Rumor true: Kern Valley Healthcare District CCO, Cynthia Burciaga resigns under strange circumstances

KVHD CCO did she want to go?

Pictured below, Cynthia Burciaga, at last month's board meeting giving the community the bad news that the hospital needs money and has to have money to continue operations and services to the community.

Burciaga, has been giving reports to the community since she began her job with the district last year, hired on by former CEO, Rick Carter. The CCO and the current CEO were hired around the same time, but were not brought on together.

However, it always appeared that the new CEO, Tim McGlew, and Burciaga, were a working unit, as McGlew constantly lauded the CCO with praise thanking her for her hard work in the skilled nursing facility and allowing her extended reports about difficult subjects such as the pharmacy situation. Burciaga gave detailed reports on staffing, her involvement with the pharmacy, and introduced us to a new Director of Nursing for the nursing facility, who lasted less than two months in the position.

What is happening at KVHD human resources?

And what happened that a CCO, who has been praised by both the CEO and CFO, Chet Beedle, as doing a great job changing the systems, and being available to work as a nurse in the nursing center, when there is a shortage?

Information has come in which needs to be researched regarding other matters related to the hospital, but right now there are more questions than answers involving the circumstances surrounding the departure of Burciaga.

Some witnesses to an event have told me there may have just been a misunderstanding that could have been resolved with the hospital's "open door policy." The open door policy implies that employees can come forward with problems straight to the CEO, without any prejudice, but more of mediation. As to the validity of this claim, we will have to find out.

I'm sure the administration will give us the whole story soon.

In the picture below, Burciaga introduces the new Director of Nursing last year who was employed less than a couple of months, and of course, because of "privacy" restrictions on the information of employees, no explanation was given for his short stay at KVHD.

Then when I questioned the short duration of employment, and asked about a replacement, I was told, that Burciaga was now the Director of Nursing too with an assistant in the SNF. So, both CCO, DON, and messenger to the community, it would seem the hospital lost several employees in one.

Burciaga who sits next to Controller, Barbara Figeuroa at the board meetings, will be absent from her regular spot at the meetings, and I'm sure we will be updated (well, I'm not sure, but I hope the community will be informed properly) as to the process of replacing the multipurpose nurse, and if there will be a CCO and DON or how this will now be organized.

Though rumors abound, we have solid information that a resignation was submitted, then rescinded, and finally a decision by the CEO, will likely lead to the departure of the CCO. As soon as we get complete information on this, I will report.

The Kern Valley Healthcare Board of Directors will have their monthly meeting this week, Wed. March 3, at 5:30 pm in the hospital cafeteria.

Updates for the Kern River Valley...Cal Water rate hike, animal shelter, "Tales of the KRV"

It's a tasteless thing to do as all utilities prices have "isn't it smart of us to charge you more" meter mentality, with electric bills taking care of local complaints about "dark skies" at night, and now the water company needs to clean it up.

The Public Utilities commission will be holding a public meeting, taking down complaints and issues for the record, as they decide whether to grant Cal Water it's almost 17% raise this year, with a couple more raises over the next two years based on inflation and other issues I'm sure we will hear all about.

As we remember from the last two meetings put on by Cal Water to begin the quest for understanding.

I wouldn't want to be Cal Water right now asking for this. I'd rather be the hospital asking for 25 million. No, I'd rather be the Governor asking for severe cuts in education and healthcare.

I know who I don't want to be: anywhere near the poverty level as there is a vortex pulling at everyone's wallets, savings accounts, and sometimes in cases I'm hearing about, food money.

So, it is time to voice your complaints, honestly, it probably won't do much good, as the PUC has been very liberal with the handouts to companies who still are paying dividends to their stockholders.

We do have problems with the water here, no doubt, it's disgusting, I cannot drink it. My sister hates to visit because of what it does to her hair. My friends thought when they came to visit they would get clean, clear mountain water. Yeah, but from another mountain.

Here's a small list of problems you will hear about tomorrow night, Thursday, February 18, at 7 pm, in Kernville at the Kernville Chamber of Commerce.

Chlorine, we have too much it's eating up filters.
Uranium, it's a real stumper, but it's natural.
Arsenic, that was related to the last rate hike as the EPA lowered the levels.
Fluoride, a questionable but natural ingredient which is poisonous.

