The case at the Kern Valley Healthcare District is not a special situation. It is not unique. It is too familiar in that there are those who desire money, power, recognition, etc. who want to be special, are spreading rapidly all throughout our system.
They have robbed us of our trust in their deep misunderstanding of what has happened to them.
That deep deception foists itself upon us all. From our small community where some chose to ignore the growing illness or even accept it all the way to the people feeding off the top where they no longer remain hidden.
Greed has dug a hole as some are in a constant state of seeking more.
This lead Pamela Ott, former KVHD CEO, to lie and convince us that she was here at KVHD and at Sierra Kings to help make healthcare better for all.
It was a wonderful notion, but it was not her true intention.
Dr. Hoshang Pormir, was mislead and swept away by the people who would do anything to control a tiny hospital.
He left his oath as physician healer to go down this empty road.
Gwen Hughes another victim of this deceit took it upon herself to harm patients under the orders of those such as KVHD board members, Bob Jamison, Brad Armstrong, JoAnne Jones, CNO, Sharon Brucker, CFO, Chet Beedle.
Then others came such as CEO's Rick Carter and Tim McGlew. They didn't come for our benefit they came seeking their own.
Even new CNO, sold out to the false power. Mark Gordon held out as long as he could. Now it's almost impossible to get a true word from him.
But these people are truly victims of victims as on top you will find those who are prey to the fake power of control.
Jerry Brown your California Governor has been eating at the same table.
His justice could not possibly tear apart a whole system? Could he?
Only if he was in a position not in the deceit.
Could someone so entrenched in the power of deception be able to even see truth anymore?
There is only suffering for these people.
A felony for these defendants who hide in shame, is nothing compared to what these people are suffering with and will until they give it up.
I know they are not the only ones. I know this is what has happened to them. I do hope that they can recover their real truth and move forward. But these depths of untruth are difficult to navigate. The bigger it gets the more it consumes.
But that is what KVHD under Fire caused which was to expose truth to such a degree that there would be no further deception. They are duly exposed all of them from your local ER to Obama care.
Telling the truth was my service. It was NEVER a burden to carry. It freed me when it was spoken.
It is our obligation and only real tool against such corruption. SPEAK TRUTH no matter what if only for yourself.
The powers that be have admitted that there is pervasive deception and we cannot trust in them to bring us truth. We can see it and if we can we don't linger in revenge or false justice. The courts are full of untruth. They have been perverted for the sake of power.
No court can bring truth, only true hearts have it. And you know who you are.
Best to all.
Persistance and Tenacity, requires a new chapter, a new beginning....
Showing posts with label CFO Chet Beedle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CFO Chet Beedle. Show all posts
Friday, June 22, 2012
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
They call it Elder Abuse: but it's still Murder...talking to CANHR
Why not murder charges?
My mind has wrangled with the notion of why we differentiate between elder abuse and murder, rather than simply applying the same rules to all of us, no matter what age.
I made a call to the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, an organization which has been actively addressing issues such as the use of psychotropic drugs in nursing homes since 1983, to discuss my concerns. http://www.canhr.org/
It wasn't more than a moment before Pat McGinnis, who took my call, recognized the KVHD case. "Yes, I know which case you're talking about, it was terrible."
As three defendants formerly of the Kern Valley Healthcare District head to Kern County Superior court today to answer to charges that they were knowingly "drugging" patients for staff convenience, McGinnis explained there are other issues involved.
I wanted to clarify what is meant by "staff convenience" which sounds more like the staff asked that they have a new microwave and comatose patients.
McGinnis said this is nothing against the staff themselves, but another way of saying, "short staffed," reflecting more on the management and their financial policies. With lack of staff comes a need to keep patients quiet and requiring less attention they would get if the nurses were in sufficient supply to deal with the needs of the patients.
I asked McGinnis if there was a place for psychotropic medications in nursing homes or if she thought they should be eliminated entirely.
She said the issue is more about "informed consent" which is where patients or family members are given the opportunity to find out what medications are being used. And yes, the website, is full of alternatives other than drugs. It is good reading for anyone with a family member in a nursing home.
In one case she explained four daughters were watching carefully over their mother but found she had suddenly changed, more sleepy and "drooling." She had been given new medications.
"...they never told the daughters or next of kin."
Problems with oversight
There are currently no laws where the state surveyors check to make sure that families are told exactly what medicines and changes to medications are being made.
When these annual surveys are done there are many "tags" they use to identify problems, but so far, there are none which check to make sure the family has been notified of all treatments.
McGinnis said she was contacted by one of the family members in the KVHD elder abuse case, and he was apparently not even told that his father had died let alone any medication usage.
As the news of the KVHD elder abuse case reached many organizations, it was apparent, McGinnis, feels there needs to be much more backing for change in relation to nursing home laws and the people who oversee the care of the elderly.
The question which has been bothering me
I alerted McGinnis the elder abuse case would be in court today, and told her about some of the interviews I had done with nurses who saw things such as a "mass destruction" of evidence such as medicine containers, paperwork regarding the patients, and threats of being fired for telling the truth.
She wasn't shocked to hear that the staffing director fought with CEO, Pam Ott, over the lack of nurses in the SNF, and was told to put down "secretaries" on forms to make sure it looked as if the center was properly staffed.
McGinnis said that she had heard the complaint came through the "ombudsman," (I believe her name was Cathy Shields) which I refuted as that was a "late complaint" as the employees had been trying for months to get help which really never came. (we will find out later today)
I think she may have raised an eyebrow as I told her the employees had gone to the board of directors and made the complaint of short staffing, in Oct. 2006, and were sent packing. They were, however, placated with a "committee" called "recruitment and retention" which met once as the nurses who made the complaints quit shortly thereafter.
So, I asked McGinnis, who still had "the fight" in her voice, though she has been advocating for the elderly for more than 25 years, why they call it elder abuse and not murder.
"You need to ask Brown's office," she answered sarcastically.
Then she said, "They have to go with what they can get. Murder, would be hard to prove, they actually wanted to kill the patients."
I said, I still don't understand why if you are elderly it isn't murder. "I agree," McGinnis said, but the situation is more of what they can do within the constraints of the laws as they stand right now.
Would having a psychiatrist changed anything?
I was also curious about a new program in the skilled nursing center, voted in by the board of directors last month, and that is "telepshyciatry."
McGinnis questioned what if anything a psychiatrist could do over a television with a nursing home resident.
She also said that there is little in compensation for these residents and that "medi-cal" would likely not cover the costs. I explained that our CFO, Chet Beedle, told the board of directors and audience that the new service would be covered by Medi-Cal.
She gave me a phone number of someone who could confirm the cost reimbursement Beedle claimed would be covered for the KVHD SNF patients. I'll let you know on that.
Update later...
My mind has wrangled with the notion of why we differentiate between elder abuse and murder, rather than simply applying the same rules to all of us, no matter what age.
I made a call to the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, an organization which has been actively addressing issues such as the use of psychotropic drugs in nursing homes since 1983, to discuss my concerns. http://www.canhr.org/
It wasn't more than a moment before Pat McGinnis, who took my call, recognized the KVHD case. "Yes, I know which case you're talking about, it was terrible."
As three defendants formerly of the Kern Valley Healthcare District head to Kern County Superior court today to answer to charges that they were knowingly "drugging" patients for staff convenience, McGinnis explained there are other issues involved.
I wanted to clarify what is meant by "staff convenience" which sounds more like the staff asked that they have a new microwave and comatose patients.
McGinnis said this is nothing against the staff themselves, but another way of saying, "short staffed," reflecting more on the management and their financial policies. With lack of staff comes a need to keep patients quiet and requiring less attention they would get if the nurses were in sufficient supply to deal with the needs of the patients.
I asked McGinnis if there was a place for psychotropic medications in nursing homes or if she thought they should be eliminated entirely.
