death to an elder or dependent.
Now scroll down and read the report the way I wrote it.
Monday, August 17, 2009
UPDATE: Kern County Superior confirms information/pre-preliminary hearings
I spoke with the criminal division at the Kern County Superior court and verified that our initial interpretation and reports were correct as stated on the county's website.
Pharmacist, Debbi Hayes, has plead to one count of conspiracy (penal code 182 A 5) and the other ten charges regarding elder abuse were dismissed.
Though she was sentenced to one year, the sentence is suspended, but she will have three years probation.
Likely, and only supposition here, she will end up being a witness for the prosecution/state in the other criminal cases.
But with the investigation reopened in the case of the leadership, which included, former Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, Pam Ott, we may likely see other indictments in this case.
I want to tell the families of the residents from the skilled nursing facility that we have fought for almost 3 years now to get the truth out and bring justice.
We are teetering on the brink of truth as of today. We are looking at potential justice as of today. Something we all could not see through the smokescreen set up by leftover members of the board of administrators whom I have spoke about repeatedly on this blog.
I also want to tell the employees who were fired, defamed, blamed, that you have your chance to tell the story, so please do it.
Currently, the word is that there is a motion for an extension on the pre-pre, and preliminary hearings that were to take place tomorrow and Wednesday, Aug. 18/19.
The extension, of course, has to be approved tomorrow, but as of right now, there is an assumption that the dates will be changed.
In the meantime, we are waiting for word on any other indictments likely to come through.
I will update the blog regularly as information comes in.
Though I may be in Bakersfield at the court tomorrow, I will make sure that the news comes fast, so watch the blog.
(Now, I have to change out of my pajamas and leave the house to cover the story? Get me my stick and sunglasses, and of course a ride, and here we go looking for justice.)
Pharmacist, Debbi Hayes, has plead to one count of conspiracy (penal code 182 A 5) and the other ten charges regarding elder abuse were dismissed.
Though she was sentenced to one year, the sentence is suspended, but she will have three years probation.
Likely, and only supposition here, she will end up being a witness for the prosecution/state in the other criminal cases.
But with the investigation reopened in the case of the leadership, which included, former Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, Pam Ott, we may likely see other indictments in this case.
I want to tell the families of the residents from the skilled nursing facility that we have fought for almost 3 years now to get the truth out and bring justice.
We are teetering on the brink of truth as of today. We are looking at potential justice as of today. Something we all could not see through the smokescreen set up by leftover members of the board of administrators whom I have spoke about repeatedly on this blog.
I also want to tell the employees who were fired, defamed, blamed, that you have your chance to tell the story, so please do it.
Currently, the word is that there is a motion for an extension on the pre-pre, and preliminary hearings that were to take place tomorrow and Wednesday, Aug. 18/19.
The extension, of course, has to be approved tomorrow, but as of right now, there is an assumption that the dates will be changed.
In the meantime, we are waiting for word on any other indictments likely to come through.
I will update the blog regularly as information comes in.
Though I may be in Bakersfield at the court tomorrow, I will make sure that the news comes fast, so watch the blog.
(Now, I have to change out of my pajamas and leave the house to cover the story? Get me my stick and sunglasses, and of course a ride, and here we go looking for justice.)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
UPDATE:Breaking News: Kern Co. Superior Court shows Pharmacist Debbi Hayes sentenced on Friday
Update:
After making some phone calls, one to Pharmacist Debbi Hayes' attorney, Phyllis Hix, I know little more than I did last night.
I asked Hix for some clarification of the information on the website and she said, "no." I asked her for a statement and she said, "no." I asked if she will ever speak to me in the future and she said, "maybe."
I'm pretty sure Hix is either Military or has been deposed a half a million times. Usually I'm pretty good about getting at least a spoonful of info, but not this time. My worst interview before this aborted attempt with Hix was with the military.
Anyway, I do know now that Pharmacist Debbie Hayes is not in jail. On the website suspended sentence is underlined. It shows that she could have 3 years probation, according to the Kern County Superior court website.
It appears, but we will wait for word tomorrow, that all other 10 counts of elder abuse and assault have been dismissed, and Hayes has plead to the lesser charge of conspiracy.
The site also shows another court date for Hayes on Tuesday, August 18, as we will be there both Tuesday and Wednesday for the preliminary hearing in the cases against Dr. Hoshang Pormir and Gwen Hughes, we will keep you updated.
If anything else breaks in the meantime, we will be there with our cameras to catch it and bring it to you immediately.
Yesterday:
As of right now, all I know is that information on the Kern County Superior Court website is showing that Pharmacist Debbi Hayes has plead "Nolo Contendere" to the additional conspiracy charge added to the ten counts against her, including elder abuse and assault.
The other charges have possibly been dropped.
The site is showing that there is still another court date on Tuesday, 8/18/09, but as of right now, it indicates she is sentenced to a one year term. (see below)
"Nolo Contendere" means a plea made by the defendant in a criminal action that is substantially but not technically an admission of guilt and subjects the defendant to punishment but permits denial of the alleged facts at other proceedings.
A very interesting move here on the part of the state. Not that its uncommon to get a plead, its cheaper, and if you have a crummy case to start with, its not a bad idea. They added a "conspiracy" charge meaning more than one person just to the Pharmacist's case, and then she pleads out to it.
Dr. Pormir and Gwen Hughes, the other current defendants have not had this charge put on their cases, as of today. And they are both still scheduled for a pre-preliminary and preliminary hearing Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
This puts a big spin on this. Who's our other conspirator, there has to be one? And when will she and her friends be visiting the jail and court?
That's all speculation, I will have more for you tomorrow.
http://www.co.kern.ca.us/courts/crimcal/crim_index_case_detail.asp
Defendant Information:
Name:
HAYES, DEBBI GAYLE CHAMBERS
case Information:
Court Case #:
BF126665B
Filing Date:
02/17/09
182(A)(5)
CONSPIRACY:OBSTRUCT JUSTICE/ETC
PLED NOLO - 859A PC
08/14/09
Sentence Information
JAIL/PRISON 365 DAYS,
SUSP/STAYED 365 DAYS,
TOTAL CREDIT 0003 TIME SERVED 3 DAYS
CONFINEMENT LOCATION JAIL
FORMAL PROBATION GRANTED FOR 3 YRS,
CHARGE
FINE AMOUNT
MISC. FEES 60.00 RESTIT FINE 200.00 FINE TOTALS 260.00
After making some phone calls, one to Pharmacist Debbi Hayes' attorney, Phyllis Hix, I know little more than I did last night.
I asked Hix for some clarification of the information on the website and she said, "no." I asked her for a statement and she said, "no." I asked if she will ever speak to me in the future and she said, "maybe."
I'm pretty sure Hix is either Military or has been deposed a half a million times. Usually I'm pretty good about getting at least a spoonful of info, but not this time. My worst interview before this aborted attempt with Hix was with the military.
Anyway, I do know now that Pharmacist Debbie Hayes is not in jail. On the website suspended sentence is underlined. It shows that she could have 3 years probation, according to the Kern County Superior court website.
It appears, but we will wait for word tomorrow, that all other 10 counts of elder abuse and assault have been dismissed, and Hayes has plead to the lesser charge of conspiracy.
The site also shows another court date for Hayes on Tuesday, August 18, as we will be there both Tuesday and Wednesday for the preliminary hearing in the cases against Dr. Hoshang Pormir and Gwen Hughes, we will keep you updated.
If anything else breaks in the meantime, we will be there with our cameras to catch it and bring it to you immediately.
Yesterday:
As of right now, all I know is that information on the Kern County Superior Court website is showing that Pharmacist Debbi Hayes has plead "Nolo Contendere" to the additional conspiracy charge added to the ten counts against her, including elder abuse and assault.
The other charges have possibly been dropped.
The site is showing that there is still another court date on Tuesday, 8/18/09, but as of right now, it indicates she is sentenced to a one year term. (see below)
"Nolo Contendere" means a plea made by the defendant in a criminal action that is substantially but not technically an admission of guilt and subjects the defendant to punishment but permits denial of the alleged facts at other proceedings.
A very interesting move here on the part of the state. Not that its uncommon to get a plead, its cheaper, and if you have a crummy case to start with, its not a bad idea. They added a "conspiracy" charge meaning more than one person just to the Pharmacist's case, and then she pleads out to it.
Dr. Pormir and Gwen Hughes, the other current defendants have not had this charge put on their cases, as of today. And they are both still scheduled for a pre-preliminary and preliminary hearing Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
This puts a big spin on this. Who's our other conspirator, there has to be one? And when will she and her friends be visiting the jail and court?
That's all speculation, I will have more for you tomorrow.
http://www.co.kern.ca.us/courts/crimcal/crim_index_case_detail.asp
Defendant Information:
Name:
HAYES, DEBBI GAYLE CHAMBERS
case Information:
Court Case #:
BF126665B
Filing Date:
02/17/09
182(A)(5)
CONSPIRACY:OBSTRUCT JUSTICE/ETC
PLED NOLO - 859A PC
08/14/09
Sentence Information
JAIL/PRISON 365 DAYS,
SUSP/STAYED 365 DAYS,
TOTAL CREDIT 0003 TIME SERVED 3 DAYS
CONFINEMENT LOCATION JAIL
FORMAL PROBATION GRANTED FOR 3 YRS,
CHARGE
FINE AMOUNT
MISC. FEES 60.00 RESTIT FINE 200.00 FINE TOTALS 260.00
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The Department of Justice interviews former KVHD CEO, Pam Ott
Former Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, Pam Ott, pictured here, in Oct. 2006. Ott now under investigation by the Department of Justice for her role in the skilled nursing facility scandal which has lead to three indictments.