Again, we are going to have to be a community who speaks up or dries up and blows away. Hope to see you there.

Your animal shelter and you

The Southlake Animal Shelter has some puppies running amok along with some loving older dogs who can sure use a home. Go to the KRV Pet Corner and take a look at some of the critters available.

There are animals going for $10 as the shelter is always putting the animals first.

The KRV Pet Corner will begin taking pictures of animals that are lost, abandoned, in need, and we will post these on the site for free. We will network with other sites to help bring pets back home or find new homes for them.

I still haven't decided on my new dog. I guess the two mourners that we are, my Boxer Walter and I, are waiting for the right time.

More details on the upgrades for the Animal Shelter as the thoughts are for keeping pets in a place that people can see them behave in a more natural outdoor environment, rather than the din of the dogs in the smaller cages.

Introducing (stage left) "Tales of the Kern River Valley."

It's news, but it's entertainment, and it all emanates from this valley. The stories will be news, but don't forget there is a story in everything.

Yes, investigative journalism, will be on the menu, but we will focus on the talent of the valley, as there is a plethora of artists of various kinds hiding out up here who have decided to come out of the woodwork and let us into their creative minds.

And this will be a venture for the young and young at heart. Teenagers have their own perspective on this valley and what it needs to be a place to stay and not make it a hangout for thugs, neo-nazi's, hatemongers of any sort, but for expression of the things that cause such extreme reactions.

Teenagers have their own language, what it is, is what we can learn from the youth.

And of course, politics is always fun and most especially this year I might say. We, the people of this valley, may have to look at a different way of governing our little piece of the mountain.

We have about every government agency on hand here to drag us down to a low level economy, but that can change when there are those who are willing to go up against those who cannot see the future, or have no vested interest in a good future for all involved.

Coming soon.

They're just like twins, except one is nattily dressed and the other can't afford a diaper: Sierra Kings in Reedley CA

It Swings at Sierra Kings...

I must say I do enjoy reading the Reedley Exponent, a small town "news" paper with a little bite left in it. (internet newspaper, which I like)
Of course, readers of this blog have come to know Reedley and Sierra Kings District Hospital as the hide out for elder abuse charged, former, local CEO, Pamela Ott.

After Ott hit the road in 2007, skidding out of the way of the SWAT team on it's way into our beloved Kern Valley Healthcare District, attempting a rescue or an investigation, but Ott got up the road a ways to Sierra Kings in Reedley.

Still noted in state Department of Justice criminal charges as a witness, Ott, stayed on at Sierra Kings, utilizing the same architects we saw here at KVHD, Aspen Street.

Aspen Street which never lifted a piece of lumber onto our hallowed grounds in the Kern River Valley, managed to put together some architecture for the people of Reedley, who recently toured the new addition.

However, Aspen Street hasn't been so lucky in it's old home of Tehachapi, where the last this reporter heard, there were tiny footfalls of attorneys about. But I did also hear from a legal type here at KVHD, that Aspen has been doing work for the military.

(The sound you heard was me laughing. More on the Aspen street military projects and the Tehachapi problems.)

So, Ott caught up with Aspen at Sierra and prior to her sudden departure last June when the Attorney General's office charged her with elder abuse, Sierra Kings was on it's way down, to bankruptcy.

And now so are we

After hearing about the hospital's financial stability in 2006, the skilled nursing facilities wonderful and humane services, the new services just waiting to be born at KVHD, it's an amazing downhill slide to see a business so important to the community take this nosedive.

But as I've explained the nosedive occurred twenty five years ago when the hospital went into debt. After the debt and the mangled construction project, there was no where to go but down.

At last months' Kern Valley Healthcare District's board meeting, I asked the financial manager, who has finally admitted to the fact that the hospital has not been properly billing for many years thus decreasing actual intake versus projected monies, why a bill for little more than eight dollars was sent out?

He said we need every dime we can get.

However, the CEO, Tim McGlew, absent from last month's finance committee meeting as well as the Feb. board meeting, did address that issue saying it is not necessarily the strategy to take as it costs more to try and bring in that small amount of money.

I always feel thankful when some reason appears on the scene at the hospital.