She said the issue is more about "informed consent" which is where patients or family members are given the opportunity to find out what medications are being used. And yes, the website, is full of alternatives other than drugs. It is good reading for anyone with a family member in a nursing home.
In one case she explained four daughters were watching carefully over their mother but found she had suddenly changed, more sleepy and "drooling." She had been given new medications.
"...they never told the daughters or next of kin."
Problems with oversight
There are currently no laws where the state surveyors check to make sure that families are told exactly what medicines and changes to medications are being made.
When these annual surveys are done there are many "tags" they use to identify problems, but so far, there are none which check to make sure the family has been notified of all treatments.
McGinnis said she was contacted by one of the family members in the KVHD elder abuse case, and he was apparently not even told that his father had died let alone any medication usage.
As the news of the KVHD elder abuse case reached many organizations, it was apparent, McGinnis, feels there needs to be much more backing for change in relation to nursing home laws and the people who oversee the care of the elderly.
The question which has been bothering me
I alerted McGinnis the elder abuse case would be in court today, and told her about some of the interviews I had done with nurses who saw things such as a "mass destruction" of evidence such as medicine containers, paperwork regarding the patients, and threats of being fired for telling the truth.
She wasn't shocked to hear that the staffing director fought with CEO, Pam Ott, over the lack of nurses in the SNF, and was told to put down "secretaries" on forms to make sure it looked as if the center was properly staffed.
McGinnis said that she had heard the complaint came through the "ombudsman," (I believe her name was Cathy Shields) which I refuted as that was a "late complaint" as the employees had been trying for months to get help which really never came. (we will find out later today)
I think she may have raised an eyebrow as I told her the employees had gone to the board of directors and made the complaint of short staffing, in Oct. 2006, and were sent packing. They were, however, placated with a "committee" called "recruitment and retention" which met once as the nurses who made the complaints quit shortly thereafter.
So, I asked McGinnis, who still had "the fight" in her voice, though she has been advocating for the elderly for more than 25 years, why they call it elder abuse and not murder.
"You need to ask Brown's office," she answered sarcastically.
Then she said, "They have to go with what they can get. Murder, would be hard to prove, they actually wanted to kill the patients."
I said, I still don't understand why if you are elderly it isn't murder. "I agree," McGinnis said, but the situation is more of what they can do within the constraints of the laws as they stand right now.
Would having a psychiatrist changed anything?
I was also curious about a new program in the skilled nursing center, voted in by the board of directors last month, and that is "telepshyciatry."
McGinnis questioned what if anything a psychiatrist could do over a television with a nursing home resident.
She also said that there is little in compensation for these residents and that "medi-cal" would likely not cover the costs. I explained that our CFO, Chet Beedle, told the board of directors and audience that the new service would be covered by Medi-Cal.
She gave me a phone number of someone who could confirm the cost reimbursement Beedle claimed would be covered for the KVHD SNF patients. I'll let you know on that.
Update later...
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
shooting ourselves in the foot, pharmacy, whatever (you've been had, KVHD board and CEO)
(Update: Latest pharmacist gone, obtaining prescriptions still slow, but the pharmacy remains in service)
Follow up to the pharmacy (an editorial, another one):
With the photos of protesters outside of the Sierra Kings District Hospital board meeting, home of the whopper, Pamela Ott, donning the front page of "The Reedley Exponent" on-line newspaper, I couldn't help but wonder what is it going to take to change things here?
I can't help but be envious of the Reedley citizens and their demonstration of unity against government waste and mediocrity last week, signs and all.
They asked directly that the President of the Sierra Kings district board, Trish Johnson, step down and allow someone else to give it a try as their hospital has filed bankruptcy and their former CEO, or current, Pam Ott, has her hearing in court next week on charges of elder abuse which occurred under her leadership here in the Kern Valley Healthcare District.
So many things have happened here in our district, but it seems we have a way of avoiding responsibility and continuing to expect the denizens of the valley to swallow the constant flow of excuses.
If this isn't the last straw, what is?
After actually killing the business at the Mt. Mesa Clinical Pharmacy by announcing that the pharmacy is losing money and cannot support the community by supplying their prescriptions in a timely manner as well as not being able to "stock" or carry "brand name" or unusual medicines, the hospital has created a self fulfilling prophecy.
Though the new numbers examined by CFO, Chief Financial Officer, Chet Beedle, and CEO, Tim McGlew, showed their was life still left in the pharmacy service, the original advice to shut it down, may be the down fall of the business.
For months, the pharmacy has struggled to keep the medicine shelves stocked and the customers served on time, but the money wasn't being paid to the wholesaler of the drugs, and suddenly, the pharmacy hits the chopping block.
Why deal with it? Because there is a community out here to serve, who cannot make the trip around the lake or down the mountain, and we have according to four year old statistics, the same size population on the south side as we do in the Kernville area, where "The Drug Store" continues to peddle its pills without a peep.
Now, we have a situation: yes, there are numbers which support keeping the pharmacy alive, but I guarantee Mr. Beedle will be talking about the most recent numbers attached to articles in the local newspaper about the pharmacy being the number one money draw on the hospital.
(Again, it's a media situation. The local newspaper didn't understand the situation and headlined the pharmacy was closing. What did I say about power? I'll be talking about them soon, as I've had a chance to get a gander at the most recent ramblings of the local media)
But that was caused when people were told that the pharmacy cannot provide their medicine. Why would we go there if the news is that they don't have my prescription?
And there is a board member apparently, no names, only addresses, 104.5, who seems to believe that by not purchasing at the pharmacy himself, he is making a statement as to the viability of the retail outlet.
Well, board members are not looking too good these days, as they sat through the most bias (yes, I use the word too) board report I have witnessed since Pam Ott was telling us the employees, the college, the director of nursing, the leach lines, were causing all the problems in the skilled nursing facility.
Chet Beedle sat in front of all of you and I'm sorry to say the CEO as well, and recommended closing the pharmacy, taking action at that meeting, because of his analysis. (The off balance report)
As I have pointed out he used an old report, a ruler and some scotch tape, and suddenly the pharmacy was too much for us to handle, it is taking down the hospital.
You know there are rumors, as always here, hell we'd have no information at all if it weren't for rumors, that the pharmacy if it stayed open, would bring down the hospital.
How's that one? Another rumor is that I am going up against the pharmacy, that I want it shut down.
Good grief, KVHD, when does your rumor milling get the story right?
I am for financial viability of the district, but I also recognize that this is a rural healthcare district. It's paid for by the public to serve the public. And as the public we better take another look at what is going on.
Get me my prescription, NOW!
Some of us can't wait for the COD to arrive, but I've decided to bring my business back to Mt. Mesa pharmacy so that I can keep an eye on how the medications and customer service are doing.
We all need to come back with our business and demand that the hospital pay out the money to at least keep standard medications on the shelves.
We've already chipped away at the staff there like we enjoy doing as a business practice. Get rid of those costly, pesky employees, then we can make some money.
These employees are supposed to be "first in line" with the transition into the hospital pharmacy in the event of closure. Well, they are the front line of an untended business operation who have to hear complaints day in and day out, not because of the pharmacy, but because of the hospital financial priorities.
It is a priority to get the CFO a nice retirement and continue to pay him good money, while he throws away good money.
We heard about "volume" the secret of the Egyptians and that is no longer going to cut it: cut the salary, even cut the position.
Make the right cut, not the pharmacy: the CFO
You want to have a pharmacy and a hospital in our valley? I do. But not the way it is now.
We have replaced other parts but the car still doesn't run right. Hey we haven't tried to replace the the CFO. Let's start thinking in car repair terms: If it won't start, begin with the battery and move on. Don't take out the engine when it's a battery cable that needs to be replaced.
