Money for nothing
Down the rabbit hole, or on this blog, I have collected decades worth of evidence showing how the Kern Valley Healthcare District has mishandled it's business "affairs" over the last 20 plus years.
Though it began for me, as I have described in the summary, as a case of elder abuse, and mishandling of law enforcement to protect the patients living in the KVHD nursing center, it turned into a more complex case the California Department of Justice simply did not want to handle.
That was only the beginning, as money which is now so scarce in these parts, (rural blight) went into the pockets of those who had contributed to the downfall of the small hospital and Rural Health clinic.
Contractors: Bernie and his PR company got 60K dollars for doing something undisclosed.
HFS a financial firm who put together a plan to aid the hospital in default with creditor, insurer, Cal Mtg, and help pull them out of the ditch they are stuck in from years of imprudent spending, was a 75K dollar boondoggle as board members complained that HFS had left holes KVHD had to repair in the report.
It was reported only after that meeting in December 2010, that HFS gave KVHD back 40K dollars for, what we can only assume, as board member, Dr. Robert Gross DO, said was a lot of mistakes.
"The finance committee found a lot of holes-a lot of mistakes, large mistakes," Gross told the audience about the report.
He added, which I think is a good line, but not pertaining to HFS, more like KVHD: "So do we really want to trust them with planning our financial future, when they had giant holes and we paid top dollar for that?"
Again, what did they pay for? And why did they, meaning KVHD and Cal Mtg., not take action against HFS for what they called a report full of mistakes in public and on film?
I have the report, or maybe even "a" report and I would like to know what parts are the mistakes and how did KVHD who hand picked HFS to do this "operations report" as the hospital was floating checks, and not checking to see if they were still afloat, while they went into default.
Strategic planning...more unnecessary costs?
The CFO, Chet Beedle, and CEO, Tim McGlew, both supported the hiring of a strategic planning group. However, the survey which cost the hospital 15K dollars, has yet to be unveiled after 8 months, and those who attended the sessions were directed to only make inquiries which were positive, according to owner, Michael Philps.
However, Beedle's resume, suggests, or really states that he is an "expert in strategic planning for rural healthcare districts." Again, this makes no sense, to spend money when you already have hired personnel who does this sort of project...and is an expert.
And there have been some really intensive plans created before this one, at a cost too, and yet most of the information gathered never was utilized, therefore more wasted time and money.
When asked how it will be different this time around, Philps answered that his company suggests that the board address the planning issues from his survey at every meeting.
We have yet to even see the first draft.
When the selection process took place last year, Board member Kay Knight, asked why HFS was not in the running to do the planning and she asked the CEO if he had talked to them about reducing the costs for a strategic makeover.
McGlew reported he has spoken to HFS about their costs, which were submitted at 20K dollars, and the two other players, Focus and Execute, bid 13K dollars, while Philps wanted 15K dollars.
The contract went to Philps, as McGlew said he spoke to other CEO's who have used that particular firm. But his reason was the money: grant money.
"Their figure was 15K but Focus and Execute was 13K-so but again these guys went out to find grant monies to offset some of these costs..." McGlew explained.
What is wrong with this picture?
First, KVHD had a default with Cal Mtg. last summer, or actually since the "80's" but Cal Mtg. gave the sinking hospital the choice of the company that would do another in a long line of reports costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, and they chose HFS.
HFS we were told would report to the community about their findings, but this never happened. Instead, at the December 2010 KVHD board meeting, we found out from Dr. Robert Gross that HFS made "mistakes."
The HFS contract we were told cost 75K dollars, and that payment was coming from a line of credit backed by Cal mtg. from West America Bank.
Yet, somehow, HFS, was selected to be in the running for the strategic planning contract. Why would you even consider a company that is supposed to have made "large mistakes?" (Dr. Gross asked that question and I think it was a worthy one)
How many wishes were granted?
Then you have the issue of Philps and the grant money they grabbed to help KVHD offset costs, said the top administrator. First, at the meeting McGlew reported Philps had obtained the grant money themselves.
In a phone interview, I congratulated Mr. Philps on garnering grant money to help KVHD save a few dollars on their latest planning session. Then I asked him exactly how he went about the process with this grant money and if the other companies were also doing this.
Philps answered most of my questions, but would not answer that particular question and directed me to speak with McGlew. I told him I got an answer from McGlew, and he said they gave over their annual 9K dollar SHIP grant monies: These are monies that go to the hospital, not to firms vying for a contract or job.
At the July 2011 meeting, only a few weeks ago, we heard that finally, there will be a presentation with the data gathered by Philps. But last year we were told we would be seeing the HFS report too, and that never happened.
Will KVHD have to fill in the "holes" in the strategic planning report too? What if the report is not what they want us to hear, can we get our money back such as with HFS?
Steve Russo of HFS was asked about the problems with the KVHD report, but offered no explanation.