However, the financial situation is getting to the point of making all of us nervous. Chet Beedle told us again we would not be able to pay the August payment to Cal Mtg., the state insurer of the district's revenue bonds, and therefore the future is anything but assured.

Now, we look at our twin, I'm calling it that just to be funny, but it is odd about Ott. Anyway, they have been roiling with debt, eaten up by cutbacks, just like any other rural community hospital, it's tough out there.

But they brought in a consultant firm straight off the ACHD site HFS Consultants (Association of California Healthcare Districts, an advocacy group for rural hospitals) and an interim, CEO, Sandy Haskins, who has been doing a similar backtracking of the billing issues there.

According to the Reedley Exponent, the hospital is going back several years and offering a deal to reduce the debt by 40% if it is paid off within a month. Haskins doesn't expect to get back all the monies owed, therefore, the option is making it easier for the consumer to pay off the debt rather than write it off, keep their credit standing, and the hospital will then be able to show some cash towards it's efforts.

They are also sending out three mailing attempts to get the deal going, but they may have problems with the age of the debt, as the older they are, people have changed situations. And people probably have accrued others during this time as well.

But it's an attempt at getting money in the coffers of that hospital and fast.

They called a special meeting to make a report

And what makes it even more interesting was how Sierra Kings or actually HFS handled the situation by communicating with it's active and interested public.

They had a special meeting and gave a report of the "plan" taking place and where it was at and where it was expected to go.

That feels like bliss to me. Hospital districts offering information. I have requests into KVHD that go back three or four months. I don't complain, I collect and record. What else can I do? Barge through the doors with a hand held copier and bottle of mace?

And then there's the reporting on "non labor" expenses and supplies. Here at KVHD we talk about "variable" expenses which very much include labor and the ability to maintain it. Not having that much more luck than we used to.

I know, I hear the propaganda too, but there is still a problem with staffing at the hospital and now, the lives and paychecks of pharmacy employees have been altered too.

There's nothing like knowing jobs with retirement are on the decrease, and rarely turn out that way.

Chet Beedle the financial manager who likes to talk about and in volume, is looking to retire from KVHD.

So, were nurses and other employees I have known throughout the years looking forward to the phantom retirement plan.

We have yet to have a special meeting and talk about these collection and staffing matters. KVHD has been remiss in it's communication as it is having it's own problems understanding why the ice cream cone is melting.

We need to ask Chet Beedle. We need to ask two members of the board, and then we need to ask ourselves if we are willing to pay it forward for this hospital in the form of property or sales taxes.

They seem to be studying

Over at the well dressed Reedley hospital, the special meeting pointed out potential savings, not a lot, but enough, 150 thousand eventually. That is a lot and can be used for other purposes.

Now here at KVHD, we squandered half that money, 60K on a public relations firm which did nothing except end a contract with sixty thousand more than they started.

We have squandered our money. The records are lousy with terrible ideas which never came to fruition. And good ideas which didn't come to fruition either.

But it's the attitude I like about what is happening at Sierra Kings, they are including the community. They know they have something very important in that hospital, with it's new wing, that they need to walk carefully in these dark economic times.

KVHD is a cesspool of mismanagement to this day. Yes, there have been improvements in many areas. But it's the idea that we are hounding people for $8, when we should do a mailing or something like that to get people back in the system, paying again.

Might start with calling charity care, by another name. That won't fly. All government agencies need to get it, people, by and large want to work, but they need help to get there sometimes. If there are interim programs people will be more willing to sign up for that rather than, a your so poor you qualify for a Ukranian insurance policy.

Collections, taxes, general obligation bonds, these are the buzz words of your future KRV. Get to the meetings, get on the internet and research, and let's keep this hospital open and going.

Our elder abuse past will soon be behind us, maybe even next month, if the right plea deals are handed out and the cuffs are unlocked from the others who don't deserve them. The civil cases will get settled sooner and that will no longer play with Diane Sawyer on ABC "Where in the World did you get that news from" again.

Those who think this valley is going to stay around with inaction on the part of the community will be surprised how quickly things sink in quick sand or roll down hill. Think fast....here it comes.

know when to hold them, no when to leapfrog them

I've been experimenting with different things on the computer, different links, alerts, feeds and so on, and I came across an alert about the Kern Valley Healthcare District. I'm not really good at any of this, that's why I keep trying, but I noticed there was a site called "leapfrog" which gave a rating to hospitals.