In 2007, after Ott stepped down as CEO and SNF administrator, she was interviewed by the investigators from the DOJ.
Below is the document, and you can click on it to read it.
Let's go through this report together and see what we come up with. I will add information about the report as we go along.
May 27, 2008 (is that the correct date, DOJ? It took a year to even interview her?)
First line, take note of the fact that she is described as the CEO and administrator.
In fact she signed most of the annual Center for Medicaid Services survey reports, and would have overall responsibility for the operations of the nursing center.
The law requires administrators to be responsible for the overall reporting for nursing centers.
What else do we have here. "Ott stated that the nurses came to her to voice their concerns with Hughes being rude and cruel to the staff, but was never made aware of the psychotropic medications being used or Hughes threatening staff for refusal to administer these medications." (Oh, yes she was made aware of the medications along with others too)
Oh, I beg to differ. But in fact, Ott brushed off many complaints from staff long before January 2007. But again she was busy selling a general obligation bond to the community, and the problems with the nursing center were set aside. Nurses came in Oct. 2006 to speak to her and the KVHD board about short staffing and as you see in the Urban Legend post, she called them a "pack of wolves." (next post, documents Pam Ott and others may want to forget)
The issue in this interview is skilled nursing facility resident, Louise Zimmerman, who, from what I understand died a few months ago. Zimmerman, was alleged to have been given a "forceful" injection of Risperdol, and antipsychotic drug, without the resident's consent.
It goes on to say that Ott conducted an internal investigation (Just like the fox investigated the henhouse) and found that Zimmerman had been "biting, kicking, and hitting others..."
Louise Zimmerman stayed in her room, she wouldn't come out to eat, and she would only eat if a nurse's aide came to her room and sat with her encouraging her to eat. That care requires that staff have time to feed her. And without enough staff, this may have been more of an issue than Risperdal when it came to her health and well being.
Zimmerman had also left her call light on all the time, demanding nurses come into her room.
Though she recieved a lot of pictures and letters from friends, she had no visitors to speak of, except for someone from social services. She made a lot of complaints to the state, being unhappy with her situation.
But my information on the resident shows she had minor violence issues, such as hitting a nurse, or throwing her food trays. Nothing I found reports that she was biting or kicking. However, that's what Ott's internal investigation found.
The last line in the report, seems like a Freudian slip to me. Sometimes we can't help it when our conscience speaks truth without us knowing it.
Regarding the injection of Risperdal, Ott stated she considered the incident, "elder abuse at the highest level."
Oh, yes, there's the truth. And who was at the highest level? The CEO/administrator, Pam Ott.
Ott interview with state investigators.It includes Ott's own investigation, of what, herself. No, it was now time to scapegoat others.
Gwen Hughes, arrived in Aug. 2006, the new Director of Nursing in the skilled nursing facility.
We were told Hughes had more than 30 years experience in geriatrics, though the indictments say her experience was with psychiatric issues.
Attorney General's elder abuse hotline
I've had some interesting conversations over the last few days, and it comes down to this: what did you know about the DOJ investigation in the KVHD skilled nursing facility, dating Aug.1, 2006 to Jan.25, 2007?
(That is the time frame which was investigated. Right when Gwen Hughes arrives as DON and right after she left)
During these chats I kept hearing the same names over and over.
"We reported it to her and she did nothing."
"She pounded her fists at us during the meetings."
Now it's time to report what you know to the people in Sacramento who are out of touch with what really happened in our little valley. How could they not be, it's evident in their own case.
And let us not forget what Jerry Brown said about our hospital and community:
Brown Announces Arrests of Nursing Home Employees Who Drugged Patients for Staff's Convenience
BAKERSFIELD -Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the arrests of a nurse, physician, and a pharmacist of a nursing home for "forcibly administering" psychotropic medications for their own convenience, rather than for their patients' therapeutic interests, actions that are alleged to have resulted in the deaths of three residents.
"These people maliciously violated the trust of their patients, by holding them down and forcibly administering psychotropic medications if they dared to question their care," Attorney General Brown said. "This is appalling behavior, which amounts to assault with a deadly weapon."
I'm trying to picture the PR folks writing this up. I am assuming Jerry Brown was standing somewhere waving his hands saying this is the worst I've ever, ever, ever, seen. You relied on the investigators information to say the things you are quoted as saying.
The young writer's picked up the message and created that little gem for Mr. Brown to live with. Was it true and correct to state that, I am sure it can be proven to be in error. You called them, "these people?" Okay.
We are the ones who know what happened. The evidence has built to such a degree that the mistakes of the DOJ case are self evident.
They have hostile witnesses from the hospital and seem to be basing their whole case on paperwork. Oh my, Dr. Locatell, the state expert, will give her version of the case based on possibly reliable, and most likely unreliable notations.
I know some people said they tried to talk to the investigators and tell them what was going on, but they weren't heard. So, it was not just us, but a deaf and dumb goverment entity that was immune to the warnings of employees, that helped lead to some bad situations.
(It's the worst I've ever seen, these government people; forcibly administering injustice, ignoring the Kern Valley Healthcare District witnesses of the truth for their own convenience! These DOJ people violated the trust of their voters to be heard.)
Now is your chance to set the record straight. Let them know what you know.
So, the state AG needs some help. They have suggested calling the enforcement department regarding elder abuse. (I won't get into my last conversation with the state unless I have to. I've told a few of you about it. Pretty sad.)
There are many of you who were there and know the truth. Help the poor AG get this right, so we can move on with the other problems at the hospital.
To report elder abuse or Medi-Cal fraud, call the Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse's hotline at (800) 722-0432.
Scott Gerber or Christine Gasparac (916) 324-5500
Send A Written Complaint By Mail
California Department of Justice Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud Elder Abuse P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
Call the Hotline
Phone Toll-free: (800) 722-0432 Attorney General's Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse
Phone Toll-free: (800) 822-6222 Department of Health Services
http://ag.ca.gov/bmfea/reporting.php or go to this page and file a complaint via email.
Thanks for your help and your stories.
(That is the time frame which was investigated. Right when Gwen Hughes arrives as DON and right after she left)
During these chats I kept hearing the same names over and over.
"We reported it to her and she did nothing."
"She pounded her fists at us during the meetings."
Now it's time to report what you know to the people in Sacramento who are out of touch with what really happened in our little valley. How could they not be, it's evident in their own case.
And let us not forget what Jerry Brown said about our hospital and community:
Brown Announces Arrests of Nursing Home Employees Who Drugged Patients for Staff's Convenience
BAKERSFIELD -Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the arrests of a nurse, physician, and a pharmacist of a nursing home for "forcibly administering" psychotropic medications for their own convenience, rather than for their patients' therapeutic interests, actions that are alleged to have resulted in the deaths of three residents.
"These people maliciously violated the trust of their patients, by holding them down and forcibly administering psychotropic medications if they dared to question their care," Attorney General Brown said. "This is appalling behavior, which amounts to assault with a deadly weapon."
I'm trying to picture the PR folks writing this up. I am assuming Jerry Brown was standing somewhere waving his hands saying this is the worst I've ever, ever, ever, seen. You relied on the investigators information to say the things you are quoted as saying.
The young writer's picked up the message and created that little gem for Mr. Brown to live with. Was it true and correct to state that, I am sure it can be proven to be in error. You called them, "these people?" Okay.
We are the ones who know what happened. The evidence has built to such a degree that the mistakes of the DOJ case are self evident.
They have hostile witnesses from the hospital and seem to be basing their whole case on paperwork. Oh my, Dr. Locatell, the state expert, will give her version of the case based on possibly reliable, and most likely unreliable notations.
I know some people said they tried to talk to the investigators and tell them what was going on, but they weren't heard. So, it was not just us, but a deaf and dumb goverment entity that was immune to the warnings of employees, that helped lead to some bad situations.
(It's the worst I've ever seen, these government people; forcibly administering injustice, ignoring the Kern Valley Healthcare District witnesses of the truth for their own convenience! These DOJ people violated the trust of their voters to be heard.)
Now is your chance to set the record straight. Let them know what you know.
So, the state AG needs some help. They have suggested calling the enforcement department regarding elder abuse. (I won't get into my last conversation with the state unless I have to. I've told a few of you about it. Pretty sad.)
There are many of you who were there and know the truth. Help the poor AG get this right, so we can move on with the other problems at the hospital.
To report elder abuse or Medi-Cal fraud, call the Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse's hotline at (800) 722-0432.
Scott Gerber or Christine Gasparac (916) 324-5500
Send A Written Complaint By Mail
California Department of Justice Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud Elder Abuse P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
Call the Hotline
Phone Toll-free: (800) 722-0432 Attorney General's Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse
Phone Toll-free: (800) 822-6222 Department of Health Services
http://ag.ca.gov/bmfea/reporting.php or go to this page and file a complaint via email.