My advice: Go back to the pharmacy and let's start all over
If you live on the south side of the lake, go back to the pharmacy and start all over again. Maybe not this week or month, but eventually with our business we can bring it back.
Start by bringing your prescriptions that are not urgent, but can wait, for them to do what is necessary to fill it.
And start calling...(I know it's ridiculous to call anywhere now with the additional numbers to dial, 1-760-I hate the government)
But don't call those poor people at the pharmacy, they're just victims of this whole fiasco. They have had their hours and benefits cut while listening to customers complain on a daily basis. Leave them alone.
Call the hospital CFO, Chet Beedle, instead. 760-379-2681 is the main number and then dial O and ask for Chet Beedle.
If you have a problem at the pharmacy call the person who pays the bills, CFO, Chet Beedle. (I'm sure volume may be the answer here too.)
So, go back to the pharmacy if you want it to be there...
Follow up to the pharmacy (an editorial, another one):
With the photos of protesters outside of the Sierra Kings District Hospital board meeting, home of the whopper, Pamela Ott, donning the front page of "The Reedley Exponent" on-line newspaper, I couldn't help but wonder what is it going to take to change things here?
I can't help but be envious of the Reedley citizens and their demonstration of unity against government waste and mediocrity last week, signs and all.
They asked directly that the President of the Sierra Kings district board, Trish Johnson, step down and allow someone else to give it a try as their hospital has filed bankruptcy and their former CEO, or current, Pam Ott, has her hearing in court next week on charges of elder abuse which occurred under her leadership here in the Kern Valley Healthcare District.
So many things have happened here in our district, but it seems we have a way of avoiding responsibility and continuing to expect the denizens of the valley to swallow the constant flow of excuses.
If this isn't the last straw, what is?
After actually killing the business at the Mt. Mesa Clinical Pharmacy by announcing that the pharmacy is losing money and cannot support the community by supplying their prescriptions in a timely manner as well as not being able to "stock" or carry "brand name" or unusual medicines, the hospital has created a self fulfilling prophecy.
Though the new numbers examined by CFO, Chief Financial Officer, Chet Beedle, and CEO, Tim McGlew, showed their was life still left in the pharmacy service, the original advice to shut it down, may be the down fall of the business.
For months, the pharmacy has struggled to keep the medicine shelves stocked and the customers served on time, but the money wasn't being paid to the wholesaler of the drugs, and suddenly, the pharmacy hits the chopping block.
Why deal with it? Because there is a community out here to serve, who cannot make the trip around the lake or down the mountain, and we have according to four year old statistics, the same size population on the south side as we do in the Kernville area, where "The Drug Store" continues to peddle its pills without a peep.
Now, we have a situation: yes, there are numbers which support keeping the pharmacy alive, but I guarantee Mr. Beedle will be talking about the most recent numbers attached to articles in the local newspaper about the pharmacy being the number one money draw on the hospital.
(Again, it's a media situation. The local newspaper didn't understand the situation and headlined the pharmacy was closing. What did I say about power? I'll be talking about them soon, as I've had a chance to get a gander at the most recent ramblings of the local media)
But that was caused when people were told that the pharmacy cannot provide their medicine. Why would we go there if the news is that they don't have my prescription?
And there is a board member apparently, no names, only addresses, 104.5, who seems to believe that by not purchasing at the pharmacy himself, he is making a statement as to the viability of the retail outlet.
Well, board members are not looking too good these days, as they sat through the most bias (yes, I use the word too) board report I have witnessed since Pam Ott was telling us the employees, the college, the director of nursing, the leach lines, were causing all the problems in the skilled nursing facility.
Chet Beedle sat in front of all of you and I'm sorry to say the CEO as well, and recommended closing the pharmacy, taking action at that meeting, because of his analysis. (The off balance report)
As I have pointed out he used an old report, a ruler and some scotch tape, and suddenly the pharmacy was too much for us to handle, it is taking down the hospital.
You know there are rumors, as always here, hell we'd have no information at all if it weren't for rumors, that the pharmacy if it stayed open, would bring down the hospital.
How's that one? Another rumor is that I am going up against the pharmacy, that I want it shut down.
Good grief, KVHD, when does your rumor milling get the story right?
I am for financial viability of the district, but I also recognize that this is a rural healthcare district. It's paid for by the public to serve the public. And as the public we better take another look at what is going on.
Get me my prescription, NOW!
Some of us can't wait for the COD to arrive, but I've decided to bring my business back to Mt. Mesa pharmacy so that I can keep an eye on how the medications and customer service are doing.
We all need to come back with our business and demand that the hospital pay out the money to at least keep standard medications on the shelves.
We've already chipped away at the staff there like we enjoy doing as a business practice. Get rid of those costly, pesky employees, then we can make some money.
These employees are supposed to be "first in line" with the transition into the hospital pharmacy in the event of closure. Well, they are the front line of an untended business operation who have to hear complaints day in and day out, not because of the pharmacy, but because of the hospital financial priorities.
It is a priority to get the CFO a nice retirement and continue to pay him good money, while he throws away good money.
We heard about "volume" the secret of the Egyptians and that is no longer going to cut it: cut the salary, even cut the position.
Make the right cut, not the pharmacy: the CFO
You want to have a pharmacy and a hospital in our valley? I do. But not the way it is now.
We have replaced other parts but the car still doesn't run right. Hey we haven't tried to replace the the CFO. Let's start thinking in car repair terms: If it won't start, begin with the battery and move on. Don't take out the engine when it's a battery cable that needs to be replaced.
My advice: Go back to the pharmacy and let's start all over
If you live on the south side of the lake, go back to the pharmacy and start all over again. Maybe not this week or month, but eventually with our business we can bring it back.
Start by bringing your prescriptions that are not urgent, but can wait, for them to do what is necessary to fill it.
And start calling...(I know it's ridiculous to call anywhere now with the additional numbers to dial, 1-760-I hate the government)
But don't call those poor people at the pharmacy, they're just victims of this whole fiasco. They have had their hours and benefits cut while listening to customers complain on a daily basis. Leave them alone.
Call the hospital CFO, Chet Beedle, instead. 760-379-2681 is the main number and then dial O and ask for Chet Beedle.
If you have a problem at the pharmacy call the person who pays the bills, CFO, Chet Beedle. (I'm sure volume may be the answer here too.)
So, go back to the pharmacy if you want it to be there...
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
ALERT: KVHD special board meeting July 28 and on the agenda is...
24 hour notice for special meeting as board will vote on the General Obligation Bond
For the last few months, whispers, and even whimpers, could be heard around the valley as the Kern Valley Healthcare District began it's drive to talk residents of the Kern River Valley into voting for a bond which will raise property taxes throughout the hospital district.
The General Obligation Bond was previously intended to pay off a debt that had been plaguing the hospital for 24 years now because of a seriously flawed financial venture which included a construction project that was never completed, revenue not generated as well as services and staffing cuts.
The community was put up as collateral as if the hospital cannot pay the community will pay anyway, until every dime is retrieved by the insurer of the original debt.
These were your elected officials (KVHD board members) who made this decision as your representatives and not many people I have spoken to lately even know they are the one's ultimately responsible for paying this debt.
Even though at the July regular board meeting, the talk was about having a special election next year, which would cost approximately $50,000, but would give them single coverage as it will be their own election, the focus on them and not regular election candidates.
Now, a KVHD special meeting is being called and until tomorrow we won't know which board members will vote to put this extra burden on a valley in serious financial trouble.
Obviously, the administration which includes, Chief Financial Officer, Chet Beedle, has singled out the bond as the only way to proceed.
The hospital has been paying on this 22 million dollar debt for 24 years and now if the community passes the GOB in the November election, we will pay for 30 more years.
But here's the twist, within those 30 years, the hospital will be required to replace the whole building, meaning... more property taxes.