Two hospitals we know of didn't answer the rating request and therefore were not included in the overall data base.

Those two hospitals known to us as the Kern Valley Healthcare District and the Sierra Kings Healthcare District, both former employers of Pamela Ott, CEO, now charged in an elder abuse scandal at KVHD.

She recently was cited as allowing employees to sedate patients for "staff convenience" which we are still trying to figure out what that actually means but someday I hope to know.

But what I found interesting on this site, which I will give you the link to look at yourself, was the statistic about safety.

If that statistic is accurate or in context, it's scary to think that it's safer to be away from preventable medical mistakes which outnumber annual deaths due to car accidents, breast cancer and AIDs, at the time, they put the report as made in 1999.

I imagine those figures are out of date and of whack, but it goes to show that there are heavy prices to be paid from errors at hospitals, clinics, nursing centers, operating rooms, even simple tests.

KVHD is not in here, but it's one of many ways of looking at a hospital and deciding whether to go there or not, or whether a nursing home is as good as it looks. Using tools such as these could help steer you or a loved one out of potential mediocre or possibly dangerous situation.

No other options here.

But we have no other option here in the KRV and until we make a serious change in the name of quality, there will be fewer older people coming here to retire. And likely the hospital will go too.

http://www.leapfroggroup.org/about_us

Small Clams case continued to Wed. Feb. 10th at 3 pm, "The media monopoly vs. the freelance writer"

Can Small "Clams" Court finally clam them up?

Our cases were to be heard on Feb. 3, but there were a lot of cases in the small claims courthouse in Lake Isabella yesterday, and our media "fest" was held back until next week.

Which actually worked out well.

The crowd was there, Sun publisher, Marsha Smith, a bag full of court goodies, and Editor Cathy Perfect, chattering away with her superior about some community member, or as they call it in the midwest, gossip.

Susan Barr, the Sun writer, known for her quips and jabs (in her emails to me anyway), wrote a heavenly story regarding the prayer I was given the task to do at the Kern Valley Healthcare District board meeting.

Barr found news in the fact that I pray, but described in her opinion, an uncomfortable audience, which is disputed by several people who attended.

Cheap shot? Very. Dollar store shot, not even a "Home Mart" shot.

Could it be you next whom the writer's and editors at the only local "news" paper don't like or disagree with and use their podium to answer back at you, with a population likely believing them since you have no outlet yourself from which to defend against a reporter's attack.

Yes, it could be you, and it has been too many people in this valley and that is why I'm doing this court case, as small as it is, but the only way I could get into our courts.

No, this isn't a big money maker

There's no real money to be had, I will not be a millionaire at the end of the case.

But I will be redeemed that I took my issues to what I expect to be a fair hearing, will tell my side of the story, stick to the truth, and allow a judge who seemed quite fair, to listen to my complaint.

I didn't have eight babies or a steaming hot cup of coffee land in my lap, but what did happen is that I watched in horror as two outlets which report news, not only attack in a sneaky way myself, but hid important news and safety facts regarding the hospital, to the community, employees at the hospital (who came to the newspaper for help), and this recklessness simply had to be stopped in whatever way possible.

And small claims turned out to be the most viable.

Who is so insecure that they would knowingly print or post as is the case of the threat on the Kern Valley Sun blog site, a threat against someone when they could easily have overlooked that? They do it all the time. They don't post every comment.

They could have listened when I told them I had a police report filed because of the gun toting punk, and then the filed another police report when the KV Sun refused to take down the threat, but they played games which would make anyone nervous.

Would you appreciate the KV Sun putting up a threat on their blog site against you while you're in the middle of an investigation of the healthcare district, had a gun pointed at you, or would you be a little nervous every time you turned your doorknob as you came home?

No class, no thought behind any of this. That is why I choose not to play evil games but instead try to use the system that has been given to us in this country to settle such matters.

The issue between the KV Sun and I started three years ago as I asked that they not spread rumors about me, that if there are inquiries as to my status working there, they can say what they wanted, but not ridiculous games.

I went to the manager with my complaints and found out through a few sources that nothing had ended, the nonsense was on.