But then nobody could offer a lucid explanation as to why HFS was not fired and another company brought in to finish this operations analysis. I don't understand why KVHD was fixing the report for another company, especially when they were in default caused by their own mistakes, as the company was to provide an objective analysis.
Mind boggling isn't it?
Persistance and Tenacity, requires a new chapter, a new beginning....
Showing posts with label HFS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HFS. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Sierra Kings welcomes Adventist Health to Reedley in special election
Voters in Reedley change the course of their hospital's future
The Reedley Exponent reports the ailing Sierra Kings Hospital which has struggled through bankruptcy since late 2008, has recovered with the help of an overwhelming majority of voters who were unified in favor of leasing the facility to Adventist Health.
The local paper reports that voters may not have come out in droves, but their minds were made up they wanted change, and the numbers speak for themselves. The Exponent reported the initial count at 2830 for the measure, and only 116, voted against the new lease agreement.
No technical information was provided in the article regarding how this will specifically change the hospital's fate, but the Exponent reported a favorable, positive response to the news by an employee and a hospital director who see a future of happy employees and pleased patients come August when Adventist Health begins to take the helm.
History lesson
The history of the Sierra Kings district is directly related to the Kern Valley Healthcare District by way of former CEO, now elder abuse charged, Pam Ott, who stepped down from her job in May of 2007, at KVHD when the nursing center almost closed and went on to become the CEO of Sierra Kings District Hospital.
When Ott was charged with elder abuse late in 2009, board members at Sierra Kings began a bankruptcy and it has been reported in the Exponent, via interim CEO, Sandy Haskins from HFS, that monies from a General Obligation bond voters had approved for hospital expansion, were possibly misused.
And it was reported that again Ott and Sierra Kings now former CFO, were allegedly able to gain access to employee pension monies. Unfortunately, because of the bankruptcy, certain employees were unable to regain their retirement funds. No charges have been filed on Ott regarding these matters as of this time.
New day for Sierra Kings
After riding out the storm as HFS, a well known and respected (though a KVHD board member made some serious complaints) healthcare financial company, often associated with ACHD, (Association of California Healthcare Districts) as their material appears on their website, worked to get the hospital to the point it may now have a chance to begin serving it's community again.
Sierra Kings, a public healthcare district similar to KVHD only in their human resources department and taste in board members, had a collective decision made by voters to allow this lease agreement to take place and allow them to continue to progress.
It's a tough time for hospitals, especially those who have been filched
We've all heard the ant and the grasshopper story, and who survived the nasty winter what and why. In an interesting article in the California Healthcare Foundation newsletter, five hospitals who were struggling attributed their continued success through strategies such as "sustained growth in patient volume," which KVHD Chet Beedle said was the key to success.
Why look at them now...they are being supported by a thrift store run by the Auxiliary which supports their ability to even afford a hospital bed or new equipment. That thrift has a "higher census" than the hospital itself. You just can't find a parking space either.
Those same Auxiliary members have done so much for the hospital that they got promoted to a voluntary workforce, costing KVHD nothing, and sometimes overstepping by putting these volunteers into jobs they should not have been doing: such as lifting patients?
The serious differences between KVHD and success
But the other two items in the article entitled "success under duress" are of more interest. "frequent and intense monitoring of expenditures and efficiency," which cannot come close to the imprudence as has been witnessed at KVHD with "time and material" contracts, use of registry and traveling nurses, paid housing, trips for management, as well as paying some of the highest rates to administrators in Kern county.
The nut and shell game that is called KVHD finance, has been problematic for not only the hospital's future which is on thin ice, as they recently acquired basically a monthly payment plan with Cal Mtg. for monies which will not sustain the district, and not produce growth necessary to have a future.
But the final strategy for success which keep these hospital's future much brighter is to divert "heavy investment in quality improvement initiatives."
Quality...qau' li' tee': Degree or grade of excellence.
For further healthcare articles go to the California Healthcare Foundation as many interesting articles can be found here.
http://www.chcf.org/publications/2010/09/success-under-duress-how-five-hospitals-thrive-despite-challenging-payer-mix
Reedley Exponent link
http://www.reedleyexponent.com/articles/2011/06/08/news/doc4deffb66a2ce1856510659.txt
The Reedley Exponent reports the ailing Sierra Kings Hospital which has struggled through bankruptcy since late 2008, has recovered with the help of an overwhelming majority of voters who were unified in favor of leasing the facility to Adventist Health.
The local paper reports that voters may not have come out in droves, but their minds were made up they wanted change, and the numbers speak for themselves. The Exponent reported the initial count at 2830 for the measure, and only 116, voted against the new lease agreement.
No technical information was provided in the article regarding how this will specifically change the hospital's fate, but the Exponent reported a favorable, positive response to the news by an employee and a hospital director who see a future of happy employees and pleased patients come August when Adventist Health begins to take the helm.
