Representing the Truth and Compassion, Underserved community....

Well, It's that time again, it's time to talk truth and no more "polite talk."

I'm sure there are those unwilling to abide the TRUTh, and they are certainly enjoying a Renaissance of deception, but there is no other cause I prefer, no other reason to do any of this, as this is my banner.

With that said, we enter the NEW AGE of KVHD and politically prompted policy makers and law enforcement "reinforcement" as there was a slide to the side of "JUST US" and no justice, as Defendants in the KVHD elder abuse case, have walked away with little more than slaps on the wrist.

Okay, now it's my turn. 

Today, August 22, 2012, Pamela Ott, former KVHD CEO, has her hearing in the Kern County Superior Court today, awaiting a plea deal. Ott is expected to get the same treatment as former co-worker, Dr. Hoshang Pormir, was let loose of elder abuse charges and plead "out" to conspiracy charges, leaving him with a 3 year probation sentence.

Ott, who was treated as a martyr by KVHD board members, after her resignation in 2007, even to the degree that she was taken onto the local radio station, and given a defense venue by Bob Jamison, disc jokey, and board member, to defend her actions.

Jamison who has repeatedly used his radio vocation to mix with his hospital side job as board member, and none of it has been uncontroversial.

Ott's status will be updated as I find out what exactly has happened, to fail all of us. Ott has credentials that should actually be a "cautionary tale" to those in human resources, the justice department or anywhere else there would be an expected degree transparency.

Ott has gotten a few helping hands as she has managed to be chased around, from the Kern River Valley to Sierra Kings in Reedley, as she is suspected of many violations against these districts. However, the likelyhood that these will ever be reckoned by those in the "HEALTHCARE WELFARE" industry which feeds architects, lawyers, bond salesmen, immoral activity of the ugliest kind, is remote.

BUT, I won't stop. And we will revisit some of Ott's top ten crimes, as that's all I have to time for. LOL

Fresno county DA office, refused to take a report or to discuss implications stemming from the Sierra Kings District hospital bankruptcy where some amount of merit was given to reports there was THEFT of FUNDs from the local GOB and even loss of EMPLOYEE pension funds. Ott worked with Barbara Jennings, who were both "let loose" by the Sierra Kings Board of directors, shortly before the financial crisis hit rock bottom.

My interference apparently was not well received, as I have created an awful atmosphere of INsisting upon this idle, uncomfortable idea of Truth. Nasty stuff I guess.

The WEINER IS...

Elder abuse, is reprehensible, but using elder abuse to get elected GOVERnor, Mr. Brown, is DISGUStING. And that is exactly what Governor Jerry Brown did to this community. In 2010 he used the Kern River Valley, the Attorney General's office and reputation, to Launch himself to the Capitol and begin his AUsterity wars, I'll call them.

In this process, he used much media attraction and attention, weighing in about the KVHD elder abuse case, calling it the "worst he had seen."

Also, using HOLLYwood or Weird to project his "lawfulness" to the crowd of voters back in 2009 and 2010, as he said repeatedly, he was NOT running, and that all the fanfare was about his justice seeking missiles, which have missed our hospital and valley, and are on their way back to the governor's mansion as I write...lol

Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith, got Personal Visits from the AG, and well, we got a lot of hot air, as we are simply a town of backward simpletons without a grain of sense, and a notorious need to trust the wrong people and giving credit where it was NOT due.

So, on the list of TO DO is my new austerity measure: NO MORE POLITE Chit CHat, just hard hitting words and truth. Indeed,

"Kabala" Harris where is the magic? 

Another political figure who has been subtracted from our equation has been the new and current Attorney General, Kamala Harris, who rode into her role on the Coat tails of Jerry Brown.

Harris used rhetoric such as "you don't have to lose your principles to serve in government" as a platform to take the helm from Brown as the former prosecutor, was voted in to the office alongside her "mentor" Jerry in 2010.

She has been MUTE, unseen, a force of NOTHING, a existential AG, who was JUST there and not justice as we have sought remedies to the problems that occurred at KVHD and Sierra Kings.

Why should she move into any position after her foray as a political figure HIDING from a fight which would keep her a viable volleyball in the political FUTURE where she would likely be used as a candidate, Manchurian, LOL, for the DEMOCRATIC party? And the less she says, the less she has to explain come election time. And as a black woman, prosecutor, a light skinned African American, HOLY CASH COW, she meets all the "demo" requirements to exceed and surpass demographics which even cross party  lines.

She's meant to be the virgin as she creates a RESUME of political office.

Not fooling us all though.

Timmy's toy box...

The CEO of KVHD, TIm Mcglew, is expected to recieved another raise in two weeks, as the administrator has been held accountable as the number one paid CEO at the smallest hospital in Kern County.

How a hospital so financially distressed, calling it's community to BAIL THEM out of bad decisions which have left them in debt, understaffed, and under suspicion of at the least being EVASIVE, would be justifying the expense of paying more than 200K in good money for a Suit and tie type of administrator is questionable.

Some response will be requested as this has happened again, another year, another raise, and another round of ring around the payroll.

GO SEE CAL, GO SEE CAL...

My goal is to make our DEBTOR, Cal Mtg. in the office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development, OSHPD, a HOUSEHOLD name in the healthcare financial industry, as the debt suffered by the hospital was created by these lenders back in 1988. It was a small hospital, in need of expansion, worth less than one million, but receiving a Bond endenture of 22 million.

NO Collateral, no problem CAl Mtg. said in 1988, as they dropped off a bag of money, spent on construction which lend itself to only completely HALF the glass, and not half full either.

THE skilled nursing facility was to be created as 140 bed project, coming in with 70 beds, at the end, and no accounting of WHERE did the money go?

Board members, Cal Mtg. operatives, have denied and been evasive, as to the disposition of all those monies, and they have had the hubris to believe that we as a community, will pay this off and indebt ourselves into 30 years of increased property taxes. (Yeah, right)

So far, this community has held strong to not being taxed, but that tune of VOLUNTARY taxation without representation has been challenged to the north, as Governor Jerry Brown has added money to our property taxes for fire fighting, but he avoids calling it a tax, or allowing any VOTE by the public in opposition.

This involuntary taxation is going to be a problem, as the Governor, has created an environment of usurping civil and public rights. 

So when the hospital decides it can no longer remain in business taking small handouts instead of the big money, we may see something of a THREAT to tax.

Cal Mtg. has held the position that KVHD can NOT bankrupt on this bond debt, and recently made a new LOAN to keep them up on their payments of the original sin, and putting this off on another generation which will inherit the on going debt.

Why can't KVHD bankrupt? Why can't we have a lower priced CEO? Why do we need  a CFO? And why are the financial records so difficult and so confusing that board members regularly request CFO CheT Beedle explain the "facts" to them.

Ask the board,  how KVHD is doing financially, and you may just have A Kern Valley Sun article about them being in the "black." But how would a public healthcare district explain that they are in the black EXCEPT for the debt part. Again, low regard for the community, so low that they are willing to take advantage of the trusting nature, offering indefensible explanations, and does not appreciate when local figures find problems with their financial crunching.

One woman who found a 75K error on the books was taunted, derided, hung up by phone, and disrespected in every manner.

Bored or Board?

This year there are THREE count them, three board seats up for grabs, as Dr. Robert Gross, Victoria Alwin, and Bob Jamison are up for re-election. Jamison is the only candidate heading for pasture, but in his wake, new QAB radio owner, Charlie Busch, reaches out to voters to continue the intimacy between radio and healthcare by entering the race. Busch, being seen at his very first board meeting last month, will be the only candidate not well known to local voters.

Gross, who has many irons in the KVHD fire, and Alwin who has served as Timekeeper and board leader for a few years, are back at it, running again. Gross, owner of Sienna Wellness, a former DIRECTOR of Rural Health this past year, contracted as SNF Medical provider, seen in the acute care and ER, and now again, running for the board.

Barbara Casas, a board member of former repute, will join the race too, aside John Blythe and Tom Wright, both familiar names and often opposing opinions to the status quo.

There will be a page dedicated to the election on KVHD Under FIRe, as we look at the potential changes that a new board may bring. And I believe the candidates deserve a chance to say what they will without my interference and snarky comments, so that will as usual be provided.

But snarky comments are born out of frustration with polite, accommodating, behaviors easily mistaken as KINDNESS and fairplay, and I would NOT want that to be the case. lol

Finally, this is a mess. This is a discomfort, disservice, a nightmare for many people and a nasty reminder that money does grow in public healthcare districts, and it breeds contempt for those they should only be interested in SERVING.

I'm gearing up to GETTING 'er DONE, so let's get started.

New video on YOUTUBE, KVHD under FIRE, and a trip NORTH will be on the menu in the next few weeks.

Laura Hart  

KVHD board member, hospitalist, Dr. Gross now interim at Rural Health Clinic

If you're a patient of the Rural Health Clinic in Mount Mesa, Ca, then you've been through a lot of changes in the last few months, as former clinic manager, Dr. Jack Nadler, headed out for new pastures leaving a big gap in local healthcare.

One patient seeing new RHC PA, Christine Black, looked at her prescription when she arrived home to find Kern Valley Healthcare District, board member, hospitalist, and owner of Sienna Wellness, Dr. Robert Gross' name on it.

Gross, who owns Sienna Wellness, just down the street from the Rurual Health Clinic, has been working all angles recently as he is reported by KVHD attorney, Scott Nave, to be the interim doctor for the beleaguered clinic.

You may not see him, he must be quite busy as he is watching the hospital, his own clinic and now rural health, but he's the man behind the medications for the PA who came on after the clinic lost Stacey Bohn PA and shortly after, Dr. Nadler.

What kind of conflict could this cause, other than patients wondering how Dr. Gross' name appeared on their medication when they not only didn't know he was practicing at the clinic, and also have never seen him as a patient?

I tend to wonder if Dr. Gross has not overstepped this time taking on the clinic along with all his other responsibilities. And to continue to be in a position such as board member would seem to put him in a constant state of conflict of interest as he would be expected to objectively vote on many things that would concern the hospital and clinic... not to mention his own compensation.

But I suspect the question would be better put to Dr. Gross himself who maybe running the "Gross Healthcare District" soon. What's next? Board member, David Derr, working in the kitchen for extra cash or Victoria Alwin taking a percentage of the district's next desperate attempt at taxing valley residents, Measure Duh?

I'll email him now and get the response to you as soon as possible. FYI, the question has been put to KVHD, CEO, Tim McGlew, and so far, there has been no response. (McGlew must still be in meetings...)

KVHD board November board meeting: Are these the final hours for the hospital ?

KVHD UNDER WATER?
Newest board member, David Derr, a former fireman may want to bring out his hoses, as the hospital board meeting revealed serious problems with their longevity.

Many people were surprised, but why should they have been? Possibly because they were unaware of the problems taking place due to the district's lack of honest communication with its community members.

There are many diehards, such as Reverend, Charles White, who sat with Pamela Ott going over plans for the 2006 GOB election. White has been allowed to go to meetings such as the strategic planning meeting in 2008, where board members, voted to give, before elder abuse charges were filed, 25K dollars only to Pamela Ott. Hmm...(White shown above, at the December 2, 2010, board meeting, when the board agreed to bring on attorney David Weinstein to offer financial options.)

I again brought this to the attention of Scott Nave of Lemieux and O'neill, the board attorney, why the public was not allowed to attend the strategic planning event, as Bob Jamison, then board chairman, said in the minutes from 2008, the meeting was closed to the public.

Then how did Chuck White and former board member, Chuck Wild, manage to make it to this meeting?

These are the people who have kept secrets, as they knew before I did, that in 2006, the GOB construction plans were not doable. Why didn't they tell us, me, the Attorney General? Charles White who works closely with KRVR, knew, but did not alert anyone.


(CEO, Tim McGlew, shown listening to audience questions and comments)

The community has a choice: the time is now. However, if the hospital happens to fail, we will have to pay the debt with our property taxes. I've never heard them tell us that. But there is much more to this: we need a hospital, only we need to work together to get it.

And we need administrators, board members, board counsel, that are new and not attached to each other like screaming kids in a haunted house.

New people, new day. And more oversight, meaning help from the county and state, to put this together and functional.

It is obvious this group has failed. The problem is that they didn't learn from their mistakes and have never really faced what they have done that brought us to this point. Did the CFO and his pharmacy buddy, Elmo, really need free rent? Or were they taking advantage?

We have all had the chance to help, but most people hid and ran off. Some got sick fighting to get their jobs back. Many moved away.

The CEO, simply took two raises, and now complains they didn't know it was coming.

They didn't know I was coming to the meeting last night either, but I came because of the news regarding the cuts to reimbursement, and a few other things. Though I wanted to stay home as I am quitting smoking and not in a great mood, I thought it best to go, as the hospital got quiet...as they say before the storm.

McGlew talked about a figure of 1.8 million they were facing to lose, and I thought I would remind them they survived 2.5 million they overpaid to Sycamore Management, the group brought aboard the SNF in 2007, according to the CFO, to "stave off Cal mtg," the insurer of the debt that never seems to show up on the profit and loss statements.

They have also paid millions over the years to get contractors to help put humpty dumpty back together again. That didn't work out, paying top dollar, while you are broke? But again, this is how this district has been operating for 22 plus years.

Now is the time to think about the ramifications of allowing others to run such an important component to the community without oversight.

Check their wallets and briefcases if they try to leave

KVHD has no one to blame but themselves. The one constant in the last eleven years has been the CFO, Chet Beedle, and with some logic we can assume that he probably should have been replaced for a variety of troubling reasons. But no action has been taken by anyone, including Cal Mtg. who has been lied to by the "expert in critical care access" accounting, as Mabel Chan, case manager for the hospital, referred to our CFO in an email.


(KVHD Chairwoman, Victoria Alwin, may have to find other people to try and control, as timing the public comments and banging her gavel, have not made her popular. But it may not be much longer that we have to listen to this judge-like chair, who has forgotten her "roots." Alwin, a former critic of the hospital prior to being elected, has been on the defensive of her own performance in the last two years...)

As I said, the Kern Valley Healthcare District board of Directors have no one to blame...however, they always find someone or something other than themselves. The CEO, started his usual round of excuses starting with California Governor Jerry Brown and moved up the line regarding the federal changes in Medicare reimbursement brought to you by President Obama.


The eleven years of financial leadership by CFO, Chet Beedle, shows the hospital administrators and certain board members, did not have the qualifications or tenacity to protect the district. But we never tried anything new in all those years here in the valley.

Oh, forgive me, they did try something new when Beedle cut staff in 2005, preparing for a campaign run for a GOB, they used chemical restraints and free labor from the hospital auxiliary volunteers to keep the nursing center open.

They have been asleep on the job.


Now we need a hospital, and most remarks from residents were conflicted. "I want a hospital, not this one."

I rephrased the question, would you like to keep this hospital if there were radical changes to the administration and board and medical providers? Then the answer became clear to everyone. YES!

Don't let them take the hospital away: it's the administrators, board, and their friends who need to go.

I explained that we can and will have a hospital. The problem which has been here for eons, is the valley's inability to understand what has happened. We were sold out in 1988, selling more revenue bonds to try and complete the hospital expansion that contracted in the course of the work.

They failed to complete the whole project, and therefore doomed this valley to forever have to deal with a debt that could remove healthcare forever unless we move quickly.

We need to start over, remove the high salaries, which the CEO, when asked if he would pitch in some of his salary, stated they are only "pennies?" He indicated taking money from his pocket and other administrators would do nothing in the face of his speech on our "serious issues."

How many pennies did his Jaguar cost?

McGlew who came aboard as the highest paid CEO in the history of KVHD, may not realize that his salary is NOT pennies to the residents who he is supposed to serve.

Who wants the CEO salary? It's 230K a year, plus all the benefits of not living in the area, or even using the facilities for he and his family's healthcare. Stop, I do know that Mr. McGlew has a disabled child who requires certain special care.

Has he EVER considered that he is not the only one that needs specialized care? We have developmentally disabled residents, ailing people, and services that KVHD cannot provide for the patients in the valley.

Did, CFO, Chester Beedle, not see this situation coming financially as there is a wonderful newsletter from "California Healthline" that keeps me, at least, up to date on the healthcare bills and news.

I offer up the idea to the California legislature: Before a public district can begin the process of gaining money via General Obligation Bonds, it must have a district preliminary vote. That will save the time and trouble of finding out that no one cares about a hospital that has put up murals and paint over their horrific mistakes.

Unfortunately, as you can see on the face of Dr. Gross DO, there is little time left to do the right things, they are far too late...And now we will likely pay for their decisions.

(Dr. Robert Gross DO, KVHD hospitalist, former adversary of the administration who had to hire an attorney regarding the KVHD/ Sienna Wellness clinic, asked that residents write their representatives. The board seems unaware that they are government, elected officials in a public district, with public monies, and they should be writing on our behalf. But they ignored this too long and now we have to decide for them as they had nothing but excuses, scapegoats, and long faces at last night's meeting)

Hello to all involved in the 2009 subverted attempt to save the hospital?

In 2009, I saw this coming...where was the board? They were trying to stop negotiations with Cal Mtg. and because of bullying it happened. We never made it past Chet Beedle, Brad Armstrong or former CEO, Rick Carter, who Victoria Alwin blamed for stopping the potential progress last August 2010.

How exactly did Rick Carter stop the negotiation on his own? He didn't, it was a group effort. This is why these people cannot blame anyone but themselves, as they have not shown any leadership or foresight.

They saw the day coming, or if they didn't, then they should just step down now and avoid certain repercussions.

We had support to deal with it. Why didn't this board override Mr. Carter, Alwin's villain, and do what we had needed to do for 20 years?

McGloom and McBeedle stop second attempt at negotiation

I have some ideas, and solutions, but the community now needs some back up, such as that attorney they ignored for one year, and when David Weinstein came around to shore up the information regarding our chances of negotiating with Cal Mtg. or even bankruptcy, but four board members and the administration held the meeting off while signing on to another Cal mtg. debt relief given the district so they would not burden the valley residents with a GOB. (this is according to Cal mtg. and some documents: the board asked for this email and unlike my PRA requests, I got them their information last night.)

Only last week, the CEO, began speaking about the new GOB. At this board meeting, however, he said there may well be no GOB. But we have heard so many stories, as Beedle told us Cal Mtg. was going to help last night too. I will ask for the documents that go along with Beedle's statement.

If McGlew who could have slimmed his salary, along with CFO, Beedle, and a few others, focused on the main issue, quality patient healthcare, reasonable salaries, services the community has been begging for, we may have been able to plan for the future.

Even with the debt, prudent spending could've perpetuated the district's lifespan. That was never the case. They were not saving for a rainy day, and look soaked now...by everyone.

Don't forget, as owners, and voters in this valley, you will need to decide which of the options the hospital has left that would potentially bring in new faces, ideas, and direction and allow us to have quality healthcare.

We need people who have the "time" and the intelligence, who don't change their personalities with a sip of power, who REALLY want to help, and not simply offer lip service.


Board attorney, Scott Nave, did not like my questions and instructed the board to do "whatever" they want to do, such as not answering (that's an old one Scott), or sending it to McGlew for an answer. I'm sorry, I have sent complaints from dozens of residents having problems, and the CEO, always promises, but somehow rarely follows through.

However, I would like to clarify that Mr. Nave broke loose about me, that I had tried to sue the hospital several times.

While the gal with the timer banged her gavel, I reminded Scott, that I repeatedly said if I were going to sue, I would want a class action suit where all people who were hurt, degraded, billed improperly, defamed, can be redeemed.

Are we a class action act? We need to move fast...if that is the will of the community.

So, to clarify, I was quite ill after my negligent treatment, or criminal, depends on the lawyers you speak with, on 1/20/11. This occurred after I complained repeatedly to the CEO, that I needed help, and the ER was calling people "junkies," ignoring the complaints of an elderly woman who said her daughter was abusing her, and on Christmas night the 72 year old woman was escorted outside the ER to the chairs where she was moaning in pain.
(It was a Merry Christmas)

Again, this is so irresponsible and cruel, that we cannot allow ourselves to be victimized by people who may just walk away with a pension, a tremendous salary, and move on while we the valley pay the debt they so lovingly will be leaving us.

But don't worry, I plan on following their careers...

Next year is another election

With another election year coming up, and a GOB on top of the list of strategic planning, we can jump aboard that election and help bring about change.

As our Governor, the one being blamed for the problems that may take down the hospital, said before he was elected, "we have to break down to break through," and here we are with the timing perfect for this community to take back our hospital from the parasitic spending practices and lack of transparency, which is what they hide behind.

Sierra Kings survived

We have spoken of elder abuse charged, Pamela Ott, the KVHD CEO, who was allowed to escape to another hospital in Reedley, California.

While KVHD was sleeping, Sierra Kings, another public healthcare district, has been through financial turmoil brought on by mismanagement, allegedly Pamela Ott, but they went into bankruptcy...the constant fear here in the valley.

The Valley of Fear

With fearful employees, and witnesses biting at the bit to tell their stories to someone who will listen, KVHD, went down another road, missing ARRA funds, running off volunteers who offered their skills to help upgrade services, took advantage of all those pennies, and now, we have a video of Tim McGlew giving us the bad news.

However, the good news is that Sierra Kings made it thru the bankruptcy, had community support to do it, and they are letting loose the HFS company who managed this whole "turn around" project as they are now back in operation with a happy community.(See Reedley Exponent for the full details)

(HFS, is the company who came to KVHD for an "operation's review" and was tagged with leaving "giant holes" in the report. But somehow they helped Sierra Kings...doesn't make sense, unless you are a KVHDer.)

It is possible to save the hospital, it is not when people don't complain, or they don't have the courage to speak up, or work together, when things fall apart. I'm hearing more and more from the inside of the hospital, and I can tell you they WANT to talk about what is going on.

The even bigger picture

We have options such as selling the hospital, but then we have to consider other issues facing this valley as well. Such as years of work on our "dangerous dam." This could cause closure of the 178 to Bakersfield for years.

It may offer some employment, but in the long run, this valley has not looked ahead, and is running into it's own walls...the hospital would be also effected. Have they considered that too? I'm sure they haven't as they are busy spraying water as their pants are on fire.

But again, we are looking at things too late. We failed in every respect, all of us. Now we have to find out what the reality is, and go from there.

According to George Stahl, writer for the Kern Valley Sun, the hospital is expected to fail. The Sun can be thanked for helping this happen, as if the truth were available to all, we could have handled it. But that never happens in the KRV...

Tim's speech: video and details coming up...McGlew slams critical access care report of quality and safety issues at CAH rural hospitals. Waiting for response from CAH to McGlew's statement.
Board member, Robert Gross, admitted that KVHD has safety issues. All video, coming soon...