And I've tried to deal with both QAB and the Sun, asking for some mercy, that they leave me alone to do what I have to do in regard to the hospital, but it seems there is no mercy. More on this.

Finally met owner of QAB

Anthony Bohn, listed as the owner of QAB media LLC, someone I have never met, but was glad to yesterday, as now I know what or I should say, who, I'm really up against.

Mr. Bohn, noticed me immediately as I came through the crowded courtroom waiting area, where people were lined up to be heard, including myself, KV Sun and QAB.

Bohn, posted close to the door, asked immediately if I was Laura Hart, which impressed me for a moment, he did his homework, and could recognize me.

Bob Jamison was on hand, his mood seemed dim, he didn't approach me, until waved to come over by "boss" (this seems to be a bit contentious as Jamison shared a different relationship about his boss in an email, claiming control over the station due to his expertise in the engineering).

As Marsha Smith, Anthony Bohn and Bob Jamison were instructed by the bailiff to exchange information, I noticed several things about each of the defendants.

Smith, was not much for gabbing to me, but handed me my folder, and said, "I've already seen all this." I guess she feels safe now.

Then Mr. Bohn asked questions about the contents of my packet of paperwork, pictures, and blogs by Mr. Jamison, and several sexual emails with overtones regarding my potential employment at the radio stations.

Bohn said Jamison doesn't do the hiring, he does. Well, would that not make my point even sharper? It was a game Jamison was playing then, Mr. Bohn?

But anyway, in some of the articles I have read on QAB, there have been erroneous news reported regarding the hospital.

When I mentioned this to Mr. Bohn, he said they are not investigative journalists, which was never in question, but again I told him, you are a news outlet whom people rely on for truth.

He was quite warm, when he told me, there are radio stations for sale up here, you just need a "big check." (Yeah, thanks, that helps)

Or you have options like the media taking their responsibilities seriously or even possibly caring that people are informed. (But this whole thing has given me an idea for a satire which might be quite funny.)

Bohn said he's in the advertising business, (which will be addressed in the KV Sun case as that directly relates to the coverage of the hospital) the answer is a "yes" but, you still have responsibility to those who listen are asked to take you seriously. I'm sure the ABC radio news feed doesn't consider their news portion of the programming to be taken lightly.

Nobody is saying Mr. Bohn or his employees have to work for free, but there has to be some balance, is it just money, or can it be for both? If you can't put out a decent product and make enough money, then maybe...?

A final note: Mr. Bohn made a point of saying to me that Bob Jamison, KVHD board member, and Bob Jamison, engineer, broadcaster, and radiojock, are not the same person. One does one thing and the other does another.

ABSOLUTELY!

Except, Mr. Jamison has been taking the agenda of the hospital to the radio station and spilling out over the airwaves, and here's the answer to your question Mr. Bohn, with the obvious permission of the owner of the station.

Otherwise, it would have been stopped long ago.

I told Mr. Bohn it was nice to meet him after all this time, as we have tried many times to get messages to him, and until it came in the form of a court service, we were never even looked at, no phone calls, no attempt at contract.

Others called too: and it's a week away, but I think we should make this stand together and end this once and for all.

The hospital has other problems which we will be discussing, and we need to get rid of the poison which is still killing the reputation of the hospital.

Reputation=money

Nobody goes to a hospital where the locals recommend you stay away from. And it's rare if you have bad food and salmonella, that you will get a big lunch crowd, even if it wasn't your fault, your business served the lettuce.

So, the players are lined up, and the case will hit the deck as first up to bat on Wed. Feb. 10th at 3 pm in lake Isabella is our case.

If you feel that QAB was remiss in allowing elder abuse charged, former CEO, Pam Ott, to spend an hour of airtime defending herself with what appear to be bold faced lies, then maybe you have a case as well.

Sometimes it's not about winning a bunch of money to make your case: sometimes it's just a willingness to believe in the truth and set an example for those who want to make changes, better ones, for your family, your community, your country and eventually the world.

Too Pollyanna for you? Or is everyone too weak to take on the difficult tasks?
http://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/

Kern Valley Sun case # K1502-cs-4620

QAB media LLC (AKA Bob Jamison's bully pit) case #K1502-cs-4621