I'll report back and let you know which elected board members voted to pursue a community for monies that were caused by bad decision making and bad advice. And an obvious cover up that the community is the "collateral" and will pay for the decisions these board members and administrative employees have made.
Update and illumination after the meeting...
However, let me add one thing: putting this on the November ballot is not costing anything, so they are ready to give it a try, even if there plans have been rushed together over the last six months. My guess is that they will put it on the ballot in November and if they cannot achieve a 2/3 majority vote, they will go ahead and try the special election next year.
Below is the agenda for the meeting:
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AGENDA
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Administrative Conference Room
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND CASH FLOW STATEMENT Information
Chet Beedle, Chief Financial Officer
C. GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND MEASURE Action
Timothy McGlew, Chief Executive Officer
D. FORMAL COMMUNITY SURVEY Action
Ernest Flores, Caldwell, Flores, and Winters
E. ADJOURNMENT
For the last few months, whispers, and even whimpers, could be heard around the valley as the Kern Valley Healthcare District began it's drive to talk residents of the Kern River Valley into voting for a bond which will raise property taxes throughout the hospital district.
The General Obligation Bond was previously intended to pay off a debt that had been plaguing the hospital for 24 years now because of a seriously flawed financial venture which included a construction project that was never completed, revenue not generated as well as services and staffing cuts.
The community was put up as collateral as if the hospital cannot pay the community will pay anyway, until every dime is retrieved by the insurer of the original debt.
These were your elected officials (KVHD board members) who made this decision as your representatives and not many people I have spoken to lately even know they are the one's ultimately responsible for paying this debt.
Even though at the July regular board meeting, the talk was about having a special election next year, which would cost approximately $50,000, but would give them single coverage as it will be their own election, the focus on them and not regular election candidates.
Now, a KVHD special meeting is being called and until tomorrow we won't know which board members will vote to put this extra burden on a valley in serious financial trouble.
Obviously, the administration which includes, Chief Financial Officer, Chet Beedle, has singled out the bond as the only way to proceed.
The hospital has been paying on this 22 million dollar debt for 24 years and now if the community passes the GOB in the November election, we will pay for 30 more years.
But here's the twist, within those 30 years, the hospital will be required to replace the whole building, meaning... more property taxes.
I'll report back and let you know which elected board members voted to pursue a community for monies that were caused by bad decision making and bad advice. And an obvious cover up that the community is the "collateral" and will pay for the decisions these board members and administrative employees have made.
Update and illumination after the meeting...
However, let me add one thing: putting this on the November ballot is not costing anything, so they are ready to give it a try, even if there plans have been rushed together over the last six months. My guess is that they will put it on the ballot in November and if they cannot achieve a 2/3 majority vote, they will go ahead and try the special election next year.
Below is the agenda for the meeting:
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AGENDA
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Administrative Conference Room
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND CASH FLOW STATEMENT Information
Chet Beedle, Chief Financial Officer
C. GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND MEASURE Action
Timothy McGlew, Chief Executive Officer
D. FORMAL COMMUNITY SURVEY Action
Ernest Flores, Caldwell, Flores, and Winters
E. ADJOURNMENT
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Pam Ott appears: at Kern County Court, case continued, information collected
Dr. Hoshang Pormir, Gwen Hughes DON, and Pamela Ott former CEO, of the Kern Valley Healthcare District agreed to waive their rights to a speedy preliminary hearing as the court date today was continued until Jan. 5.
But it was an interesting day which has lead me to all sorts of vital information which I will turn into predictions. Some of which I will tell you, some not.
Gwen Hughes scapegoat from the beginning
I stood in the hall way in the basement of the courtroom in front of the court room the defendants were listed to be heard for the pre-prelim.
Gwen Hughes, who has taken most of the blame by witnesses and by the administrators of the hospital, sat across from me in the hallway in her wheelchair.
Hughes is reported to have suffered from Polio, and uses her wheelchair on a part time basis.
When Hughes started her employment at KVHD which lasted all of six months, she came into the skilled nursing facility on the heels of a negative report from public health on the conditions in the skilled nursing facility.
One of the many things needing to be corrected according to the state in March of 2006, was the use of physical restraints. A dignified dining experience was also cited as it is easier with a short staff to feed the residents in their rooms rather than have employees take them to the dining room.
Another issue was the fact that the administrator, Pam Ott, did not have a nursing home administrators license, and that there was no full time director of nursing.
Certain drugs were being utilized, such as Ativan, and psychotropic drugs as well.
A bigger issue played off by the CNO of the time, Sharon Brucker, was the fact that patients were losing weight, a lot of weight.
So, when Hughes came on as full time director of nursing for the skilled nursing facility, she had a lot of cleaning up to do. And one the things she allegedly had experience in was the medications used in geriatric homes.
Hughes started her job in August of 2006, and left as Ott said at one time or was fired as Ott said another time.
The director of nursing was "allowed" to do what she did. She didn't do it on her own.
A CNA told me that when she met Hughes, she was told all patients come out of their rooms for meals. The nurses aid said she tried to tell her some of them chose not to and some could not.
It was all about correcting the mistakes from the prior year, but there was the issue that staff had been cut, and there wasn't a full contingent in the SNF at the time.
Which would lead to certain safety issue situations.
As Ott called the problems in the skilled nursing facility a "system's failure," you can't help but say the system's failure took place "before" the start of Gwen Hughes' employment, and went on afterwards.
How can you blame that on a person who was in a very temporary situation? The leadership however should have known and not tried to escape responsibility, but use it to make the improvements.
Risk assessment by liability carrier Betahc
We recently heard at the last board meeting in October that the hospital''s liability insurance company, Beta group, had recently completed a risk assessment of the nursing center and were impressed though they had some suggestions.
It came to my attention recently that the liability company was in the skilled nursing center under the guidance of the CNO, at the end of 2006. If this was the case, then they also did not catch the problems, and are therefore part of the problem.
The court date, today
Pam Ott and three unidentified people, except for the fourth, Jim Faulkner Ott's attorney, who spotted me early on and kept all conversation with his client down the hall away from me.
But today, it wasn't Jim Faulkner not realizing I was standing there listening intently to every word and even doing some lip reading: it was Steve Muni, a deputy attorney general with state medi-cal fraud office.
While I standing there watching Gwen Hughes adjust her gloves she uses for her wheelchair, her attorney, Bruce Blythe came out of the courtroom with another man, unidentified at the time, and they began chatting like friends.
I'd seen and listened to Bruce Blythe in the hall of the court last time I was there, in September, he didn't seem to be quite as friendly nor was he beaming and grinning from ear to ear.
So, noticing the blushing Blythe I turned my attention to whatever was making him so darn happy. He even turned and waved at his client who was stuck out in the hall.
As I listened to the conversation I realized something was happening in that the defendants and their attorneys were so pliable as to waive their rights to a speedy trial. All three defendants did this.
Why would you do that unless there will be some plea bargaining out.
The reason given for the continuance was that the attorneys for Pormir were going to be in court during this time frame.
That doesn't make much sense either unless you happen to overhear a conversation in the hall.
After we saw the judge
We all filed into the courtroom and the judge, I'll get her name for you since she seems to think it's okay to let elder abuse defendant, Pam Ott, swing in like she was getting a quick lunch, without bail, or a truly practical set of specific parameters.
The judge didn't look at Ott as being an imminent threat, but she is more of a threat than the other two.
Though Ott is not charged for what she did to the employees at the hospital, or the defamation of all who opposed her, she is not only a threat to the elderly but to those who would disagree or expose her bad deeds.
And she can lead people down the wrong path, expound a faulty philosophy, lie to a whole community: yet, she isn't a threat.
I do give credit to the woman from the Board of Registered Nursing who gave the judge a round of why Ott should have to check in before being employed in any "leadership" role. I agree. And, sorry I didn't catch the name of this woman, but she seemed to be the only one making sense today.
The judge, of course, fluffed up her power and denied the Board of Nursing's request.
Now the Board of Nursing has a complaint filed by me personally, as Ott claimed to be a "Nurse Practioner" which is much different than being a Registered Nurse, which is the license she has on file.
I have an email where Ott claims these extra credentials which I sent to the Board of Nursing with my complaint.
So, Ott allowed a stranger, a new director of nursing to run the nursing center. The CNO, Brucker, did the same thing. They covered it up, which many people can testify to. And before the proverbial meltdown occurred, the CNO left her position and a few months later Ott ran out the door.
Elderly residents at the very least were not given proper attention which may have been more the reason that there were allegedly untimely deaths. Not staffing the necessary amount of staff is bad enough, but it's the kind of staff that counts: it's the nurse's aides who are closest to the patients.
Hello Mr. Muni, I'm Laura Hart
After court the players in the game the state and the attorneys headed out the courtroom door with me in chase, looking for Steve Muni.
I introduced myself, which of course, made him irritated because now he knew who the person was who was so interested in his conversation with the defense attorney for Hughes.
I asked a few questions about the continuance which he said had to do with Dr. Pormir's attorney's schedules.
I said what will happen at this status conference, why are they having it before the preliminary hearing?
Muni told me, "somebody could plead out."
The next question was were we (the state) ready to go to trial.
"we're always prepared to go to trial," he said.
Pam Ott pacing up and down the hall
She must have passed me at least four times, as Ott waited outside the court room, while attorneys piled up on the inside. She never looked at me, though I did smile and said hello. (just trying to be polite)
She seemed to be in a good mood, but still would not look ovedr at me.
Come Jan.5 we will find out if the state is ready to go for trial and if they are going to add other defendants and charges.
I'm not soo sure we should get our hopes up on this be disappointed.
Board of Directors reular monthly board meeting will be held tomrrow night, Nov. 4 at 5:30 pm in the hospital cafeteria.
With all the informtion out there about the pharmacy, we will hopefully hear about the hospital's new strategy, the employees situation, and what to do about Cheif Financial Officer, Chet Beedle.
Ask questions get answers (even though so many have been lies, still do it)as it will prove time and again that the hospital administrators and some board members are not telling the truth.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Code blue skies for the Mt. Mesa Clinical Pharmacy: Breaking news from the Kern Valley Healthcare District Finance Commit me meeting
After last month's Kern Valley Healthcare District Board of Director's meeting where the pharmacy was looking like a lost cause, a weakened branch needing to be cut to save the whole tree: now, three weeks later, new data entered the picture and the pharmacy is getting another chance.
Though, Brad Armstrong, voted in favor of looking at the pharmacy situation in detail, and even questioned if Chief Financial Officer, Chet Beedle had tried to market the slumping pharmacy, others at the KVHD board meeting next week may not look so good.
After board member, Bob Jamison, made a motion last month to close it down, as it was "inevitable", the board will again have the opportunity to view the new information, and possibly begin a new run at developing the customer base all over again.
But during the last Oct. KVHD meeting, the board members asked questions but didn't get the real deal regarding the information needed to make such a major decision...
Though, Brad Armstrong, voted in favor of looking at the pharmacy situation in detail, and even questioned if Chief Financial Officer, Chet Beedle had tried to market the slumping pharmacy, others at the KVHD board meeting next week may not look so good.
Chet Beedle gave us a detailed analysis which included a quirky twist, utilizing a ten year old report from a consultant firm which analyzed the hospital's problems back in 2000, which I imagine would look much different than the current situation.
My question to the board is do we really need a full time, Chief Financial Officer?
And I don't mean just this one who relies on an Ouija board or at the least, obscure data to educate the board and other administrators, like, CEO, Tim McGlew.
We are a small hospital where every penny counts and the position of CFO, maybe a place where we can save some money. (Now do you think the CFO ever thought of that, and if he did, would he really make the recommendation going against his own cozy situation.)
I say consultant. I also say consultant in human resources.
The question for our hospital is always how to survive on little money. We're a small business.
When they come to us now talking about the money problems even I could predict, I wonder how did they survive paying the salary of the former CEO, Rick Carter? Not just his salary but the plane tickets, lunches, train transportation and housing, to name a few too many.
The two million dollars which went in haste and waste to Sycamore Asset Management, a company which ambulance chased the hospital nursing center, finding a closure notice in the newspaper, said the owner of Sycamore, Don Ermel Doyle.
KVHD, in submission on it's back after the disaster in the nursing center, proceeded to write them up a time and materials contract. That is like giving them your credit card in front of the mall.
How did we survive this?
How did we make the bond payment from our long term debt to Cal Mtg? I guess we didn't pay all our vendors what we owed and moved money out of places where it should not have been taken. Maybe the pharmacy felt this pinch. And the vendor of pharmaceuticals (the real drug dealers), the distributor, did not like the slow pay and no pay status, and the stress began.
But I feel so much better that our bond payment was made even though we lost our footing because of it. And I'm so glad we never tried to negotiate with Cal Mtg. for a deference on the bond payments because we don't have anyone with a financial green thumb overseeing our "growth."
So, next week, the Kern Valley Healthcare District Board of Directors meeting Wed. Nov. 4, at 5:30 pm in the cafeteria at the hospital.
The update for now is the pharmacy will remain in operation with some staff cuts likely coming, and hopefully a new plan on how to get the medicines to the customers more quickly.
Other issues still smoldering, how to keep other losses down, like in the surgery department; and the skilled nursing facility is just on going; staffing properly not using that as a money saving tool as the CFO suggested; and many things like keeping patients at the hospital and keeping physicians of merit here.
Then the expanding must occur, and maybe even having a service that is so special it can't be found in most locations, whatever we have to do to bring service, follow it up, unlike getting mammography and never using it. (selling the trailer and parting it out, that's a huge failure we don't talk about much.)
We need plans for the future which can be effectuated, really manifested, not just talked about. I am so tired of hearing it and never seeing it, not just at KVHD, but with our government in general, but KVHD is so egregiously hypocritical that we have to start with what is in front of us: a nebulous future.
No more plans to cut a limb without first doing the homework. No more copying the homework from ten years ago. This is ridiculous, inane, and somehow there is always another excuse to go with it.
When does it end? The hospital has been under the direction of the CFO, who has not always been forthcoming, now using outdated data, and made the board and CEO look ridiculous as they were counseled to make a decision to close the pharmacy based on the financial officer's data.
What are we going to do about this situation? Let it go on, and lose more money? Make poor decision making into an art? Never knowing what is real or true in the financial reports?
I don't know, I guess I'll ask the board.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
"YOU'RE FIRED!" former KVHD CEO, Pam Ott, terminated from Sierra Kings hospital
Sierra Kings Hospital District gives the boot to Ott:
Former Kern Valley Healthcare District CEO, Pamela Ott, shown here during the May 2007 KVHD board meeting, where she stepped down as CEO amidst troubles in the skilled nursing facility which lead to elder abuse criminal charges being filed against her two months ago in September.
Ott left KVHD while the nursing center was being threatened with closure, and civil lawsuits were being filed against the district. (No, she wasn't fired by KVHD, but was aided and abetted by the former "sticky three" board members, who sent her off to their friends from Aspen Street Architects, with letters of recommendation.)
She then went on to Sierra Kings District Hospital a month later, being hired on as CEO, with a resume containing suspicious educational degrees originating from a "diploma mill" or unaccredited program, which KVHD overlooked and so did Sierra Kings.
Reedley rids itself of Ott
When Ott was charged two months ago by the state of California, Department of Justice, Medi-Cal and elder abuse, and Board of Registered Nursing, with eight counts of elder abuse, the Sierra Kings District Board of Directors put her on unpaid administrative leave.