History lesson
The history of the Sierra Kings district is directly related to the Kern Valley Healthcare District by way of former CEO, now elder abuse charged, Pam Ott, who stepped down from her job in May of 2007, at KVHD when the nursing center almost closed and went on to become the CEO of Sierra Kings District Hospital.
When Ott was charged with elder abuse late in 2009, board members at Sierra Kings began a bankruptcy and it has been reported in the Exponent, via interim CEO, Sandy Haskins from HFS, that monies from a General Obligation bond voters had approved for hospital expansion, were possibly misused.
And it was reported that again Ott and Sierra Kings now former CFO, were allegedly able to gain access to employee pension monies. Unfortunately, because of the bankruptcy, certain employees were unable to regain their retirement funds. No charges have been filed on Ott regarding these matters as of this time.
New day for Sierra Kings
After riding out the storm as HFS, a well known and respected (though a KVHD board member made some serious complaints) healthcare financial company, often associated with ACHD, (Association of California Healthcare Districts) as their material appears on their website, worked to get the hospital to the point it may now have a chance to begin serving it's community again.
Sierra Kings, a public healthcare district similar to KVHD only in their human resources department and taste in board members, had a collective decision made by voters to allow this lease agreement to take place and allow them to continue to progress.
It's a tough time for hospitals, especially those who have been filched
We've all heard the ant and the grasshopper story, and who survived the nasty winter what and why. In an interesting article in the California Healthcare Foundation newsletter, five hospitals who were struggling attributed their continued success through strategies such as "sustained growth in patient volume," which KVHD Chet Beedle said was the key to success.
Why look at them now...they are being supported by a thrift store run by the Auxiliary which supports their ability to even afford a hospital bed or new equipment. That thrift has a "higher census" than the hospital itself. You just can't find a parking space either.
Those same Auxiliary members have done so much for the hospital that they got promoted to a voluntary workforce, costing KVHD nothing, and sometimes overstepping by putting these volunteers into jobs they should not have been doing: such as lifting patients?
The serious differences between KVHD and success
But the other two items in the article entitled "success under duress" are of more interest. "frequent and intense monitoring of expenditures and efficiency," which cannot come close to the imprudence as has been witnessed at KVHD with "time and material" contracts, use of registry and traveling nurses, paid housing, trips for management, as well as paying some of the highest rates to administrators in Kern county.
The nut and shell game that is called KVHD finance, has been problematic for not only the hospital's future which is on thin ice, as they recently acquired basically a monthly payment plan with Cal Mtg. for monies which will not sustain the district, and not produce growth necessary to have a future.
But the final strategy for success which keep these hospital's future much brighter is to divert "heavy investment in quality improvement initiatives."
Quality...qau' li' tee': Degree or grade of excellence.
For further healthcare articles go to the California Healthcare Foundation as many interesting articles can be found here.
http://www.chcf.org/publications/2010/09/success-under-duress-how-five-hospitals-thrive-despite-challenging-payer-mix
Reedley Exponent link
http://www.reedleyexponent.com/articles/2011/06/08/news/doc4deffb66a2ce1856510659.txt
Friday, July 23, 2010
Where to begin about the KVHD board meeting...it will have to be later though
As I'm getting ready to leave for Bakersfield where I'm undergoing some sort of procedure, trusting a doctor, to try and help relieve the pain, I have blogs rolling around in my head.
Anyway, speaking of pain, I have so much to address that went on with the KVHD meeting that happened last night. It was a meeting that truly tells the tale of the situation at the hospital, it's a critical situation.
But it's almost like seperating siamese twins, sometimes only one lives...
With the hospital so dependent on Cal Mtg. for everything including the air it breathes, there is little that can be done to act independently to create real remedies.
And with a board of directors trying to handle a situation they only know one side of, the dark side, there's little in the way of hope that problem solving can occur in time to avoid possible closure.
But again the boards been given the challenge to act and because, the evidence and history show, that two of the board members have been involved in some of the worst decision making at the least, and at the best, actually attacking others to avoid disclosure of their own participation in creating true disaster.
Will the board act in time? Can HFS, the management company sent in by our creditor, Cal Mtg., who has been engaged to do an audit the board itself should have ordered a long time ago, help or did they wait too long?
There are different types of audits, one where you see a bunch of numbers and they seem to add up, and another where you prove your numbers with receipts.
Will the people of Reedley be as passive as the KRV about what a certain, former KVHD CEO, Pam Ott, did to their hospital?
I don't think the community of Reedly is going to be happy to find the newspaper, The Reedley Exponent, on their doorstep, indicating the bond money they have thrown in the kitty to build a new wing on the hospital, was misused.
I think Reedlians (my new word) are more proactive in their community, and did not take well to having been lied to and now this news.
These people got signs and protested, hurrah, our community could do the same thing, why does it chose not to? Do we like the fact that even our board members can't get a straight answer about why we're in the hole and how we are.