Thanks for your help and your stories.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Association of California Healthcare Districts honors Pam Ott, ouch!
Oh, those subtle undercurrents that nobody notices and let's pass for an ordinary moment.At the last KVHD board meeting, 3/04/09, there was some discussion about going to legislative day in Sacramento, put on by the Association of California Healthcare Districts, ACHD. http://www.achd.org/
ACHD
As the leading healthcare association in California devoted to the success of Health Care Districts, ACHD is recognized for leadership and innovation in the following areas:
Legislative advocacy on issues crucial to the survival and success of Health Care Districts
Quality trustee education that focuses on
the specific governance and policy-making challenges of District stewardship
Political skill-building that creates and enhances collaborative relationships among legislators, Health Care Districts and community organizations
Health Care District specific programs on regulatory analysis and implementation, public law advice and counsel, executive recruitment, strategic assessment and information sharing
The chairwoman, Kay Knight, suggested that it might be nice if staff were included and could attend this annual function.
Suddenly, Treasurer, Brad Armstrong, began some discussion about the costs of such an idea. He claimed the costs could be in the "tens of thousands of dollars."
It even caught the attention of a writer in the audience, who questioned the costs.
Well, Mr. Armstrongs arguments are now null and void, as the "lady doth protest too much" applies to him.
It's now apparent the reason Mr. Armstrong strongly disagreed with this idea, is that our former CEO is being held up as an example at her new CEO position at Sierra Kings district hospital, and will be there in person at this ACHD event.
Please open link and see the success of Pamela Ott. Yes, she successfully slipped out of our community, while people were indicted and investigated and scapegoated. I'd say that deserves an award or something like that.
https://www.achd.org/Connection/2009/2009%20Issue%201.pdf
Can you imagine this? The meeting with staff who know all about what really happened at KVHD and seeing her in person.
(Maybe we should gather some of the employees she fired to cover her tracks too and take them)
Actually, I think it would be worth the money to get people up there that can seriously talk and possibly get help for this hospital. This organization ACHD, has been around for a long time, while I don't agree with their choice of giving our former CEO credit for her hospital, and not discrediting her for what she did to the KVHD, I do think this in an important year to attend this function.
"The Association of California Healthcare Districts was originally organized in 1951 to foster the success of the Healthcare Districts by providing Trustee education and being an effective legislative advocate."
And especially if one of the participants will be the one who fled this district leaving behind a catastrophe in her wake.
www.skdh.org
UPDATED: Here's your original report Department of Health Services and state board of nursing: lot's of questions about the nursing center
Nursing Home administrator, Tracy Brown, giving her report to the board at the July, KVHD board meeting.
Brown and her company have been managing the nursing facility since 2008. But Brown came in with Sycamore Asset Mgt. in 2007.
Something has come to my attention with documentation to go along with it, so I have many questions and comments to go with it.
I'm going to show you a document signed by two nurses who came to work on the morning shift at the KVHD skilled nursing facility on 11/23/08. (however, the signatures are removed for privacy reasons)
The document indicates they checked the patients and found they were wet: one patient had a rash and another a wound. Alarms were not turned on, were amongst the items they reported.
The CNA's said they turned in this report to the nurses in charge. They both signed and dated it. The say the report never went to Department of Health Services in a timely manner which was deemed "unsubstantiated" in another document by the hospital.
But this report was not investigated, another KVHD document shows, until 2/13/09 and the date shown as the time frame investigated is the not the month shown on the employee document. The employee referred to in the following document is blamed for not telling administrators about the above report until February.
The CNA said the date and information was incorrect in this report.
She refused to sign the document and
filed a grievance with the hospital.
HR manager, Debra Hoffman cites the problem that the proper reporting form was not filled out. And the incident was not followed up by the CNA's
(Click on documents to open and read)
In another document,
dated 2/23/09, the HRmanager, now terminates the employee.
But the report shown here indicates that the allegation of suspected abuse has been "unsubstantiated." That means the hospital investigated and decided there was no neglect.
So, this report was investigated, the document says the RN and LVN who the CNA's insist they gave their report to, were no longer at the district or available for comment.
The HR investigation then indicates the very allegations were unsubstantiated, yet the nurse has been fired for not reporting it properly. It seems by these documents they wanted them to report but then deny their findings.
I need to know from DHS if they received this report signed by two aides in February when the HR manager, CEO, and NHA supposedly found out this information.
New information update: Earlier it was reported that the second CNA who kept her job, for an extra couple of months before she was fired, was asked to and did fill out the SOC reporting form regarding the 11/08 report on Feb. 13, 2009, the day the other CNA was suspended. She believes she filled it out at approximately 7 PM on 2/13/09. So, we are assuming DHS and the hospital have some record of this incident.
Now why would they want her to fill out this form if the hospital's investigation lead to the conclusion that the two nurse's aides claims of neglect, wet beds, skin problems, and a wound were in error.
New information update: Earlier it was reported that the second CNA who kept her job, for an extra couple of months before she was fired, was asked to and did fill out the SOC reporting form regarding the 11/08 report on Feb. 13, 2009, the day the other CNA was suspended. She believes she filled it out at approximately 7 PM on 2/13/09. So, we are assuming DHS and the hospital have some record of this incident.
Now why would they want her to fill out this form if the hospital's investigation lead to the conclusion that the two nurse's aides claims of neglect, wet beds, skin problems, and a wound were in error.
If it was just a KVHD investigation and not reported to DHS for a look, then would the SNF administrator be responsible to turn in this report now? Or was it turned in recently? (see above)
That's an awful big reporting loophole as the hospital is given discretion to investigate themselves, leaving DHS out of the decision process.
Rick Carter in March 20, 2009 report denying the employee re-employment.Carter is quite harsh.
Now the unusual part of all of this, which needs to be answered and quickly, is that the first nurse is fired, then the second nurse signing the report regarding what they found on the morning of November 23, 2008 is fired for something different but after the first CNA.
Now one nurse's license is under investigation with the state board of nursing for not reporting what KVHD called an "unsubstantiated" allegation. This has happened months after the termination and nothing is mentioned by HR or the NHA that this will happen in their documentation.
The nurses license complaint happened June 24,2009, just over a week ago. The complaint emanates out of KVHD, unknown source, just the hospital. I've put in a request for information from the hospital as to why this is happening.
That is now nine months since the incident where patients were left in unacceptable conditions in the SNF and the report was made to the chain of command, according to the employees.
And now a complaint for "not reporting" is made against the CNA's license four months after the employee has been terminated.
The other CNA on the report has been fired and her license is being investigated for something completely different. She is concerned though that by signing the SOC form on 2/13/09 that she may be up for a second complaint by KVHD regarding the matter, even though they asked her to do it. She said she doesn't trust them.
The other CNA on the report has been fired and her license is being investigated for something completely different. She is concerned though that by signing the SOC form on 2/13/09 that she may be up for a second complaint by KVHD regarding the matter, even though they asked her to do it. She said she doesn't trust them.
Her story is that she was asked the very same day 2/13/09 the other employee was fired, to sign off on the DHS report, SOC form, for the incident that the hospital said in its reports never occurred.
One of the CNA's said she has been attending board meetings and maintains that she and the other nurse made the report to their superiors in a timely fashion. She says she will not stop fighting until the record is set straight and she gets her good name back. There were harsh remarks in these reports, but then there was a trivial write up for making a "smart" comment. (I guess I wouldn't last two minutes in the SNF)
Reports have surfaced in the skilled nursing facility of similar incidents, and some are claiming retributive actions. I will follow up.
Since questions have been coming in regarding the contract with the nursing home administrator, since I put it up on the blog, I will be requesting more documentation to answer people's questions. (hopefully information will no longer be blocked from the public)
Department of Health Services where's my paperwork?
I'll follow this post with a look at what we know now about the current administrator of the nursing center, Tracy Brown, and the controversy surrounding her arrival with the former contractor, Sycamore Asset Management.
Brown, who recently resigned her contract as the nursing home administrator, will continue to work until the end of August, as her contract has a 90 day clause.
In discussions with Brown, the SNF administrator said when asked about the $240,000 contract with the hospital, she said she turned down a $750,000 job to stay in the Kern Valley because she cares deeply about the residents.
Brown's contract pays for housing while she is in the area working.
The administrator who is contracted to work 40 or more hours a week, plus being on call for the facility, told me after she resigned she was asked by Board member, Brad Armstrong, and the Administrative assistant, Heidi Sage, why she resigned. Brown said she was surprised by the questions. Hmm.
What was Brad and Heidi's adventure into the SNF business about?
There will definitely be more on this story as there are too many lingering questions... 
Another KVHD personnel policy
shows the Director of Nursing reporting
instances of actual or alleged abuse.
And then in the state
laws shown below are another
set of reporting instructions.
state laws
The Jamsion Scandal: in his words which are many
This didn't start out as an investigation, actually I was quite happy to be somnambulistic, but I woke up, of course in the middle of a nightmare.
The emails I saved over the course of years, were not intentional. If you want the truth, this simply started with sloth. I was too lazy to erase anything. I was and am sick. Then a time came, when this poor habit, would allow a story to be told, but not by me.
This will be lengthy, and much will be edited. But I will say to you now, all information is true and real, and has been and continues to be stored on CD's, DVD's, and other computers. Everything is verifiable. And certainly if certain investigators ever wanted it (not like I didn't offer) they could have it too.
I'm going to begin by saying, after I'm done with this task, I feel I must put up a post about me, I have my own dirt and responsibility, some of which you will see here. I believed in people who even offered totally bogus information and would allow me to quote them on that.
I will begin by answering a recent question coming from the Kern Valley Sun blog. The writer asks what is taking so long with this CEO thing, and how can the CFO not get tired out as both CEO/CFO.
Well, the answer it seems is that Ricky Ricardo, and his pals Fred and Ethel stole the resumes from Lucy, the whole funny game was on, as Ricky wouldn't admit he was leaving back to Cuba, and wanted to still have fun before he left. So, he had friends of Fred, lose some resumes, and Lucy was so confused she couldn't figure out what was going on. It was so funny. Oh Ricky.
Now, let's get down to business here and why the Lucy story matters. I will try to explain as the emails appear so you can follow the story.
In 2006 the hospital came up with the great Measure M obligation plan to add on to the hospital and they used their friends, Aspen Street Architects, to put together a set of plans for their new idea, which was componentized structure.
Nice, except, the plans were faulty and the whole contract with this architectural firm, had already been drawn in 2001, thru former CEO from BRIM (Cal Mtg.)Dave Green, which correspond too closely with the wife of the originator of the Rural Health Design Network.
In the RHDN pamphlet you can see we needed them here. It says they were part of the Tehachapi project! But we paid and are one of them.
But notice the board majority quickly tried to get out of that connection. But Pam Ott did not. She followed them up to Sierra King District Hospital, where they were working. Aspen Street had already started that project and I talked to the construction manager, who was already getting cost overruns. I'm sure the whole hospital is with Ott and her friends there. I wonder if I've been stretching this connection, hmm.
Anyway, we start in 2006 when Rome (the SNF) was burning and Nero was fiddling with the general obligation with me by their side.
I was being allowed to do whatever I wanted to do at the board meetings as long as I was after Bob and Kay Knight. Jamison, Ott, Casas, Beedle and I plotted to make sure the horrible designs of the Knights were never manifested.
The emails I saved over the course of years, were not intentional. If you want the truth, this simply started with sloth. I was too lazy to erase anything. I was and am sick. Then a time came, when this poor habit, would allow a story to be told, but not by me.
This will be lengthy, and much will be edited. But I will say to you now, all information is true and real, and has been and continues to be stored on CD's, DVD's, and other computers. Everything is verifiable. And certainly if certain investigators ever wanted it (not like I didn't offer) they could have it too.
I'm going to begin by saying, after I'm done with this task, I feel I must put up a post about me, I have my own dirt and responsibility, some of which you will see here. I believed in people who even offered totally bogus information and would allow me to quote them on that.
I will begin by answering a recent question coming from the Kern Valley Sun blog. The writer asks what is taking so long with this CEO thing, and how can the CFO not get tired out as both CEO/CFO.
Well, the answer it seems is that Ricky Ricardo, and his pals Fred and Ethel stole the resumes from Lucy, the whole funny game was on, as Ricky wouldn't admit he was leaving back to Cuba, and wanted to still have fun before he left. So, he had friends of Fred, lose some resumes, and Lucy was so confused she couldn't figure out what was going on. It was so funny. Oh Ricky.
Now, let's get down to business here and why the Lucy story matters. I will try to explain as the emails appear so you can follow the story.
In 2006 the hospital came up with the great Measure M obligation plan to add on to the hospital and they used their friends, Aspen Street Architects, to put together a set of plans for their new idea, which was componentized structure.
Nice, except, the plans were faulty and the whole contract with this architectural firm, had already been drawn in 2001, thru former CEO from BRIM (Cal Mtg.)Dave Green, which correspond too closely with the wife of the originator of the Rural Health Design Network.
In the RHDN pamphlet you can see we needed them here. It says they were part of the Tehachapi project! But we paid and are one of them.
But notice the board majority quickly tried to get out of that connection. But Pam Ott did not. She followed them up to Sierra King District Hospital, where they were working. Aspen Street had already started that project and I talked to the construction manager, who was already getting cost overruns. I'm sure the whole hospital is with Ott and her friends there. I wonder if I've been stretching this connection, hmm.
Anyway, we start in 2006 when Rome (the SNF) was burning and Nero was fiddling with the general obligation with me by their side.
I was being allowed to do whatever I wanted to do at the board meetings as long as I was after Bob and Kay Knight. Jamison, Ott, Casas, Beedle and I plotted to make sure the horrible designs of the Knights were never manifested.
Chairman, Brad Armstrong allowed me 20 minutes to go after the Knights, but when the truth fell on top of us, they truncated the public comment to three minutes. Sorry.
Feel free to say whatever you wish to Kay Knight during the public comment period. After giving it additional thought, it would not look good if I played the audio from the meeting for you. You can use the wireless microphone and play it from your own recorder, which by the way, would also serve as further proof that you we're really at the meeting, as the sound would be coming from your recorder.
Also do not let it disturb your consentration if you should suddenly hear me say "Oooooo Cat Fight", or "Houston... we have a problem".
Bob.
(Why was this done? Because Kay Knight won a seat on the board and Measure M, by the grace of god, was defeated.)
We all missed you at the hospital board meeting.
I understand you are having a tough time, and if you need to cancel our lunch for Monday, I certainly understand. We can have lunch another time. Just take your time and recover as much as possible.
If there is anything I can do to help you in any way please let me know. Don’t be afraid to ask, or think I might be offended, you have my word I wont be.
I apologize for my e-mail remark about going postal. I was trying to make you laugh, but at the time I didn’t yet fully understand all the effects of the disease. Sorry if I offended you, I didn’t mean to.
The board meeting was pretty much the same as usual, nothing earth shattering and no smoking guns. Since Barbara Cassas was absent we tabled two contracts, Kern Valley Dispatch and QAB Media, until next month for approval due to lack of a quorum. This was done because I must abstain from voting on these contracts due to appearance of a conflict of interest. The Bohn family owns both company’s, and of course I work for QAB Media.
Well it’s after 10pm and again I haven’t even had a chance to work on tomorrow’s talk show. Hope to talk to you soon.
Bob. 9/7/2006
(Things were so out of control between the "sticky three" board members that they were obviously unafraid to just say they were manipulating the board, Brown act violations. They had total control and they have created total destruction)
Hi Laura,
Just setting here, minus the fish, thinking of you.
We received Dr. Grosses version of what he wants in a lease agreement for his building. It is quite different than what the District offered, and the Healthcare District's attorney will have to review it and make recommendations. Untill an agreement acceptable to both parties is reached, the District will continue to operate as usual, accept that it apprears Dr. Gross has hired a couple employees away from the District for his own practice. I'm certain they will do a good job for him, and the District wishes them all success with their new employer.
Valley residents, who are not at home during the day, are finding a message from me on their answering machines, encouraging them to vote YES on Measure M. Also, a letter from me has been mailed to conservative voters who still appear to be in the undecided column. Hopefully these will help insure Measure M's passage.
Well, I've got to grab a bite to eat, then get some sleep. I might need it just in case someone wants to go fishing. Goodnight !
Bob
Hi Laura,
Firstly, everything the District has done has been divulged in meetings open to the public.
Prior to construction, the Healthcare District gave Dr. Gross a "letter of intent", which is not a contract, but a document specifying the Heathcare Districts requirements which his building would have to meet before an actual lease contract could be intered into.
At present, the Dr. Gross building does not meet several requirements stated in the Healthcare District's letter of intent. A contract, based upon what portion of his building the Healtcare District can legally use, was deliverd to Dr. Gross several weeks ago. As of the last Finance Committee meeting I have yet to see a contract signed by Dr. Gross, which I assume means the contract is considered to still be under negotiation.
If, and when, a lease contract is signed between Dr's Gross and the District, the contract will then become public record as required by law. I know of nothing about measure M that would have any effect on such a contract.
There is one Board Member who appears upset that the Distrct has not agreed to rent a larger portion of the Dr. Gross building, even though much of it would not be usable by the Healthcare District. I have no idea if the Board Members wife, who is currently runing for the board, feels the same way, but irregardless, to do so would be an illegal gift of public funds.
Okay.... What other sneeky underhanded nonsense is some political hack accusing us of ?
Bob
Hi Laura,
Am leaving Sunday for Florida, not Saturday as originally planned. Saves some money.
I was a little supprised you didn't comment on info about Dr. Gross's new building, then again I remember you did say once something about your having a lot of respect for them, or perhaps it was someone in their group of friends? Either way don't be concerned about it, the Healthcare District is prepaired to deal with whatever course they choose.
How is your weekend going? I spent today taking care of final details for the trip, packing and stuff. Next stop Florida... 82 degrees, afternoon rain, cocktails on a white sandy beach, a long nap and absolutely no politics. Oh crap, I forgot, Florida voters have a tendency to riot if the chads hang. Guess I better take extra ammo, just in case.
I think I will put a blow-up of your fishing picture at the entrance to one of Florida's voting precinct's with a sign on it that reads "You Can Help Stop The Attack On Our Environment. Vote To Protect The Endangered Mouse Head Tube Fish". So... What do ya think? Hey, you did say I should do something bold ! Oh well, got to get back to packing. Talk to you latter.
Bob
(Mr. Jamison, was part of the group (the sticky three, Pam Ott, Chet Beedle and friends) trying to get out of original agreements with the Sienna Wellness clinic. I won't go into all the facts, but lawyers were involved and the sides began to split apart at the hospital. There was no more, gee, we're all friends of Measure M and the hospital; the ground began to shake.)
(This next email is revealing. This is where the employees came to the board. Names are used because they are in the records. Records that any investigator from DHS or the state or the county, could see if they were in tune with the actual job they are supposed to be doing.)
Hi Laura,
When Randy Fieber spoke at the board meeting, I thought I heard him say something like [ I want to clear up any misunderstanding, will I be fired for coming to the board with employee concerns ? ] I dont recall his exact words, but it may be available if a tape of the meeting still exists. You can check with Pam or Windy on the recording. Brad's response was "Absolutely Not".
Fieber was the spokesperson for a small group of employees who indicated they felt the hospital was not meeting the higher nurse to patient ratio's mandated earlier this year by the state, and indicated they felt a large number of employees ( 30 ) had reciently left the District to work somewhere else.
A little background info... many hospitals have been having difficulty meeting the mandated nurse to patient ratios due to the nation wide shortage of nurses. The tighter ratios were instituted when the nurses union started claiming that it was an issue of patient safety, which the politicians in Sacremento never questioned. In reality, it was a way to force hospitals to hire nurses to do the job of others who make beds, empty bed pans etc. All it really did was to raise the cost of healthcare, with no benefit to patients. That's my take on it.
Chet Beddle, through the Personnel & Policy Committee, investigated the employees claims and reported the following at a latter P&P Committee meeting. The issues with the 30 employees Randy Fieber talked about actually occured over approimately 2 1/2 years and included employees who were out on sick leave, and have returned, as well as others who still are working for the District. From a historical perspective, the report showed that the turnover ratio at Kern Valley Healthcare District, for all employee classes, is lower than both the State and National averages fot the healthcare industry.
As to nurse to patient ratios, Chet's report indicated, not a nurse to patient ratio, but a low productivity issue in one department which was making work for others more difficult.
In the other department of employees concern, the report indicated that the Districts current policy unnecessarily exceeds the required nurse to patient ratios.
Some employees have formed a committee of their own to deal with their various concerns with management. If the employees had followed the Districts "Open Door" Policy, and obtained accurate information, none of this would have happened. But... I guess when your goal is to replace the management team, there isn't much chance of that happening unless you can convience your followers that management is doing something very bad.
As to Knight being elected to the Board... Well lets just say he had a lot of help, especially from those he hired and gave very sizable salary increases, while he was CEO. The list includes some people you like, who at the time were warned that it was unethical for a District employee to campaign for a candidate for the Board. She ignored the warning and got him elected anyway. I know "she is such a wonderful person", and no one would dare talk against her publicly. Hell, some people will praise a man who hired them in a position that they were totally unqualified for, and gave them an executive grade salary to go with it?
The list of people who own him favors is long, but not nearly as long as the list of District employees who once worked even without pay to save the District while Knight was trying to force it into bankruptsy. The latter are the true hero's of the District, and I doubt you will ever know the idenity of any of them.
When Cal Mortage required the Board to get rid of Knight there was, according to someone on the Board at that time, what might be called a thinly vailed threat of a lawsuit by Mr. Knight, which resulted in a severance amount to encourage him to just go away. I dont think the Board at that time used an attorney, otherwise the language of the severance package might have included "and stay away".
Since Knight has been on the Board he has been a continuous source of irritation to many hospital employees and executives. He has on a regular basis interupted employees work to feed them mis-information in an attempt undermine management. He has repeatedly tried to force the District to pay unauthorized expences for Mrs. Knight for distant meetings.
His behavior during his six years on the Board has on several occations provocked public rebukes during Board Meetings from three other Board Members, including Barbara Casses, Joann Jones and myself. Twice, the Board has voted for Resolutions, specifically related to his behavior and unauthorized actions in defiance of District policy.
Knight personally told me, after getting our pictures taken for the hospital lobby, that he thought he should still be the CEO. Mrs. Knight told me her husband was robbed of his retirement. At that time Dave Green was the CEO.
Thats all I can think of at the moment. You should be able to varify most of this stuff through Pam or Chet. Your doing a great job. Good Luck.
Bob.
(We were apparently more worried about the bond, and landing that, then what was happening in the hospital. It was all right there. The hospital does not stand without the skilled nursing facility: no SNF, no hospital: you need to get that. But apparrently getting some new depreciation and a whole new wing, at the expense of the taxpayer, and for the benefit of collateral to Cal Mtg., but with no real chance for success, they pushed at it. As did I.)
(In our struggle to stamp down Bob Knight so he wouldn't "ruin" Measure M's chances with his talk about about retrofitting the acute care and saving money. Hell, the retrofit could have been done years ago for a pittance, Bob Knight had already done the leg work. But what would retrofitting do for Cal Mtg.? They could be out of trouble totally now with the seismic if they had upgraded in 1999. So, talk to the hand, we don't want to hear about your excuse Mr. Jamison about how we are in dire straights. We are in dire straights because of bad decision making. Thanks.)
(In an effort to help the cause, I asked Jamison to let me go on the radio with Bob Knight in a debate about the hospital and the bond. Though, I was trying to get a job with Jamison on the radio, he and the group, Pam, all turned down the idea of my talking to Mr. Knight on the radio. Gee, what did they have to fear? They had fed me all the information, but were not willing to let me use it against Mr. Knight?)
Hi Laura,
I appreciate what you are trying to do, and after considering the pros and cons, I think it would be a mistake to give Mr. Knight a private forum on the talk show to spew his garbage, again with no opportunity for the District to dispute his claims. Keep in mind, if you were to become confrontational with him, you would automatically loose any claim of reporter impartiality and would appear biased against him, which in turn would likely put an end to future articles in the paper written by you.
I have no doubt that you could easily outwit him in a war of words, but he diffinately would have the upper hand in creating imaginary financial information on the fly that would be impossible to refute without extensive knowledge of the Districts long term finances. Yes its all public information, but there isn't enough time to research each of his claims while on air.
Sorry Laura, its just too risky. I think if you can just keep up what your doing, your service to the community and the Healthcare District can not be questioned. I can assure you that the majority is much appreciative of your efforts. Thanks,
Bob.
(Well, as we have learned the universe is far more intelligent than the members of the conspiracy league at KVHD, as Measure M, failed. Jamison was not happy and nor was I. But I had warned Pam Ott and the others, that the problem was inside the hospital, the employees were not supporting the bond. Gee, they didn't know what to do or why that might be. And then employees starting talking to me. Oh no. So, what to do?: get together and try to attack these employees. They did and I almost wrote and fought over three articles on these disgruntled employees. They were also paranoid about Kay Knight winning a seat and had me trying to figure out if they were "stacking the board." My god these guys didn't want to lose any power. I was calling anyone who might know Knight. But that's why Brad Armstrong ran again. They could not take the chance of losing quorum. Gee, if they did it could have caused someone to maybe look at the problems in nursing facility. So, Armstrong stayed on and Ott tried to get Dave Freeland, to run with Armstrong to ensure the board would not be without its votes. But friend and former board member, JoAnne Jones, had her husband run too. He and Jamison did a blog together, coming up later. But the said conclusion to the election began a new round of powder being fired. Now it was going to get dirtier.)
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Jamison
To: Laura Hart
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 8:39 AM
Subject: Re: too early when called
Morning Laura,
Okay, heres your quote.
The appearent loss of Measure "M" will likely have a profound effect on the future of healthcare in the Kern River Valley, however the effects will not be immediately appearent. My personal thoughts this morning are with those who worked so hard on Measure "M".
I especially want to thank the Healthcare District's CEO Pam Ott and the entire Executive team for their effective leadership which allowed Kern Valley Healthcare District to make a truely triumphant financial comback over the last few years.
My heart felt thanks to everyone who understood the importance of the earthquake issue, and my condolences to those who did not know that a skism was far preferable to a train wreck.
Bob Jamison,
Board Secretary
Hi Laura,
Nice talking to you just now. Actually I was feeling in somewhat of a sexual mood, that is until you started talking about Nancy Pelosi. Now all I want to do is up-chuck my dinner. You sure know how get a guy's mind off something more pleasant. Is that an aquired trait, or does it come naturally? Later,
Bob
Hi Laura,
Got your message. How about getting another quote to add to your story? I've heard that one or more members of the Foundation were critical of the Knight's behavior during the campaign. Not sure if they were refering to Kay Knight's campaign to get elected to the Board, or the campaign for Measure M, but a quote from the Foundation may be interesting.
It would also be "very interesting" if the Foundation either denyed it, or refused to comment. If the information is true, would that then mean the Foundation is involved with the Knight's in a conspiracy to gain control of the Healthcare District? Remember, the Knight's are both members of the Foundation and have many close friends and supporters in the group.
Another thing you may not be aware of, the Foundation has in the past battled with the Hospital and the Board over what the funds they raise are spent on, and have been very nasty on occation.
I see the possibility for conflicts of interest in a variety of places. But hey, thats just me.
Wow, am I suffering from jet lag. Hear it is 7pm and I can hardly keep my eyes open. This morning I popped awake around 3:30am, and let me tell you, TV truely sucks at 3am. If I ever have to watch another Infomercial, I'm gonna hurle. Hell, I thought most of those people had died a long time ago. Some of them look like they are dead. Just how old is Pat Boone anyway? I recorded him back in 1984, and back then he was just one huge wrinkle.
I got to lay down. Talk to you later.
Bob
Hi Laura,
I just returned home from the Medical Quality meeting at the hospital. It's 8:45pm and the hospital is abuzz, wondering what will be in tomorrows newspaper article. A small number of the staff seem to be completely oblivious to what is happening, while others seem to have a sense of an impending blood bath.
This is like waiting to watch Goliath eat David, only to find out that David has a taser gun hidden in his loin cloth. I asked Marsha this afternoon if she wanted to tell me who I should keep an eye on tomorrow, she instead admitted that wearing a flack jacket might be appropriate. I wonder if a Kamono would work? Have a nice evening.
Bob
(When my articles did not get in the paper, the tactics changed. Jamison told me to discuss the executive meeting with the Knights on tape and that he could use this to get them sharing private information. The Knights are open and actual "straightforward" people and I went to their camp and interviewed them. Jamison wanted specific information as did Ott and the group. I sent the recording to him and he got real excited. I felt like crap, Judas, and went crying to a person who is the real heart of the valley. She told me to follow my conscience. Well my conscience was consuming me. Something was really wrong.)
(“The sting)
Thanks Laura,
Ive already downloaded the codec for your recorder, and am listening to the first one. Can you tell me when each of these were recorded?
Bob.
Laura Hart
There isn't much in this section of the interview, but it is interesting to listen to.
Thanks, I will listen to the other two when I get home after dinner. Have a great weekend.
Bob
Laura Hart
Bob, all three recordings were from the same interview on the same day 11/11/06. Laura
(try not to hold any of this against me as you listen)
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Jamison
To: Laura Hart
Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: final piece
Thanks Laura,
Ive already downloaded the codec for your recorder, and am listening to the first one. Can you tell me when each of these were recorded?
Bob.
Hi Laura,
A couple inital thoughts, first Bob Knight may try to say that, since Kay had been elected, he chose to share information with her, noting in the recording that he received the info via e-mail from Pam. If its an actual copy of a lease, without indications of being part of an e-mail, then the one who handed it to you, or perhaps both, could have a legal problem.
In the recording I did hear clear indication that Kay has had access to, as well as knowledge of, information not qualifying for public disclosure, prior to the election. She also made it clear, in spite of all the Brown Act discussion, that they have been, and will continue to work as a team.
The comments about Pam & Sharon Brucker calling nurses F-ing bitches, I find very disturbing. Not sure what to make of it, but it deffinately must be looked into. I will let you know what comes of it.
As for what you are most interested in hearing from me about, Well.... As to the issue of your cozying up to them to get information, thats what reporter's do. Anyone who doen't know that shouldn't be talking to the media... ever. Laura, I am concerned that it is very appearent that you are leading Kay in her responce to your questions.
I often hear people talk about how well she answers questions, only problem is, there not always her answers, sometimes they come from her husband, but also sometimes from you. I heard you actually told her what not to say. I know she needs a little help, but the thoughts as well as the words should be hers, not yours.
Perhaps, rather than giving her ideas of what to say, you could give her more time to collect her own thoughts. I know that makes it more difficult for you, especially when your up against a deadline. Just a thought, Okay, I'm not trying to tell you how to do your job.
Thats all I can say so far, but I havn't yet lestened to the last section of the recording. Perhaps I can finish it tomorrow. By the way, if you want a copy of the Sony codec file that allows your computer to play the recordings through Windows Media Player, let me know and I will e-mail you a copy. Goodnight & Happy writing.
Bob.
(This will take a few posts to reveal, but then we move on to the others involved.
UP NEXT: Job at QAB; Paranoia; the SNF lies; Jamison goes to war with me.)
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Jamison
To: Laura Hart
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 7:57 PM
Subject: Re: tape of board meeting...
Hi Laura,
I listened to the portion of the tape, remember it well. Haven't seen kays letter, was it a letter to editor? Cathy Perfect asked me in passing one time if I saw you there? I told her that you must have been, because the quotes in the newspaper story were accurate.
I need to see the letter she wrote in order to tie it together accurately. Parts of the exchange are barely audible, but if you have something I can present in writing, then ask if she would like me to play back a recording of that portion of the board meeting, that may be all that is necessary to bring back her memory. It's always better if she herself admits to altering the facts.
Place your recorder on the table in front of Brad Thursday night. It may not go down easy, but it should be the final death nell for rectal-fit. (this was the derogatory term for Robert Knights retrofit of the hospital which would have brought the seismic up and given the hospital time to get out of from under the tires of Cal Mtg.)
By the way, the tatooed lady, is the first time I honestly completely failed to recognize a vagina. Bet there we're a few orgasm's associated with that tatoo job.
Can't send it, eyes only. Call me.
Bob.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Okay, Donny Fong, Jerry Brown, I'm sending you the information, but with some hesitation
"Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere," Martin Luther King Jr.
As I'm sitting here, paperwork scattered all around me, digging through the past to turn this information over to the Department of Justice for their potential "real" investigation, including our old Diva, or CEO, Pam Ott, I cannot help but be bothered by certain things.
Oh, those things which don't add up, niggle at me, until I can hardly sleep.
Like these documents which clearly show that Pam Ott, the hospital board, the board's counsel, the CNO, the staff, all mandated reporters, knew about the problems, which included serious short staffing, and mismanagement.
A mandated reporter is anyone who knows or even just suspects there might be elder abuse. Similar to a good samaritan. You don't have to be a nurse or doctor, you could be a visitor, a maintenance person, a dietitian, a secretary, an accountant, but you have to notify someone if you think there is a problem.
My question to the state is if you took three why didn't you take everyone based on the elder abuse mandated reporting laws?
Or were the investigators fooled and easily manipulated like the rest of us into believing the leadership on the board and administration, human resources, were just "victims?"
And I'm wondering why the state's current case is so limited in its scope, and so out of touch with what really happened to cause the system failure in the KVHD skilled nursing facility?
It couldn't be simply the use of psychotropic drugs, as they are legal, prescribed and administered everyday in nursing homes across the country.
And when I say system failure that goes up the ladder doesn't it. You can't tell me there aren't pages full of penal codes that could've been used to punish the real problems at the top.
But it would take effort and money. It's a long story we have at KVHD, but once understood, it could be clarified in court.
It's not impossible. We know there are many laws supporting cases like this including the "whistle blower" act which I believe was enacted in response to the Enron scandal. What is peculiar to Enron is that the problem was at the top.
Enron wasn't the only paper shredding, employee bullying, justice obstructing organization, (KVHD) and hence laws were written to deal with that type of situation.
Employees of this hospital work for the biggest employer in the valley, and that should have been factored into this case, because it shows reasons for the actions and inactions of some of the staff.
Justice is just a word, the action behind that ideal is what counts. Calling what we have seen here at KVHD justice, would be like me calling Pam Ott's leadership, healthcare reform.
Elder abuse may have been a result of mismanagement, but it happened because the hospital let it happen. In fact they refused to stop the insanity and they were aided and abetted by big brother.
Let me tell you when the "sticky three" board members, (Brad Armstrong, Bob Jamison, and Barbara Casas) the CEO, CFO and others who knew the situation at the nursing facility, and for that matter, in the hospital in general, were let "off the hook" they thought they were impervious.
The DOJ, the Department of Health Services, the Kern County District Attorney's office, actually gave the criminal element at KVHD the confidence to freely short staff, allow an old system and old guard to remain in power, and then watch as leadership stepped down and ran out of town, untouched.
Yet the three people blamed, indicted, are gone, and the problems continued. Why? An inadequate investigation maybe?
Just three months ago, before a recent change in management, I walked in to the nursing center one day to find the staffing sheet not filled out and was told the SNF survey was not "ready" to be looked at by the public.
The hospital has spent almost three million dollars on the nursing facility consultants and temporary staff since the meltdown in 2007, yet the basics were not covered.
And in my opinion, there was no oversite of these administrators, no oversite of the money on the contracts, no oversight of personnel and policies, staffing, and a general attitude that if we close our eyes it will go away. As long as there were no reports from DHS, then it was considered good.
As a self reporting facility, the hospital adminstrator is required by law to report to the state any problems. I guess if you don't report it, then there are none. (Yeah.)
Complaints were recently revealed at our August board meeting regarding the use of "pink ladies" (not the drink) in the skilled nursing facility.