The former President of the Sierra Kings board, Trish Johnson, said that the board was not aware of why Ott was going to court at the time, and that the whole issue was a surprise to her. (More research of her resume would have probably lessened the surprise factor.)
Johnson said the board would wait until the November hearing to make a final decision on Ott's status with the district.
The criminal court hearings, which took place last week, resulted only in a continuance for Ott and the two other remaining defendants, Dr. Hoshang Pormir and Gwen Hughes, RN, until Jan. 5, as they all waived their rights to a "speedy preliminary hearing."
While Ott prepared for court last week, the Sierra Kings hospital board of directors, at their regular monthly meeting, made the decision, and terminated the former CEO who will be facing criminal charges as well as several civil lawsuits occurring during her leadership at KVHD.
Human resources fiasco
As I mentioned above, both the Kern Valley Healthcare District and Sierra Kings Distirct, hired on Ott with her fish market, fishy resume, work history and educational degrees. (there are several posts on the blog relating to this topic, as well as Ott's actual resume.)
Imagine that this document, the copy I have was used at KVHD, was seen and reviewed by many people in the chain of command, which makes this another "system failure" as Ott described the state of the nursing center in 2007.
There have been many people arguing recently about how the poor victims in the human resources department have their hands tied by the state and cannot do a full background check.
Yes, Ott was the tragedy, but certainly not her resignation
Crazy as it sounds, after the threat of closing the nursing center, the cries for help from the employees, the new drug regimen, KVHD board member, Bob Jamison called Ott stepping down, "a tragedy that didn't have to happen."
Yelling and threatening, Jamison, made it clear that the only problem at KVHD was the media reporting there was a problem at KVHD. He and Ott even threatened libel suits to put the finishing touches on their story.
Jamison, who is the only person at the local radio outlet, QAB media, who can work the engineering for the stations (which allows him great influence over the owners,) engineered a plan to have Ott on the radio to explain what happened at the nursing center. He dedicated a whole hour of radio time to deny the seriousness of the problems and to offer sad excuses to go along with the lies. (See: Here's your witness Jerry Brown to read the transcript of the show)
Jamison was not alone in his grief for Ott and her departure, the two fellow board members, known as the "sticky three," Brad Armstrong and Barbara Casas, were more concerned with Ott's resignation than the meltdown of the hospital.
Brad Armstrong and Barbara Casas, openly attack the community in response to Ott's resignation. Bob Knight, at the right of the picture, tried to warn the other board members and community of the problems, but was not taken seriously because of personal attacks.
But did Jamison, Casas, and Armstrong also help Ott get the job she just lost at Sierra Kings District, by providing references? (If I were Sierra Kings and didn't want to look as ridiculous as they do here for hiring Ott, I would get out those letters of reference and march them down to an attorney who might know what to do about it.)
Again, the onus of responsibility comes down from the top. Even if none of these people ever touched a resident of the nursing center or knew their names, they created an environment of fear and dishonesty, which lead to the system failure or whatever term you want to call it, which hurt residents, families, and the future of this hospital, and in turn the future of this community.
That kind of authoritarian leadership created a hostile environment inside that hospital, where many people were threatened with termination, hours cut, pay cuts, licenses reported; anything to keep employees from questioning the administrators and their board member cohorts.
(Hitler never put one single person on a train to a concentration camp. He didn't have to do the dirty work; it was the environment of fear he created that lead people to do things they would not normally do or agree with. )
As Ott resigned in May 07, she gave the board thirty days notice, meaning she may have stepped down that night at the meeting, but she had thirty more days in power and some cleaning up to do.
Ott's last thirty, dirty days at KVHD
The day after her resignation, several employees found themselves facing the firing squad, Human Resources Manager, Michelle Rosado. (Rosado left shortly after Ott in 07)
Rosado wasted no time in getting those out of the hospital who could be a threat to the cover up of the nursing center which had been ensuing for months.
Anyone who knew me, was immediately suspect. Employees told me they were ordered to "never" talk to me. My medical care suffered as a consequence.
There was no compassion as I got phone calls from distraught staff with stories of being thrown out of their offices without time to even gather all of their things.
They were ordered off the property. The paranoid administrators then turned to another tactic and that was to try and hold up unemployment claims and people trying to retrieve money from their vacation, sick time, and retirement accounts.
Next was the insurance issue, as terminated employees were scrambling to hang onto their health insurance, they were told, like in most cases, the only option was the COBRA policy, which was overpriced, especially for the recently jobless.
So, the stress continued as Ott blamed the terminations on the nursing home management company, Sycamore Asset Management Company, who came in via Ott and the board. (I've got this on tape Sycamore...?)
Sycamore was given carte blanche to do what they had to do to pull the SNF out of possible closure, and they were handed on a silver platter, a time and materials contract, to do it with.
The board and the financial officer, Chet Beedle, allowed this company to charge almost two million dollars, for their services, which did not end the woes of the nursing center. There was no due diligence in that decision, and currently hurts the hospital which barely has five days cash on hand.
(We could use that money now. Where's Pam Ott? Would she be willing to pay our fines and the tab for Sycamore? We need the money back Pam.)
Two board members and dozens of employees tried to get thru the bulwark, Robert and Kathryn Knight, reported the CEO, but in the end, all the propaganda and defamation kept the truth buried, until now. (see blog post: Urban legend, revelation and responsibility)
Firing can be a good thing though
I think ridding yourself of employees who are irresponsible, lacking in skills, lying on their resumes, pretending not to know about criminal activity, engaging in criminal activity, showing no compassion, invading private employee information, is a really good idea.
But that's not what happened at KVHD.
In fact, people were fired for no good reason on many occasions. But the ones who were doing the things I described above, many of them are still getting a paycheck from our public healthcare district every month.
And one of the people, actually, as has been posted in this blog, invaded the privacy of two employees without recourse. He also misled the board members on many financial decisions. He was involved in a nasty dispute regarding a health clinic which ended up requiring our favorite players, attorneys.
But he's still there. Even with new board members, who should be wary of everything this person claims and says, there has been no real action to change the situation.
How can you fire people for no reason, and not fire those for a good reason?
Can KVHD make any sense of this themselves? I cannot.
If the board and administrators truly want what is best for this district and this hospital and ultimately the community's survival, then they should take their job's seriously, and make the tough calls.
To do this they must cast off any doubt or fear that they will be criticized or even lose a few admirers, when they get around to doing what is right. (it's been long awaited, trust me)
Correct the imbalances; create a new environment of participation and honesty; and rid us of the past crimes against this community.
She doesn't have a bunker
Here we are more than two years later and the Sierra Kings District Hospital is doing what we at KVHD should have done: fire Ott.
Sierra Kings is not without its own problems, as the former President of the board, was recently asked to step down by members of the community, as the hospital has filed for bankruptcy and questions about the origin of these problems still plague the residents.
Trish Johnson, did not step down as a board member, but rather a wishy washy stance was taken and she slipped into another chair, and now is no longer in a leadership position on the board, yet still a board member.
I don't think that move will satisfy the people in Reedley though, as they are willing to take up signs, speak out and walk in front of the hospital, with regard only for the community, not themselves or reputations.
I have asked repeatedly that Bob Jamison and Brad Armstrong admit their mistakes and step down from the board. I am not the only one who believes this would be best for our community: I just happen to be the only one willing to say it.
The Valley of Fear
We live in a valley of fear, as we're prone to ignore problems for the sake of our standing in the community. There are people here who would throw you under the bus in a heartbeat if it made them look better or kept them out of trouble.
I've seen that happen at this hospital over the last few years, and it is indeed sickening.
Pam Ott fed off of this environment, that is how she was able to escape responsibility for two years, and even get a couple of awards from the Association of California Healthcare Districts, ACHD, before the law caught up with her.
Bob Jamison and Brad Armstrong must believe that by stepping down from the board and allowing progress to the scene, that would somehow diminish them and their previous power.
Realize this: these two board members get little money to do what they do (which these days is nothing); they do get healthcare insurance with the district; but all in all it's not a paying job, it's a service.
And boy oh boy did they serve up quite a dish for us: colluding with each other, allowing criminal activity, engaging in criminal activity, ignoring serious and deadly problems, hiring unqualified CEO's, and yet they are still here. (It boggles the mind)
They will never have their power back, the way it was when Ott and Beedle reigned as King and Queen.
Jamison and Armstrong stay because they are not strong enough to leave. It's that simple. There is strength in character, so that answers our questions.
Final thoughts
I'm sure there will be some happy people out there who believe that Pam Ott is now getting what she deserves: what comes around goes around, they say.
I don't blame them a bit as Ott showed no compassion toward anyone, and that lack of sentiment was followed by her followers, Ott's gang. (See post: Ma's gang)
The finale may not be the way we would like it as the state of California, Department of Justice, maybe hoping to escape the trial and go for the plea bargains.
But if we can save this hospital from itself at this point, and survive the immoral and unethical years, then we can be proud of ourselves.
We have a serious situation coming from every direction at the healthcare district, as it is weakened to the point of considering even to close down a pharmacy used by residents utilizing the local district services or simply living on the south side of the lake.
If they can't run a pharmacy, how can these people run a whole healthcare district?
Is this not a model of ineffective financial planning, development, and certainly financial advice?
We have become the Kern Valley Public "thrift store" District, as the auxiliary manages to have continued success financially, and a construction project which went without a hitch, and was fully completed.
The Auxiliary, an all volunteer crew, manage to keep this district running, providing money for the rehab on the aging buildings, and rundown or nonexistent equipment. Umm, since they're paying for everything, they should be invited in on the discussion of how to run the pharmacy.
We will have more on the pharmacy soon. Please know that the employees left at the gutted pharmacy are trying their best to get your order, and that they do not have the power to change the situation. If you want to complain, talk to the man who is in charge of finance, CFO, Chet Beedle. 760-379-2681, press O, and ask for Chet.
And thank you, Sierra Kings, for setting a strong example of community teamwork, involvement, to deal with situations such as we have at our relative healthcare outlets. You have filed for bankruptcy and now have divested yourselves of Ott, whereas we should bankrupt, and fire the left over players from the Ott regime.
And also a thank you goes out to the woman (I didn't get her name, but I will) from the Board of Registered Nursing, who in court last week, asked the judge that Ott be required to check in with the agency before taking on a leadership position in any new employment she may get.
(In September when she was initially charged, Ott was not required to post bail, spent no time in jail or a jumpsuit, and her only stipulation was that she could not hold a leadership position in a hospital with a nursing center. Oh, the inequity of these decisions.)
The judge denied the board of nursing's request, but the fact that she persisted and may really understand, unlike the judge, what Ott is capable of, makes her diligent in her pursuit of justice. (Remember, I posted the email where Ott again misrepresents her credentials even further past her resume, and tells me she was a nurse practitioner. She was offering to help me as I had become ill, which was truly timed in her favor. That should be reason enough right there to keep an eye on Miss Ott.)
More to follow...
Former Kern Valley Healthcare District CEO, Pamela Ott, shown here during the May 2007 KVHD board meeting, where she stepped down as CEO amidst troubles in the skilled nursing facility which lead to elder abuse criminal charges being filed against her two months ago in September.
Ott left KVHD while the nursing center was being threatened with closure, and civil lawsuits were being filed against the district. (No, she wasn't fired by KVHD, but was aided and abetted by the former "sticky three" board members, who sent her off to their friends from Aspen Street Architects, with letters of recommendation.)
She then went on to Sierra Kings District Hospital a month later, being hired on as CEO, with a resume containing suspicious educational degrees originating from a "diploma mill" or unaccredited program, which KVHD overlooked and so did Sierra Kings.
Reedley rids itself of Ott
When Ott was charged two months ago by the state of California, Department of Justice, Medi-Cal and elder abuse, and Board of Registered Nursing, with eight counts of elder abuse, the Sierra Kings District Board of Directors put her on unpaid administrative leave.
The former President of the Sierra Kings board, Trish Johnson, said that the board was not aware of why Ott was going to court at the time, and that the whole issue was a surprise to her. (More research of her resume would have probably lessened the surprise factor.)
Johnson said the board would wait until the November hearing to make a final decision on Ott's status with the district.
The criminal court hearings, which took place last week, resulted only in a continuance for Ott and the two other remaining defendants, Dr. Hoshang Pormir and Gwen Hughes, RN, until Jan. 5, as they all waived their rights to a "speedy preliminary hearing."
While Ott prepared for court last week, the Sierra Kings hospital board of directors, at their regular monthly meeting, made the decision, and terminated the former CEO who will be facing criminal charges as well as several civil lawsuits occurring during her leadership at KVHD.
Human resources fiasco
As I mentioned above, both the Kern Valley Healthcare District and Sierra Kings Distirct, hired on Ott with her fish market, fishy resume, work history and educational degrees. (there are several posts on the blog relating to this topic, as well as Ott's actual resume.)
Imagine that this document, the copy I have was used at KVHD, was seen and reviewed by many people in the chain of command, which makes this another "system failure" as Ott described the state of the nursing center in 2007.
There have been many people arguing recently about how the poor victims in the human resources department have their hands tied by the state and cannot do a full background check.
Maybe so, if you put no work into it at all. However, Ott's resume was so obvious that anyone reading it could have caught it and questioned it, it would have taken all of five minutes to look the degrees up on the Internet.
There is no excuse for this. All who were involved in the hiring of Ott as CEO should be fired, sued, or thrown off the board of directors. (By the way, if Ott is currently job hunting, I would recommend to a potential employer to: READ THIS BLOG FIRST, then decide. Here's your background check and it wasn't free, we all paid the price.)Yes, Ott was the tragedy, but certainly not her resignation
Crazy as it sounds, after the threat of closing the nursing center, the cries for help from the employees, the new drug regimen, KVHD board member, Bob Jamison called Ott stepping down, "a tragedy that didn't have to happen."
Yelling and threatening, Jamison, made it clear that the only problem at KVHD was the media reporting there was a problem at KVHD. He and Ott even threatened libel suits to put the finishing touches on their story.
Jamison, who is the only person at the local radio outlet, QAB media, who can work the engineering for the stations (which allows him great influence over the owners,) engineered a plan to have Ott on the radio to explain what happened at the nursing center. He dedicated a whole hour of radio time to deny the seriousness of the problems and to offer sad excuses to go along with the lies. (See: Here's your witness Jerry Brown to read the transcript of the show)
Jamison was not alone in his grief for Ott and her departure, the two fellow board members, known as the "sticky three," Brad Armstrong and Barbara Casas, were more concerned with Ott's resignation than the meltdown of the hospital.
Brad Armstrong and Barbara Casas, openly attack the community in response to Ott's resignation. Bob Knight, at the right of the picture, tried to warn the other board members and community of the problems, but was not taken seriously because of personal attacks.
But did Jamison, Casas, and Armstrong also help Ott get the job she just lost at Sierra Kings District, by providing references? (If I were Sierra Kings and didn't want to look as ridiculous as they do here for hiring Ott, I would get out those letters of reference and march them down to an attorney who might know what to do about it.)
Again, the onus of responsibility comes down from the top. Even if none of these people ever touched a resident of the nursing center or knew their names, they created an environment of fear and dishonesty, which lead to the system failure or whatever term you want to call it, which hurt residents, families, and the future of this hospital, and in turn the future of this community.
That kind of authoritarian leadership created a hostile environment inside that hospital, where many people were threatened with termination, hours cut, pay cuts, licenses reported; anything to keep employees from questioning the administrators and their board member cohorts.