The also can't get a straight answer about paying for HFS contract, which cost 75K to find out if we are viable to remain in business. The costs for HFS are in the contract and it says the payment to HFS has to be made by the savings the district gets from the information gathered by this financial consultant firm.
Are we still viable?
There's been a whole lot of cleaning up in the last few months as Beedle has known he could not hold off the breaking dam so he's had time to prepare.
But this sudden burst of inspiration comes on the tail of the tiger Cal Mtg. who has been decieved and has they themselves allowed certain loan practices to take place which will likely be considered at best, unethical. It's like closing the barn door after the horses or nurses are out.
Jerry Brown has been cleaning up certain loan practices which have lead to abandoned homes all around this state and the country for that matter.
Is Cal Mtg. squeaky clean? No, but they are also not completely bad guys either. Much like with the board of directors they too have to accept information at face value from this hospital, and they have admitted to not even being specialists.
I'll go into Chet's history as a "critical access hospital" specialist he likes to call it.
Then just a few months ago, our specialist is sending out bills for $8 that are three years old. What kind of financial management is that? Really are we that out of it around here that we can't see what has happened?
There's so much more to address...and the pictures with our star studded audience and some chicken pocked one's too.
But sadly we are seeing what happens when we allow this sort of activity to go unchecked. Let's see what they do in Reedly to save their hospital. Oh, yeah, they are in bankruptcy, which is an option we really don't have.
I'm sure they are big Pam Ott fans there. Hey, she has shown her stuff, and now maybe the DOJ can get it right and come in and take the rest of the perpetrators out of this district and then maybe it can heal.
But this community needs to ask themselves what they are going to do about this.
Impressively, last night I turned to hear quotes from my blog. People are learning and listening. And I believe they will come to the aid of the hospital. I really do. But they will want the people who have caused this out of there first...but it might be too late.
Next up: "Cracking the Da Vinci code."
Anyway, speaking of pain, I have so much to address that went on with the KVHD meeting that happened last night. It was a meeting that truly tells the tale of the situation at the hospital, it's a critical situation.
But it's almost like seperating siamese twins, sometimes only one lives...
With the hospital so dependent on Cal Mtg. for everything including the air it breathes, there is little that can be done to act independently to create real remedies.
And with a board of directors trying to handle a situation they only know one side of, the dark side, there's little in the way of hope that problem solving can occur in time to avoid possible closure.
But again the boards been given the challenge to act and because, the evidence and history show, that two of the board members have been involved in some of the worst decision making at the least, and at the best, actually attacking others to avoid disclosure of their own participation in creating true disaster.
Will the board act in time? Can HFS, the management company sent in by our creditor, Cal Mtg., who has been engaged to do an audit the board itself should have ordered a long time ago, help or did they wait too long?
There are different types of audits, one where you see a bunch of numbers and they seem to add up, and another where you prove your numbers with receipts.
Will the people of Reedley be as passive as the KRV about what a certain, former KVHD CEO, Pam Ott, did to their hospital?
I don't think the community of Reedly is going to be happy to find the newspaper, The Reedley Exponent, on their doorstep, indicating the bond money they have thrown in the kitty to build a new wing on the hospital, was misused.
I think Reedlians (my new word) are more proactive in their community, and did not take well to having been lied to and now this news.
These people got signs and protested, hurrah, our community could do the same thing, why does it chose not to? Do we like the fact that even our board members can't get a straight answer about why we're in the hole and how we are.
The also can't get a straight answer about paying for HFS contract, which cost 75K to find out if we are viable to remain in business. The costs for HFS are in the contract and it says the payment to HFS has to be made by the savings the district gets from the information gathered by this financial consultant firm.
Are we still viable?
There's been a whole lot of cleaning up in the last few months as Beedle has known he could not hold off the breaking dam so he's had time to prepare.
But this sudden burst of inspiration comes on the tail of the tiger Cal Mtg. who has been decieved and has they themselves allowed certain loan practices to take place which will likely be considered at best, unethical. It's like closing the barn door after the horses or nurses are out.
Jerry Brown has been cleaning up certain loan practices which have lead to abandoned homes all around this state and the country for that matter.
Is Cal Mtg. squeaky clean? No, but they are also not completely bad guys either. Much like with the board of directors they too have to accept information at face value from this hospital, and they have admitted to not even being specialists.
I'll go into Chet's history as a "critical access hospital" specialist he likes to call it.
Then just a few months ago, our specialist is sending out bills for $8 that are three years old. What kind of financial management is that? Really are we that out of it around here that we can't see what has happened?
There's so much more to address...and the pictures with our star studded audience and some chicken pocked one's too.
But sadly we are seeing what happens when we allow this sort of activity to go unchecked. Let's see what they do in Reedly to save their hospital. Oh, yeah, they are in bankruptcy, which is an option we really don't have.
I'm sure they are big Pam Ott fans there. Hey, she has shown her stuff, and now maybe the DOJ can get it right and come in and take the rest of the perpetrators out of this district and then maybe it can heal.
But this community needs to ask themselves what they are going to do about this.
Impressively, last night I turned to hear quotes from my blog. People are learning and listening. And I believe they will come to the aid of the hospital. I really do. But they will want the people who have caused this out of there first...but it might be too late.
Next up: "Cracking the Da Vinci code."
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Oh, those folks in Reedley: City to help Sierra Kings District Hospital out of the hole, for a couple months anyway...
The question to the board of directors of Sierra Kings District is did they as a public entity, with an ability to tax, try to renegotiate it's reimbursement agreement with CMAC, California Medical Assistance Commission?
According to the Reedley Exponent, a wily local paper in Reedley, who found themselves covering a hospital with leaks everywhere, all the way into the streets, as bankruptcy was called for less than a month after a CEO was called to court.
Pam Ott, the former Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, with the diploma from "As seen on TV," left our valley in a hurry as investigators were lurking in the hospital asking serious questions about the care of the elderly residents in the skilled nursing facility back in 2007.
But Ott, administrator for both the nursing center and the entire hospital, left a mess with policies neither updated or new policies implemented, which caused possible casualties in certain cases. Her finance manager, is the same one which currently roosts at the Kern Valley hospital right now and in the hospital's apartments, laying around charging Pay per view events, CFO, Chet Beedle. (The pay per view events is totally made up. Sorry. I must have read that wrong.)
As Reedley struggled with both it's reputation then finances, a board worthy of our hometown reticence, interim CEO, Sandy Haskins, hired in from HFS consultants after Ott was relieved of her powers and the coffers were empty, has had his hands full trying to bankrupt the hospital while keeping it afloat for the future residents.
Though in some quotes, certain Sierra King board members initially protect Ott, that goes out the door quickly as allegations of not paying the employee retirement account came flying Ott's way, as the board did not want any part of that error too. The heat is on in Reedley and that hospital is being watched by both the newspaper, and now, city hall.
With only a few options left after much research, Haskins is borrowing 800K from the city of Reedley, so they can put up 1.6 million, the Exponent Editor wrote, to get a certain credit, peculiar to a type of hospital such as Reedley, and maybe such as KVHD, our little sour puss who wants a big 20 million dollar bond and they don't want to pay for it themselves. (Why those wise guys, I could...)
Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment Program, for guys like us who have a large number of Medical and Medicare and no one cares patients.
I thought the funniest part of another solid article from the Exponent on the subject of their financially failing hospital, was the idea that the CEO, Haskins had to go all alone in front of the City Council and ask for a loan with little or no pay off, and "preliminary" guarantees that the money cannot be grabbed in the bankruptcy or eaten by the state with it's obese appetite for cash.
Nobody from the board joined him. What a bunch of crackerjacks over there. Even a city council board member made a remark.
That is in my opinion another example of an elected board in charge of healthcare that doesn't care. We have that particular disease here, except in that they do care, but only about looking good for our small community who they seem to believe is judging them like a beauty contestant.
I'm afraid my research shows our community knows little about who is in charge of possibly their life one day if the other car crosses over the line in the canyon, or rocks begin to slide after a quake or your pacemaker quits.
Haskins isn't even Reedley, he's HFS, a management type, but the board was elected by the residents of Reedley and didn't show up to answer any questions about this loan or the reason for not making a show with CMAC so that they may potentially receive increased reimbursement from the Disproportionate hospital Payment Program.
But when Ott, our former Diva of da valley, and unfortunately for the city of Reedley, their CEO too who left with a shoe at her back, she hadn't even considered this option, along with her fellow CFO, who was let go when Big Frank and Chucky came to get their money...
What about KVHD? Umm, that's the question...tis nobler to get a bond...or try and get more reimbursement? Let's ask. I'm writing to them now.
I will go forth and get you that information...she said. I said. I exclaimed! Indeed.
More good stuff from the Exponent.
http://www.reedleyexponent.com/articles/2010/04/13/news/doc4bbcc5b788dca728308113.txt
According to the Reedley Exponent, a wily local paper in Reedley, who found themselves covering a hospital with leaks everywhere, all the way into the streets, as bankruptcy was called for less than a month after a CEO was called to court.
Pam Ott, the former Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, with the diploma from "As seen on TV," left our valley in a hurry as investigators were lurking in the hospital asking serious questions about the care of the elderly residents in the skilled nursing facility back in 2007.
But Ott, administrator for both the nursing center and the entire hospital, left a mess with policies neither updated or new policies implemented, which caused possible casualties in certain cases. Her finance manager, is the same one which currently roosts at the Kern Valley hospital right now and in the hospital's apartments, laying around charging Pay per view events, CFO, Chet Beedle. (The pay per view events is totally made up. Sorry. I must have read that wrong.)
As Reedley struggled with both it's reputation then finances, a board worthy of our hometown reticence, interim CEO, Sandy Haskins, hired in from HFS consultants after Ott was relieved of her powers and the coffers were empty, has had his hands full trying to bankrupt the hospital while keeping it afloat for the future residents.
Though in some quotes, certain Sierra King board members initially protect Ott, that goes out the door quickly as allegations of not paying the employee retirement account came flying Ott's way, as the board did not want any part of that error too. The heat is on in Reedley and that hospital is being watched by both the newspaper, and now, city hall.
With only a few options left after much research, Haskins is borrowing 800K from the city of Reedley, so they can put up 1.6 million, the Exponent Editor wrote, to get a certain credit, peculiar to a type of hospital such as Reedley, and maybe such as KVHD, our little sour puss who wants a big 20 million dollar bond and they don't want to pay for it themselves. (Why those wise guys, I could...)
Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment Program, for guys like us who have a large number of Medical and Medicare and no one cares patients.
I thought the funniest part of another solid article from the Exponent on the subject of their financially failing hospital, was the idea that the CEO, Haskins had to go all alone in front of the City Council and ask for a loan with little or no pay off, and "preliminary" guarantees that the money cannot be grabbed in the bankruptcy or eaten by the state with it's obese appetite for cash.
Nobody from the board joined him. What a bunch of crackerjacks over there. Even a city council board member made a remark.
That is in my opinion another example of an elected board in charge of healthcare that doesn't care. We have that particular disease here, except in that they do care, but only about looking good for our small community who they seem to believe is judging them like a beauty contestant.
I'm afraid my research shows our community knows little about who is in charge of possibly their life one day if the other car crosses over the line in the canyon, or rocks begin to slide after a quake or your pacemaker quits.
Haskins isn't even Reedley, he's HFS, a management type, but the board was elected by the residents of Reedley and didn't show up to answer any questions about this loan or the reason for not making a show with CMAC so that they may potentially receive increased reimbursement from the Disproportionate hospital Payment Program.
But when Ott, our former Diva of da valley, and unfortunately for the city of Reedley, their CEO too who left with a shoe at her back, she hadn't even considered this option, along with her fellow CFO, who was let go when Big Frank and Chucky came to get their money...
What about KVHD? Umm, that's the question...tis nobler to get a bond...or try and get more reimbursement? Let's ask. I'm writing to them now.
I will go forth and get you that information...she said. I said. I exclaimed! Indeed.
More good stuff from the Exponent.
http://www.reedleyexponent.com/articles/2010/04/13/news/doc4bbcc5b788dca728308113.txt
It was the night before KVHD and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, but only this louse: Sierra Kings in bankruptcy?
But Pam doesn't believe in bankruptcy...how could this be? 
The irony, I hope,will not be lost on anyone here in the KRV, that Sierra Kings District board of directors voted today to file bankruptcy, a chapter nine, municipal bankruptcy of a public healthcare district.
For those who are new to this blog, Sierra Kings District, is the, or will it be "was the", home of the criminally charged, Kern Valley Healthcare District, former CEO, Pamela Ott.
Ott who is charged with eight counts of elder abuse stemming from her time with KVHD, is currently on unpaid leave with the district, until the November preliminary hearings scheduled at the Kern County Superior Court.
Last month, September, Ott plead "not guilty whatsoever" to the elder abuse charges and was released on her on recognizance, pending the hearings, but with the provision that she not work in a skilled nursing facility. (I'm thinking maybe living in one might be the lesson)
After reading the article published on the web, by the Sierra Kings' local newspaper, "The Reedley Exponent," regarding the last month's board meeting, the new CEO and CFO, spoke of converting hospital beds into swing beds which could be used for skilled nursing.
I wonder how that plan, if it ever gets underway, as Sierra Kings voted on going with bankruptcy to solve their financial woes, will combine with Ott's employment and court orders?
What happened at Sierra Kings, other than the obvious?
Oh, the news of the Sierra Kings bankruptcy, which is scheduled to be filed tomorrow, according, to interim CEO, Sandy Haskins, reeks of timing I must say.
One month after Ott is talking innocence with a Kern County judge, her hospital, the one again in her care, under her leadership, is said to appear to be a "sinking ship" in the local Reedley newspaper.
But bankruptcy is a word I think all of us, and I mean all of us, (yes, I see you), will never forget as being the word that Ott used constantly here in the KRV: but not as a solution, rather an attack on people who would utter such a contemptible idea.
Now, Sierra Kings, Ott's latest adventure, will likely be saved from total annihilation by doing this.
In the same article from the Exponent, the latest word had been a gasping "plan" devised by the firm HFS Consultants, who have been working with the hospital for a year and supplied both the interim CEO, Haskins, and Chief Financial officer, Teresa Jacques. http://www.reedleyexponent.com/
Losing both CEO, Ott, to criminal charges, and CFO, Barbara Jennings, to some not really specific complaints, (she didn't do her job is basically what they are saying), Sierra Kings has filled it shoes with the resources of this consulting firm HFS.
You can find HFS off the website for the Association of California Healthcare Districts, ACHD. http://www.achd.org/
ACHD is a power player in the healthcare industry, and considering HFS is on the front page of their website, I'm assuming this company must be in the big league too.
Last week there was the unveiling at the SKDH board meeting of the three million dollar plan, hatched by HFS, which would be a complex, (and I'm sure costly), look at accounts recievable and billing issues. They were hoping to cull through lost monies and shore up the billing department.
But now it's bankruptcy. What a week it must have been in Reedley.
Although Haskins said, "We'd prefer not to have to do this," he elaborated on the fact that the hospital is cash poor and accounts recievable are out over 100 days.
He said, the board of directors has made the choice to go forward with the Chapter 9, and they "hope it will improve the situation."
This will be the story to follow at Sierra Kings, but the truth is that the problems here at KVHD may lead us to the same conclusions we came to ten years ago in 1999 when a CEO was fired for even mentioning the idea: Bankruptcy.
Pam Ott totally disagrees with bankruptcy. Where is she anyway?
Now, without it's CEO, Pam Ott, Sierra Kings faces a huge challenge to remain on the healthcare map as bankruptcy is both costly and risky.
HFS has apparently taken the helm for this round at Sierra Kings, but where's Pam Ott in all of this?
Ott, who in my opinion, considering the circumstances at Sierra Kings, and the criminal charges, will be moving her base of operation somewhere else in the near future. But then again, she has gotten awards from ACHD and worked with HFS, so she's in with some big guns which could protect her if they were so inclined.
Oh, but what a legacy (or scarring, whatever you want to call it) she left our respective healthcare districts.
KVHD, now known for its elder abuse, collusion, criminal negligence, retributive firings, obstruction of investigators, short staffing, and some really colorful scapegoating, has a cousin in Reedley, Sierra Kings.
They are now known for their own construction projects gone awry, a CEO charged with elder abuse, a suspicious termination of the finance officer, no money and now bankruptcy. (I'm sure there are other things I missed)
Bankruptcy is taboo
So, to tell this story I must go back to the fact that while Ott was with KVHD the legend goes that Mr. Robert Knight, CEO, wanted to bankrupt the district to shake off that mountain of debt brought about by mismanagement of a construction project some years earlier.
This lead to Ott and her gang just twisting it and spinning it, that Robert Knight, was a "threat to the healthcare district" as he wanted to bankrupt and get out of debt.
Well Knight, as CEO in 1999, and I will show you this paperwork someday, did have an attorney look into bankruptcy. It is a detailed report on the situation of the debt load they were trying to carry, and how a bankruptcy could save or renew the district.
Enter the bad guys, the antagonist, Cal Mtg.
I'm sure it wasn't the day after the bankruptcy report was made, but certainly shortly thereafter, our friends from the state agency who insured the 22 million in revenue bonds, Cal Mtg. came pounding on the door.
No way were they going to let us bankrupt without a fight. We, or the board of directors at the time, signed our district away on the construction project which brought us half a SNF and an inoperable OR.
But guess who ended up as the bad guy? Robert Knight because of his suggestion of bankruptcy. Not Brad Armstrong who still sits asleep at the board. Not the people in OSHPD who approved the building plans. Not the CEO of the time nor the board of the time.
Here's the funny part: Knight was not even at KVHD when the real damage was done with the revenue bonds. He was hired on after the disaster, expected to run a company with a huge debt load, yet, still blamed. Interesting how that worked.
(But you don't bankrupt on Cal Mtg.)I asked the interim CEO, Haskins, if Sierra Kings had any debt insured by Cal Mtg. and he reported that they did not.
Of course not, or they wouldn't even be considering Bankruptcy.
Cal Mtg. has the claws in its contracts set up so that, sure you can bankrupt, its legal, but we will take everything.
If you're interested, the state plan 2007, for Cal Mtg. is like a Stephen King novel in its descriptions of what happened to those who couldn't pay. My favorite story from the state plan involves some poor healthcare provider who couldn't pay. Rather than telling the state, they knew what was going to happen, so they just walked away and didn't even call.
Cal Mtg. actually went physically to the site to find that they were gone.
I think every healthcare provider out there should read that state plan before embarking on the Cal Mtg. deal.
Ott ramping up the propoganda: she used the blame game
Ott came to KVHD by way of the management company, BRIM, and CEO appointed, David Green (See: tracking down the troubles).
She started as Chief Nursing Officer in 2002 and was then neatly packaged as the new CEO by 2003. Dave Green basically handed her the keys to the family car and didn't check her license.
Well, Mr. Knight, won a seat on the board of directors, and he was not going away. (sound familiar) He was not going to be scapegoated without a fight, unlike others who have been taken down at KVHD.
That scrapper Knight, and then CEO, Ott, had some real problems. Where as Knight likes to tell it like it is, Ott's verbiage robotically and repeatedly contained the word "wonderful" or the Knight's did it.
Ott and the gang also accused Knight of not playing with the team about the seismic construction issues which included the Measure M general obligation bond for 12.5 million.
Knight had actually had a bid to do the retrofitting required by the state to keep the hospital in business and safe from earthquakes. (Though they would take us down in a New York minute if we didn't pay the Cal Mtg. debt payments. I guess this makes sense to somebody, only a politician I would think.)
But the Knights, who chose to fight and even run and serve on the board, (Currently, Mrs. Kathryn Knight is our chairwoman, which would have disturbed Miss Ott to no end, as you will see in the email below) have been telling the story of the hospital, it's relationship with Cal Mtg., the financial problems, and finally, we didn't listen when they tried to tell us about the nursing facility.
Why didn't anyone in this community listen?
There's a certain amount of dissappointment on my part as far as this community's ability to understand a problem and deal with it. Gossip, judgment, and ego have played a bigger role than fairness, understanding, and compassion which always seems to take a back seat to the baser preoccupations of people.
The "smallness" of this community makes the situation more pronounced, such as attacking people who are trying to help. Like the Knights.
I tell you if there are people to respect and appreciate it is the Knights. They have a lot of heart and have hung in there when being called many unrepeatable and factually untrue things. In fact, Pam Ott, made her career here on the backs of the gossip about the Knights.
So, I'll end this for the night, and take up after the KVHD board meeting tomorrow.
I'll leave you with the immortal words of Ott from an email in 2006: (by the way those are her typos not mine. And the first reference is to the election of Kathryn Knight to the board while losing the precious Measure M.)
Ok, I finnally finished listening to the load of cow excrement. I want you to know that I got up at 5am this morning in order to accomplish this arduous task (tee, hee). I can't believe that we are all going to have to listen to that squeely little voice for the next 4 years. What is God's plan, I would like to know!!!!!!!!!!! Here are my thoughts:
1. Bob openly admitted that his grand plan continues to be to bankrupt the district. The staff are being used as a ploy in his adventure. He is well aware of our fragile economic situation and that simply increasing salaries and increasing staff will do exactly that. It is not about his concern for staff because he is well aware that no one will have jobs if he is to succeed in his ploy. Here is where I stand on the subject, there will be no bankruptcy, but rather, Cal Mortgage will once again step in and demand that a management firm come to the rescue to turn around finances just as they did during Knight's last intentional attempt at bankruptcy.
2. Mr. Knight has made several attempts to convince me to turn around the District financial successes and move the district toward bankruptcy. He has stated to me that Cal Mortgage would have to forgive the $16 million debt. Because I refuse to comply with such a sinister plot and he knows that Chet Beedle will never comply with such a plan, he now wants to remove all management and replace the very staff who have not only turned the District around financially, but also have improved customer satisfaction and quality improvement . Mr. Knight has informed me on multiple occasions throughout this year that he has a plan to once again take over the management of the district and that , even though I am a good CEO, my ten year is up. He actually even told me that I should take a position in the probation department. (QUOTE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE).
3. It is clear that both Knights have been in attendance at all Board meetings, but have not had the ability to assimilate information provided to them about the Measure M issues. First of all, why does he discount the ability of three very bright Board members who clearly understood the issues at hand? The Board and Administration had discussion frequently at meetings related to why retrofit was not a possibility. first of all, the community spoke clearly both in written and telephone survey that the current Acute care building does not have the capacity to provided the services that citizens would like to see such as an improved emergency department, cardiology and chemotherapy. We have discussed at the Board meetings that spending the approximate $25,000 to have architects propose retrofit plans is $25,000 spend on a project that will not give the Board any information that will be used based upon the fact that the district would still have an antiquated (loved your word), over crowded facility that would not meet today's standards for providing quality acute care services.
4. The discussion that they talked about Phil Foster and Tehachapi: Yes, If we were to use the modular concept with Aspen Street Architects, we could move forward far more expediently with a building project. Problem: Mr. Knight has some incompressible vendetta against Aspen Street Architects and if we do not use the already OSHPD approved modular concept, we will waste at least another year working with a new architect, spend $100's of thousands more on plans and wait for the average 2 years for OSHPD approval of plans. Three Board members understood the value of working with the Rural Health Design Network, a group of 13 Critical Access Hospitals who received a federal grant in order to save all of that money in order to meet the seismic standards in a very cost effective way.
5. Mr. Knight stated that I had already submitted a plan to OSHPD for the building of a net acute care wing: The plan presented to OSHPD was submitted in the year 2000, and Mr. