Dr. Kent Skoegerson or Betagroup liability: a clarification

My real question is the Kern Valley Healthcare District "Human Escort them out" Department

Someone asked me about Kern Valley Healthcare District Surgeon, Dr. Kent Skoegerson; I was asked for details as to what a Google search unearthed recently.

First, in cases where doctors or healthcare personnel lose their licenses, there are rarely details to share for those of us surfing the government sites.

But, I clarified to this person that Dr. Skoegerson has nothing to do with the point of my post. So, I obviously didn't clear the message.

I have seen, and many of these documents are posted on this blog, resumes and credentials that don't add up to either reality, or there are even truly misleading and in one certain case completely obvious, that these people are not what their handy stories actually say.

Why have so many slipped through the cracks in HR, or Human Remorse Department?

The process of hiring is different depending on the level of the position you are fishing for. How could a CEO come in with a diploma mill resume? How can a CFO say he has the experience in certain areas and then never complete them? Are all the positions filled with a cursory look?

Then you have the board of directors selecting the administration which would qualify as either another set of eyes or possibly total reliance on the HR department. And even possibly collusion as the employment ends with a vote.

Regarding Dr. Kent Skoegerson

Dr. Skoegerson obviously had something go wrong, seriously so. But none of us, including me, were there or know what happened.

What we do know is that KVHD was desperate for a surgeon as they needed one to qualify as a full fledged hospital.

We also know that they were choosing from doctors who had liability problems. The hospital keeps liability insurance through Betagroup and this outfit decides whether a person in such an important position, (they are all important positions as healthcare requires a team effort, including the patients...for later) can be covered properly by their insurance.

A surgeon was turned away because of "liability" issues prior to the arrival of Dr. Skoegerson.

The question for Betagroup is what was so different in the two cases of the surgeons of the KRV? What sort of research is done, and do they automatically avoid errors say that happened in other states?

Who and what is the problem?

Dr. Skoegerson has done a small number of surgeries compared to other hospitals, but he has done this for almost six years.

Why now does the KVHD board believe he should be terminated from his contract?

Doctors are hard to find, so take any you can get past Betagroup's obviously stringent standards?

Again, the area I'm interested in is the hiring practices of the KVHD administration and board, their HR managers, and their insurance company.

I personally saw Dr. Skoegerson for a surgery and some tests, and never had a problem. My experience with him was favorable.

However, I didn't think to research his background prior to our surgery, and the government allows only so much information to be included, that I would not be able to decide without more information.

If you had the choice between a doctor with a spotless record, which I believes still means nothing as you don't know why it's spotless, they could have used Windex, or a doctor with a background which offers a negative showing, you would likely believe in the doctor without a blemish.

You deserve the choice, but here's the problem with that: I frankly don't know if doctor do nothing wrong's time will shortly come and it will be me. And government websites are as dangerous a place to judge as they offer only what scant information is possible.

I don't trust these government agencies or websites and know nothing more of Dr. Skoegerson than my personal, short term, experience which went well. That's not up on the government site...why not? That's a question for these oversight agencies to answer: why aren't patients part of the the "healthcare democracy?"

Why don't we write records of our visits? Or are even required to do so? Well, the American Medical Association protects its doctors and they don't even like the current government program where certain "spies" call primary care offices to find out if they are offering enough care to the community, along with issues about sliding scale and insurance. Oh my, terrible stuff protecting the patients too...

Expand patients rights and conquer the problem.

The question remains why Betagroup has allowed positions to be filled by uncertain professionals, and we are only finding out about it now after years of employment.

How we obtain our care should be done with care, and we should be allowed to know, but know more, so we can make a decision as denying patients this information is borderline criminal.

Would I have had Dr. Skoegerson do my surgery again knowing what I know now? Very possibly as I don't trust how the government is protecting us with scant information, when Dr. Skoegerson should be able to at least respond publicly to his records.

Why have more liability KVHD?

This kind of logic defies sense, considering the long list of cases hanging over the healthcare district, which may include paying off Dr. Skoegerson. Many can be seen on the Kern County Superior court site. Simply click on civil or criminal, and put in Kern Valley Healthcare District, and see what you find.

How can they afford this?

UPDATED: Following the trail of Pamela Ott former KVHD CEO/Administrator: Is she on leave at Sierra Kings District?

Update: According to the Reedley Exponent the local newspaper for the area and Sierra Kings District Hospital, said this morning it was confirmed that Pamela Ott was put on leave as of 5 pm last Thursday, right on the heels of charges of elder abuse by the state Department of Justice.

Sierra Kings Board Chairwoman, Trish Johnson, and it was confirmed that Ott is on leave. Lingo doesn't know whether the leave is paid or not.

Also leaving Sierra Kings was Chief Financial Officer, Barbara Jennings, the reason at this point unclear, but Lingo said the chairwoman said the two actions were not related.

Though it is the understanding at this point that Ott as CEO of Sierra King brought in her own "team" and one of which is suspected to be the now former CFO.

When the board chairwoman was asked about Ott's credentials by the Reedley Exponent, the story went that they believed they did their "due dilligence" and it is difficult to get through employers to find the real story.
(Don't we know that here.)
With one exception to that reasoning, all they would have had to do was "google" Ott's educational degrees and within two minutes would have known something was wrong.

The Kern Valley Healthcare District failed to do the same thing or maybe all of them just overlooked it.

Sierra Kings District has its own financial problems as two general obligation bonds were taken from the mostly senior community, and that was not enough money. So, Lingo, told me the hospital has talked about getting "donations" from the community to finish the project.
(That could have been us, Kern River Valley, had Measure M passed)

Rumors abound about financial problems at the Sierra Kings District, and even the word "bankruptcy" has been spoken.

According to Rocky Rogers, City Manager, there is no indication that there is a bankruptcy in progress, but the hospital is looking at how to improve its financial situation.

"All I can tell you is that they are having their finances reviewed. They will have to tell you of any further actions they may be taking. We are here to assist and help in whatever way we can as the Hospital means the livelihood for some 300 people."

Oh, we in the KRV know that our hospital is the biggest employer and the only hospital for 50 miles down a dangerous canyon road.

Currently, there seems to be a management, maybe consultant company in Sierra Kings, called HFS. We will follow this up and get more information as to what this group is doing.

Summary: Ott on leave since 5 pm, Thursday, Sept. 10, two days after she was charges with eight counts of elder abuse.

Later today, hoping to get word back from the Department of Justice on questions from last week....

Lawyers line up in court last Tuesday as the state adds a new defendant to its case of elder abuse in the nursing center at the Kern Valley Healthcare District. Pam Ott pled not guilty and was allowed to leave court with no bail or incarceration.

(courtroom photo from KGET channel 17, Bakersfield)

Still trying to get word on how the emergency meeting at Sierra Kings District concluded last Thursday after their CEO, and former KVHD CEO/Administrator, Pamela Ott was charged with eight counts of elder abuse.

The state's case says that Ott had knowledge of the alleged practices of using psychotropic drugs on difficult patients, but did nothing to stop it.

According to a tip, Ott has been put on administrative leave (Paid or not?) at Sierra King until the felony case begins on Nov. 3 and 4. We will have to verify that information with the hospital.

Ott who left KVHD in a hurry in May of 2007, as civil suits began to be threatened, and at least one family said they settled, or was paid off early in 2007, as the district tried to keep the information from leaking out.

When Ott left she got a nice raise, as she was paid 142K at Kern Valley Healthcare District and according to the Fresno Bee, is recieving $175K annually at Sierra King.

As of right now, Ott has plead "not guilty" and her attorney has actually said according to the Bakersfield Californian Newspaper, that she is completely innocent.

Now there's some hyperbole for you. Since nobody is ever completely innocent, I think her attorney should do his homework, and he will find there are not too many out there who have looked at her resume, and not snickered. And there is a whole community full of people here who were duped but now know the truth.

And let us not forget the employees who were threatened and fired. And the families of residents who say they were mistreated as they tried to obtain records, information, and money.

There are other players in this game, but we have no word if the state has concluded its investigation and will not pursue others at KVHD who also knew what was going on but chose not to stop it or even attempt to help.

Last Tuesday, the two other defendants, Gwen Hughes former Director of Nursing for the nursing center, and Dr. Hoshang Pormir, Medical director, showed up for court as they were scheduled for a pre preliminary hearing. The hearing was continued as Ott was put on the defendant list.

Former Cheif Nursing Officer, Sharon Brucker, who resigned in December of 2006, and the nurse Pamela Ott claimed in correspondence with Department of Health Services was the main person in charge of the nursing center, is seen here outside the Kern County Superior court speaking with Dr. Pormir.

More to follow...

KVHD Elder Abuse case scheduled Jan. 5: we will get you the report

If it's rotten at the top...

Former Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, Pam Ott, is scheduled in court today, Jan. 5, along with the Director of nursing she hired, Gwen Hughes, and a doctor who had been with the district ten years before Ott even arrived, Dr. Hoshang Pormir.

http://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/

For more information on the times and charges, go to the Kern County Superior court link, and you can look up the criminal as well as certain civil cases that are underway or have concluded.

Pam Ott, who seems to be the last defendant charged by the state, Medi-cal fraud and elder abuse, as well as spending time under the scrutiny of the board of registered nursing.

Ott was hired on in 2003 as the CEO of the KVHD hospital. Her resume showed two obviously, had someone actually looked at it, degrees from a school not even accredited in the state.

But that major flaw that the board of director's and former CEO, David Green, from BRIM management company, brought in around 2000, after the  board negated a contract with William Casey who was thrust upon the district by our creditor, Cal Mtg.

After Green streaked out of here leaving Ott in charge of the henhouse, things slowly but surely began to change.

The Ott regime has been dilineated on this blog, but again, the day before we head back to court I can't help wondering why there wasn't more that was taken off the top?

The people in charge at the time were all mandated reporters, meaning they would have had to turn themselves in for ignoring serious problems caused by staffing cuts which lead to unsafe conditions.

We had Ott at the top of administration, the CEO, and the one who signed the reports for the skilled nursing facility: the very same one she claims she knew nothing about what they were really doing in there. (Hey, she signed these forms as administrator, not as "I guess that's what they're doing.")

Her second in command, former Chief Nursing Officer, Sharon Brucker, was so close to the situation, knew and heard all the complaints, and finally succumbed to the paranoia brought on by Ott's fear that someone, anyone, a sick reporter, may find out.

Brucker was involved in a coupe against the hospital's own employees. Like CFO, Chet Beedle, and Human Resources leader, Michelle Rosato, all "top guns," who broke the privacy laws by trying to impugn the reputations of certain employees who didn't agree with them. (later it would be the firing squad as times got more desperate.)

Ott, Brucker, Beedle, Rosato: CEO, CNO, HR, knew nothing about what was happening in the skilled nursing facility? The top administrators?

But what about the board of directors whom this community votes into place, the one's who are to keep the people, voters, patients, rights overseen, were cramped up into a ball of three out of five. (the sticky three, a quorum in a five person board)

Bob Jamison defended Ott even after her resignation. He used the radio station, his employer, and formerly paid for advertisements by KVHD, to defend Ott.

Former board member, Barbara Casas was apparently unaware that Ott was calling her "crazy" and other names behind her back, (I have emails) as she was used basically for the third vote.

And Brad Armstrong, what can you say about somebody who has the opportunity to save lives and careers but does nothing but attack the victims? His message hasn't changed: the employees are and were the problem. (I disagree. He allowed the problem to continue and created a hostile environment where the truth that the CEO, CNO, CFO, and HR were involved was not to be spoken without recourse)

How to get fired or get a reputation: by KVHD employees

I remember the nurse who wrote this very well. She came to me after she was fired, because there was nobody out there who came to help.

We were alone in our investigation. Yes, it was reported to many agencies, whom I will call soon, because as I said, this is the year of "accountability."

Public health didn't just recieve one phone call, no matter what they try to sell you, they just didn't know how bad it really was and they had a very persuasive CEO, in Ott, to deal with.

The Kern County Grand Jury didn't think much of our situation here either.

Oh, and the media, well, they weren't going to cut their own purse strings, and some were bold enough to lie and dupe anyone who would listen.

This nurse knew that Ott was aware of the situation. Why? Because she was one of many who complained. She was fired.

I'm a nurse practitioner and I can help you

In November of 2006, one month after I had a sudden weight loss which never resolved, I had to tell my "friend" at the time, Pam Ott, that I had a nightmare experience in the emergency room.

I went in seeking "food" but intravenously, because I was wasting away. Instead I got loaded full of drugs which "blacked me out." (we will address the irony of this situation in another blog, Rural Health Clinic, Jewel of the District)

Unfortunately, they sent me home intoxicated and driving by myself. I don't rememeber how I got home. I was alarmed.

So, I told Ott what had happened, and now began a whole new round of trying to help me, checking on what I'm eating, making referrals with doctors inside the hospital so I don't get too excited and tell someone about what happened.

In this email to me from Ott, she tells me that she wants to help me get better, and that she was a "very good nurse practitioner" at one time.

Ott, according to state records, has a registered nursing license she recieved from Fresno city college in 1971, but she was not a nurse practitioner.

So, what does that make her telling me she was a nurse practitioner? A liar, yes, but also someone who would say and do anything to cover thier own butt. Who would openly lie about credentials as Ott did?

And the state almost left her behind in this investigation. Jerry, Steve, Donny, she is the one you want to prosecute, the one to put in front of a jury.

But I am dissappointed that you didn't take the top layer. You have done so in many cases coming through on your public relations pipeline: why not us? This is a form of the corporate fraud you like to tangle with. Or get money from or something like that.

As you  can see I continued the effort to unveil Ott, but I also stay on here at the hospital waiting to unveil the rest your "big time attorney general's office" chooses to ignore.

No, no, it's okay, I'll finish your work for you. If you're too afraid to get mixed up with obvious wrongdoing, I guess we will fend for ourselves.

I'm taking one of them, Bob Jamison, to small claims next month, and then I guess you will just have to wait and see what I do next.

See you in court...

Thelma and Louise: Kern Valley Healthcare District elder abuse case next week!

In the annual Medicare/Medicaide nursing center survey of February of 2006, the former CEO, Pamela Ott, had tags on the report which indicated she needed to be in possession of a Nursing Home Administrator's license.


Though the license is relatively easy to get, there is a state program which puts on a test, the administrator passes, and you've got yourself a license.

Oh, but with this license comes responsibility. It means that if anything happens in the nursing center, that person with the NHA license is automatically the responsible party.

Ott never tried to get the license even though she says in her correspondence shown below (click on paperwork to read):
"I do have many years of experience as an administrator of a distinct part long term care facility as a division of healthcare district healthcare systems," she claimed in the letter to CMS.

But the conclusion to the letter states that the Chief nursing officer, Sharon Brucker, has all the responsibility for the skilled nursing center.

Brucker over the course of 2006, gave all the nursing center reports to the board, but by the end of the year, in December, Brucker gave her resignation as CNO.

It's an interesting resignation, (It's on the blog in it's entirety) as Brucker goes about telling us how bad the financial problems were in the past with the hospital.

But she turns about and talks about how Ott and CFO, Chet Beedle, are the bringers of change.

"Pam and Chet are a very good, strong administrative team (Team? This statement indicates they all knew about the problems) Kern Valley Healthcare District is very fortunate to have these individuals in their roles. So, many positive things have happened. We have equipment to care for our patients, (state of the art), we have services that are financially solvent (which one's are they, sharon?), that staff has consistently had two salary increases a year (which staff, the one's on salary only?), the staff has a funded retirement plan and we have supplies to take care of our patients (Oh, do you? Why don't you talk to Cardinal and a few others)."

(There were no changes which occurred under Ott's leadership which corresponds with Brucker's claims. Yes, there was a lot of talk, a planning meeting, money spent, but nothing changed for the better...)

Brucker didn't stop there she attacked former board member, Bob Knight, continuing the urban legend. Saying he crossed the line.

Ott and Brucker sure crossed a line, as they both were involved in keeping the truth of the SNF problems out of the watchful eyes of certain board members. As well as a recorded meeting between myself, Brucker, Ott, Chet Beedle and Michelle Rosado, which lead to private personnel information being shown to a reporter. That information is also on the blog.

Brucker's report was just another example of defamation and propoganda.

Ott announced Brucker's resignation as if she were leaving the hospital. She said she would miss her. (what narrowly miss her walking down the hallways? Things were getting weird at the time, as employees were scared and leaving, and the board was setting up it's bulwark to deal with the situation)

In the letter to CMS, Ott tells the government oversight of the SNF, that she is not in charge, but the CNO is:

"It is a fact that I do not have an administration license and the Director of Nursing (chief nursing officer) does have responsibility for both the acute care and long term care units."

So, who was responsible? And who tried to wriggle out of responsibility? Thelma and Louise or AKA Pam Ott and Sharon Brucker. Brucker stepped down and Ott took off as soon as the notice of closure of the nursing home was printed in the Bakersfield Californian.

This is their paperwork. Department of Justice, I'm sure you've seen this document, but you understand that DHS was already down their throats in 2006.

They were using physical restraints in a manner not in accordance with state and federal laws. Patients were losing weight. There was some issues about the drugs the residents were receiving too.

But in August 2006, Ott and Brucker, welcomed the new Director of Nursing, Gwen Hughes, who is also charged with elder abuse and assault and will be in court next week. The two administrators told us that she was the expert in geriatrics and will be making changes.

Those changes were the type of drugs they used. But again it was not the drugs as they are used regularly: it was the lack of staff to keep an eye on the people who were on these psychotropics.

But the nurses were busy trying to keep the nursing center afloat. As the year 2006 moved along, so did the problems.

Nurses tried to bring the issues to the administrator, Ott, CNO, Sharon Brucker, and the board of director's themselves.

The board ignored the problems, calling the employees "disgruntled."

Except two board members who tried to get word out to the state agencies, but were blocked by the three "killer B's" Brad, Barbara, and BJ.

Will the DOJ take this into consideration?

I hope you will Donny, Steve and Jerry. You have an opportunity to save a small rurual hospital: what are you going to do? I'll be there in court and I'll be able to see what the attorney general has in store for us.

He could leave us hanging, with some of the former staff and administrators who continue to degrade the hospital.

Or, a miracle could occur, and the DOJ will do its job and help out a "small" rural community. We need your help Jerry, Steve and Donny.

You've got two more to get in court: give it a try, please.