It was said that these volunteers spoke with Tracy Brown, the former nursing home administrator, and another former CEO, Rick Carter. They said they were not heard and nothing was done about their concerns.
It's a year later and finally these people spoke up. I think it is because they are beginning to believe things can change if you continue to do the right things, speak out, and not play small town, I'm a big fish, politics.
The DOJ has another chance to do something that they may not even know they can do, and that is to correct the situation, for all of us.
I know Mr. Fong's career is not going to be made here in the Kern River Valley, so I don't imagine he has too many sleepless nights over the dung trap of deception which occurred here. But his decisions regarding this case, will certainly make or break the careers of others. And they will either help or hinder this valley and its ability to get decent healthcare.
I need to know if the state Attorney General, Edmund G. Brown Jr., and investigator, Donny Fong, really want the truth or do they want to wrap this up and run off, forgetting all about us?
I'm concerned about the conspiracy charge against the Pharmacist, Debbi Hayes. I can't believe it's simply a coincidence that the upcoming preliminary hearing next week didn't have something to do with the new charge, and the new investigation of Pam Ott.
And again, conspiracy meaning more than one person, makes me wonder what the state is up to.
I truly want to send these documents to Mr. Fong, but I hesitate, wondering if they will not try to use this information in some other manner rather than in context to what has happened.
The state's case is really based on paperwork and Dr. Locatell an expert witness. The state's witnesses have already told me they will be hostile in court. Their own witnesses didn't believe in the investigation. That is a strong message.
But what is also of interest is that Pam Ott is a witness in the case. Which again makes me wonder about motivations here.
And the CNA (Certified Nurses Aide) I interviewed at least five times, told me the story of the day she showed up to work at the SNF in January of 2007. (The DOJ never interviewed her or so many others)
"All the nurses were crying, throwing away bottles of medicine in the trash. They were tearing down the care plans in the patients rooms, in the closets, which were outdated anyway...some people had died but the plans were never changed."
The state is basing a lot of information on paperwork. That should be "noted."
It's a quandry for me right now whether to send or not to send to the state. I'm wondering if these documents are better for the defense.
I'm questioning if the state's sudden interest in people other than the three they have charged, has to do with bolstering their own version of events, as errant as they are.
Really, its sad that I have to even question whether or not to send this to the state, whether I can trust the courts, the investigators, the attorney general.
But I am going to pray that there is integrity left in someone, and that this information will be used for that higher purpose. I really have no other choice except to trust.
Okay, Mr. Fong, if you haven't seen this document I'm sending then you never should have filed the charges that are existing against our doctor and pharmacist.
And if you have seen it, then we have even bigger problems than I thought. Let's hope for the best...
As I'm sitting here, paperwork scattered all around me, digging through the past to turn this information over to the Department of Justice for their potential "real" investigation, including our old Diva, or CEO, Pam Ott, I cannot help but be bothered by certain things.
Oh, those things which don't add up, niggle at me, until I can hardly sleep.
Like these documents which clearly show that Pam Ott, the hospital board, the board's counsel, the CNO, the staff, all mandated reporters, knew about the problems, which included serious short staffing, and mismanagement.
A mandated reporter is anyone who knows or even just suspects there might be elder abuse. Similar to a good samaritan. You don't have to be a nurse or doctor, you could be a visitor, a maintenance person, a dietitian, a secretary, an accountant, but you have to notify someone if you think there is a problem.
My question to the state is if you took three why didn't you take everyone based on the elder abuse mandated reporting laws?
Or were the investigators fooled and easily manipulated like the rest of us into believing the leadership on the board and administration, human resources, were just "victims?"
And I'm wondering why the state's current case is so limited in its scope, and so out of touch with what really happened to cause the system failure in the KVHD skilled nursing facility?
It couldn't be simply the use of psychotropic drugs, as they are legal, prescribed and administered everyday in nursing homes across the country.
And when I say system failure that goes up the ladder doesn't it. You can't tell me there aren't pages full of penal codes that could've been used to punish the real problems at the top.
But it would take effort and money. It's a long story we have at KVHD, but once understood, it could be clarified in court.
It's not impossible. We know there are many laws supporting cases like this including the "whistle blower" act which I believe was enacted in response to the Enron scandal. What is peculiar to Enron is that the problem was at the top.
Enron wasn't the only paper shredding, employee bullying, justice obstructing organization, (KVHD) and hence laws were written to deal with that type of situation.
Employees of this hospital work for the biggest employer in the valley, and that should have been factored into this case, because it shows reasons for the actions and inactions of some of the staff.
Justice is just a word, the action behind that ideal is what counts. Calling what we have seen here at KVHD justice, would be like me calling Pam Ott's leadership, healthcare reform.
Elder abuse may have been a result of mismanagement, but it happened because the hospital let it happen. In fact they refused to stop the insanity and they were aided and abetted by big brother.
Let me tell you when the "sticky three" board members, (Brad Armstrong, Bob Jamison, and Barbara Casas) the CEO, CFO and others who knew the situation at the nursing facility, and for that matter, in the hospital in general, were let "off the hook" they thought they were impervious.
The DOJ, the Department of Health Services, the Kern County District Attorney's office, actually gave the criminal element at KVHD the confidence to freely short staff, allow an old system and old guard to remain in power, and then watch as leadership stepped down and ran out of town, untouched.
Yet the three people blamed, indicted, are gone, and the problems continued. Why? An inadequate investigation maybe?
Just three months ago, before a recent change in management, I walked in to the nursing center one day to find the staffing sheet not filled out and was told the SNF survey was not "ready" to be looked at by the public.
The hospital has spent almost three million dollars on the nursing facility consultants and temporary staff since the meltdown in 2007, yet the basics were not covered.
And in my opinion, there was no oversite of these administrators, no oversite of the money on the contracts, no oversight of personnel and policies, staffing, and a general attitude that if we close our eyes it will go away. As long as there were no reports from DHS, then it was considered good.
As a self reporting facility, the hospital adminstrator is required by law to report to the state any problems. I guess if you don't report it, then there are none. (Yeah.)
Complaints were recently revealed at our August board meeting regarding the use of "pink ladies" (not the drink) in the skilled nursing facility.
It was said that these volunteers spoke with Tracy Brown, the former nursing home administrator, and another former CEO, Rick Carter. They said they were not heard and nothing was done about their concerns.
It's a year later and finally these people spoke up. I think it is because they are beginning to believe things can change if you continue to do the right things, speak out, and not play small town, I'm a big fish, politics.
The DOJ has another chance to do something that they may not even know they can do, and that is to correct the situation, for all of us.
I know Mr. Fong's career is not going to be made here in the Kern River Valley, so I don't imagine he has too many sleepless nights over the dung trap of deception which occurred here. But his decisions regarding this case, will certainly make or break the careers of others. And they will either help or hinder this valley and its ability to get decent healthcare.
I need to know if the state Attorney General, Edmund G. Brown Jr., and investigator, Donny Fong, really want the truth or do they want to wrap this up and run off, forgetting all about us?
I'm concerned about the conspiracy charge against the Pharmacist, Debbi Hayes. I can't believe it's simply a coincidence that the upcoming preliminary hearing next week didn't have something to do with the new charge, and the new investigation of Pam Ott.
And again, conspiracy meaning more than one person, makes me wonder what the state is up to.
I truly want to send these documents to Mr. Fong, but I hesitate, wondering if they will not try to use this information in some other manner rather than in context to what has happened.
The state's case is really based on paperwork and Dr. Locatell an expert witness. The state's witnesses have already told me they will be hostile in court. Their own witnesses didn't believe in the investigation. That is a strong message.
But what is also of interest is that Pam Ott is a witness in the case. Which again makes me wonder about motivations here.
And the CNA (Certified Nurses Aide) I interviewed at least five times, told me the story of the day she showed up to work at the SNF in January of 2007. (The DOJ never interviewed her or so many others)
"All the nurses were crying, throwing away bottles of medicine in the trash. They were tearing down the care plans in the patients rooms, in the closets, which were outdated anyway...some people had died but the plans were never changed."
The state is basing a lot of information on paperwork. That should be "noted."
It's a quandry for me right now whether to send or not to send to the state. I'm wondering if these documents are better for the defense.
I'm questioning if the state's sudden interest in people other than the three they have charged, has to do with bolstering their own version of events, as errant as they are.
Really, its sad that I have to even question whether or not to send this to the state, whether I can trust the courts, the investigators, the attorney general.
But I am going to pray that there is integrity left in someone, and that this information will be used for that higher purpose. I really have no other choice except to trust.
Okay, Mr. Fong, if you haven't seen this document I'm sending then you never should have filed the charges that are existing against our doctor and pharmacist.
And if you have seen it, then we have even bigger problems than I thought. Let's hope for the best...
The disaster, the crimes, when does it end?
Bradley Armstrong, current Treasurer of the Kern Valley Healthcare District, sits in front of his computer deflecting all scrutiny of his activities within the district for more than 20 years. Brown Act violations, conflict of interest issues, bullying, and ignoring serious problems highlight his stay on the board of directors.
They worked together hiding their activities from the public, the employees, and other board members, and created the biggest disaster in the history of the Kern Valley healthcare district when idictments came down from the state Attorney General's office for elder abuse earlier this year.
The charges, stemming from an investigation during the time period between August 2006 and January 2007, were only against a long time doctor and pharmacist, and a director of nursing, who was hired and left during the same time frame. Others got away with their part in the downfall of the skilled nursing facility; and some are still here...
Bob Jamison, 2nd vice chair, still with the board of directors, spent much of his time at his radio job with QAB media protecting the truth about mismanagement and the rest of the time attacking employees along with anyone who questioned the former CEO, Pam Ott. Jamison was one of three board members, a quorum, who ran the hospital into the ground. 
Jamison blogged on the QAB media, an ABC affiliate station, website creating a media war as the three board members and administrators were being scrutinized while investigators were roaming the nursing facility at the hospital. When CEO, Pam Ott, stepped down, May 2007, during the impending disaster, Jamison further aggravated the situation, by bringing Ott on the radio and allowing her an hour to defend and blame others for the problems.
The board of directors was lopsided, as Bradley Armstrong, Bob Jamison, and former member, Barabra Casas defied all laws surroung legislative bodies, the Brown Act, putting votes aside when one of the members was absent, thus losing their private quorum. They even went to the extent of canceling a meeting in April 2007 when the questions started coming about what the problems were with the hospital nursing facility.
Email from Barbara Casas RE: April 2007 meeting: Bob Jamison was elected to the office of First Vice President, which was his desire, so he could Chair Board Meetings if Brad had to be absent. Bob Jamison chose to not have the Board Meeting on Thursday as he was afraid that everything would be a 2 to 2 vote without a third positive vote from Brad who is Chair, and the third person to vote for anything positive.
....….Know this—If I was acting as First VP or Chair, I would have carried out meeting on schedule, I would have only tabled the action mentioned before the meeting—that could have been accomplished by a telephone vote of all Board Members—I would have chosen to go ahead and let them make fools of themselves, but then, that is me, and I “charge ahead”-----that is what I would have done!
Pamela Ott, former KVHD CEO, from 2003 until her resignation in 2007. Ott shown here at the South Fork Woman's Club attempting to get the organization to back a general obligation bond for 12.5 million to build a new wing on hospital. The bond was lost, but the building plans were never feasible anyway.
The former CEO spent most of 2006 dealing with the Department of Health Services as the Skilled Nursing facility was fined for noncompliance regarding physical restraints of residents. DHS requested that there be a full time Director of Nursing in the SNF, and though Ott, and then CNO, Sharon Brucker, stated compliance when they brought on a DON in March 2006, she lasted only a few weeks.
2006 documents
regarding the use of physical restraints. Ott, an RN, had little knowledge of long term care laws.
But as the district was trying to push its general obligation bond, Measure M, onto the November 2006 ballot, a new employee arrived who took over the skilled nursing facility as the director of nursing, Gwen Hughes.
Ott glowed about the acquisition of such a qualified manager, and reported in her September 2006 CEO board report that things were going well. At the time employees had already begun to make rumblings that trouble was in the SNF and the hospital. But Ott insisted things were "wonderful."
"Nursing Center Update: Things are going very well in the nursing center. We admitted six new residents in one week. The total census is 72. Our new director of Nursing, Gwen Hughes, is organizing, making appropriate changes, adjusting to her role and the staff really seem to be enjoying her leadership."
Then in Oct. 2006, employees came to a board meeting to let the directors and management that there were serious problems with staffing. Chairman, Bradley Armstrong instructed the speaker to go up the proper chain of command. Rather than see the situation as an alert that problems were afoot, Armstrong, reprimanded the employees.
Suddenly, in November 2006, a month later, the problem was investigated and resolved. All assertions made by the employees, the report says were not substantiated. A committee was formed to appease the group.
both of the employees who were in charge of the recruitment and retention committee are no longer employed with the hospital. One nurse was called "one of the best" by doctors and fellow staff.
By April 2007, then board Chairman, Bradley Armstrong, began refusing to answer questions regarding the skilled nursing facility or any short staffing suggestions.
That was the month he had to have the board meeting cancelled because he couldn't attend, suddenly. The meeting went April 16.
Brad Armstrong backed Pam Ott, as no questions were asked of her in a public forum, questions were deflected, and no accountability was offered.
Armstrong also strongly backed the architectural firm, Aspen Street Architects, the company owned by David Yarborough, as the hospital was working with Rural Health Design Network, owned by wife, Kathy Yarborough.
The plans produced for the concept modular building tied to Measure M, were faulty, yet because the district had a long relationship Aspen Street, already paying much money over the course of several years.
When the project went up for bid in March of 2007, (by law, projects costing more than 25K have to go up for bid) Armstrong, Jamison and Casas all voted for Aspen Street.
The other two board members, Robert and Kathryn Knight, picked another company after doing research and finding out about the cost overruns Aspen Street had been having on their other projects.
Barbara Casas said she wanted to go with Aspen Street after working with them for five years. Even after the renderings were made for the previous GOB, and they were faulty at a partial cost of $5000.
Chairman Armstrong only researched two of the three firms, and went with Aspen Street in spite of their previous errors. Partial records indicate Aspen Street Architects was paid more than $30K. Not clear what services were provided which were correct and finished.
The hospital has dropped it's contract with Aspen Street and denied for months knowledge the relationship between the architects and the other organization, Rural Health Design network.
Chet Beedle, Chief Financial Officer, contracted with two different management companies for the ailing nursing center. After minimum or short staffing, Beedle spent more than a million dollars to rehabilitate the SNF.
The board of directors signed off on the strategy which has cost the district dearly.
Chet Beedle, who pushed for Measure M, going on TV with Bob Jamison, selling the bonds without any true construction plan or detailed figure.
Beedle, who came to the district through a management company called BRIM, in 2001 as the controller, was then hired on as CFO.
The CFO worked closely with Armstrong, Jamison, Casas and Ott as they closed in on the bond meant to pay for a structure that was amorphous at that time, and still is not settled.
With the Knights disagreeing with the process, the group went about telling stories about the Knights which ranged from being thieves to walking the halls at night talking to employees.
Beedle targeted an employee he called a "Knight supporter" who said he didn't trust management and was not behind the bond which would have the community paying for the project with property taxes.
Email following a meeting in December 2006 regarding the Knights and an employee:
What I said was that Tom received double digit salary rate increases while most of the other employees' salaries were frozen. All of these salary increases were granted by Bob Knight. The actual history is al follows:
1) 9/28/97 - Annual increase of x%.
2) 12/1/97 - Special salary adjustment based upon survey of comparable positions - Increase of xxxx%.
3) 7/1/98 - Special salary adjustment for increased responsibility for Durable Medical Equipment - Increase of xx%.
4) 9/27/98 - Annual increase of xx%.
I am sending copies of the Personnel Action Forms signed by Bob Knight for these increases to Pam as per her request. I think this tells the story.
1) 9/28/97 - Annual increase of x%.
2) 12/1/97 - Special salary adjustment based upon survey of comparable positions - Increase of xxxx%.
3) 7/1/98 - Special salary adjustment for increased responsibility for Durable Medical Equipment - Increase of xx%.
4) 9/27/98 - Annual increase of xx%.
I am sending copies of the Personnel Action Forms signed by Bob Knight for these increases to Pam as per her request. I think this tells the story.
(Figures have been removed for privacy purposes.)
Mr. Beedle has firmly said that there are no billing problems at the hospital. And even after the end of the contract with EMCARE in 2006, the company he blamed for the overcharges, there were still complaints coming in.
One public comment stated that when he was dealing with the billing department he felt they were not up to speed on what everything was and that they always turn and talk to someone above them.
Other residents have claimed they still get bills over and above their own insurance, though Beedle denies having any complaints.
Currently, the board of directors consists of Kathryn Knight, chairwoman, Secretary, Victoria Alwin, 1st vice chair, Dr. Robert Gross, Bradley Armstrong, Treasurer, and Bob Jamison, 2nd vice chair.
A new CEO, Tim McGlew, has recently joined the district and will be attending his first board meeting this week, July 1, at 5:30 pm in the hospital cafeteria.
Even with evidence that there were leadership problems, board members voting together and violating laws to make sure they had the vote, personnel records revealed, slanderous statements about board members and employees, there has been little recourse or action by any oversight agency.
Currently, Armstrong and Jamison have been subversive in their activities trying to blame other board members for mistakes, yet neither of them has yet to even take responsibility for their own actions. But two people who have served the district are now in criminal court, Dr. Pormir and Debbi Hayes. And the hospital insurance company has denied that they have to pay for their defense.
Armstrong seems to not be able to let go of his former power to control the board and administration, and has berated and harassed the new chairwoman as she took over just this January. Upon taking over the middle chair, Kay Knight, had a sudden surge of visits at her workplace by Beedle, former CEO Rick Carter, and a reportedly pushy Armstrong.
The incidents were reported to the board counsel, Scott Nave. He has also recieved evidence to the facts and has chosen not to act.
Reporting on a special meeting, I was kept from getting the report from the legal counsel via telephone as Armstrong reached in front of me and hung up the phone.
Records have been denied and kept from me over the past two years. Which again is illegal. It hasn't ended.
Click on images to open and read.
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