(Hitler never put one single person on a train to a concentration camp. He didn't have to do the dirty work; it was the environment of fear he created that lead people to do things they would not normally do or agree with. )
As Ott resigned in May 07, she gave the board thirty days notice, meaning she may have stepped down that night at the meeting, but she had thirty more days in power and some cleaning up to do.
Ott's last thirty, dirty days at KVHD
The day after her resignation, several employees found themselves facing the firing squad, Human Resources Manager, Michelle Rosado. (Rosado left shortly after Ott in 07)
Rosado wasted no time in getting those out of the hospital who could be a threat to the cover up of the nursing center which had been ensuing for months.
Anyone who knew me, was immediately suspect. Employees told me they were ordered to "never" talk to me. My medical care suffered as a consequence.
There was no compassion as I got phone calls from distraught staff with stories of being thrown out of their offices without time to even gather all of their things.
They were ordered off the property. The paranoid administrators then turned to another tactic and that was to try and hold up unemployment claims and people trying to retrieve money from their vacation, sick time, and retirement accounts.
Next was the insurance issue, as terminated employees were scrambling to hang onto their health insurance, they were told, like in most cases, the only option was the COBRA policy, which was overpriced, especially for the recently jobless.
So, the stress continued as Ott blamed the terminations on the nursing home management company, Sycamore Asset Management Company, who came in via Ott and the board. (I've got this on tape Sycamore...?)
Sycamore was given carte blanche to do what they had to do to pull the SNF out of possible closure, and they were handed on a silver platter, a time and materials contract, to do it with.
The board and the financial officer, Chet Beedle, allowed this company to charge almost two million dollars, for their services, which did not end the woes of the nursing center. There was no due diligence in that decision, and currently hurts the hospital which barely has five days cash on hand.
(We could use that money now. Where's Pam Ott? Would she be willing to pay our fines and the tab for Sycamore? We need the money back Pam.)
Two board members and dozens of employees tried to get thru the bulwark, Robert and Kathryn Knight, reported the CEO, but in the end, all the propaganda and defamation kept the truth buried, until now. (see blog post: Urban legend, revelation and responsibility)
Firing can be a good thing though
I think ridding yourself of employees who are irresponsible, lacking in skills, lying on their resumes, pretending not to know about criminal activity, engaging in criminal activity, showing no compassion, invading private employee information, is a really good idea.
But that's not what happened at KVHD.
In fact, people were fired for no good reason on many occasions. But the ones who were doing the things I described above, many of them are still getting a paycheck from our public healthcare district every month.
And one of the people, actually, as has been posted in this blog, invaded the privacy of two employees without recourse. He also misled the board members on many financial decisions. He was involved in a nasty dispute regarding a health clinic which ended up requiring our favorite players, attorneys.
But he's still there. Even with new board members, who should be wary of everything this person claims and says, there has been no real action to change the situation.
How can you fire people for no reason, and not fire those for a good reason?
Can KVHD make any sense of this themselves? I cannot.
If the board and administrators truly want what is best for this district and this hospital and ultimately the community's survival, then they should take their job's seriously, and make the tough calls.
To do this they must cast off any doubt or fear that they will be criticized or even lose a few admirers, when they get around to doing what is right. (it's been long awaited, trust me)
Correct the imbalances; create a new environment of participation and honesty; and rid us of the past crimes against this community.
She doesn't have a bunker
Here we are more than two years later and the Sierra Kings District Hospital is doing what we at KVHD should have done: fire Ott.
Sierra Kings is not without its own problems, as the former President of the board, was recently asked to step down by members of the community, as the hospital has filed for bankruptcy and questions about the origin of these problems still plague the residents.
Trish Johnson, did not step down as a board member, but rather a wishy washy stance was taken and she slipped into another chair, and now is no longer in a leadership position on the board, yet still a board member.
I don't think that move will satisfy the people in Reedley though, as they are willing to take up signs, speak out and walk in front of the hospital, with regard only for the community, not themselves or reputations.
I have asked repeatedly that Bob Jamison and Brad Armstrong admit their mistakes and step down from the board. I am not the only one who believes this would be best for our community: I just happen to be the only one willing to say it.
The Valley of Fear
We live in a valley of fear, as we're prone to ignore problems for the sake of our standing in the community. There are people here who would throw you under the bus in a heartbeat if it made them look better or kept them out of trouble.
I've seen that happen at this hospital over the last few years, and it is indeed sickening.
Pam Ott fed off of this environment, that is how she was able to escape responsibility for two years, and even get a couple of awards from the Association of California Healthcare Districts, ACHD, before the law caught up with her.
Bob Jamison and Brad Armstrong must believe that by stepping down from the board and allowing progress to the scene, that would somehow diminish them and their previous power.
Realize this: these two board members get little money to do what they do (which these days is nothing); they do get healthcare insurance with the district; but all in all it's not a paying job, it's a service.
And boy oh boy did they serve up quite a dish for us: colluding with each other, allowing criminal activity, engaging in criminal activity, ignoring serious and deadly problems, hiring unqualified CEO's, and yet they are still here. (It boggles the mind)
They will never have their power back, the way it was when Ott and Beedle reigned as King and Queen.
Jamison and Armstrong stay because they are not strong enough to leave. It's that simple. There is strength in character, so that answers our questions.
Final thoughts
I'm sure there will be some happy people out there who believe that Pam Ott is now getting what she deserves: what comes around goes around, they say.
I don't blame them a bit as Ott showed no compassion toward anyone, and that lack of sentiment was followed by her followers, Ott's gang. (See post: Ma's gang)
The finale may not be the way we would like it as the state of California, Department of Justice, maybe hoping to escape the trial and go for the plea bargains.
But if we can save this hospital from itself at this point, and survive the immoral and unethical years, then we can be proud of ourselves.
We have a serious situation coming from every direction at the healthcare district, as it is weakened to the point of considering even to close down a pharmacy used by residents utilizing the local district services or simply living on the south side of the lake.
If they can't run a pharmacy, how can these people run a whole healthcare district?
Is this not a model of ineffective financial planning, development, and certainly financial advice?
We have become the Kern Valley Public "thrift store" District, as the auxiliary manages to have continued success financially, and a construction project which went without a hitch, and was fully completed.
The Auxiliary, an all volunteer crew, manage to keep this district running, providing money for the rehab on the aging buildings, and rundown or nonexistent equipment. Umm, since they're paying for everything, they should be invited in on the discussion of how to run the pharmacy.
We will have more on the pharmacy soon. Please know that the employees left at the gutted pharmacy are trying their best to get your order, and that they do not have the power to change the situation. If you want to complain, talk to the man who is in charge of finance, CFO, Chet Beedle. 760-379-2681, press O, and ask for Chet.
And thank you, Sierra Kings, for setting a strong example of community teamwork, involvement, to deal with situations such as we have at our relative healthcare outlets. You have filed for bankruptcy and now have divested yourselves of Ott, whereas we should bankrupt, and fire the left over players from the Ott regime.
And also a thank you goes out to the woman (I didn't get her name, but I will) from the Board of Registered Nursing, who in court last week, asked the judge that Ott be required to check in with the agency before taking on a leadership position in any new employment she may get.
(In September when she was initially charged, Ott was not required to post bail, spent no time in jail or a jumpsuit, and her only stipulation was that she could not hold a leadership position in a hospital with a nursing center. Oh, the inequity of these decisions.)
The judge denied the board of nursing's request, but the fact that she persisted and may really understand, unlike the judge, what Ott is capable of, makes her diligent in her pursuit of justice. (Remember, I posted the email where Ott again misrepresents her credentials even further past her resume, and tells me she was a nurse practitioner. She was offering to help me as I had become ill, which was truly timed in her favor. That should be reason enough right there to keep an eye on Miss Ott.)
More to follow...
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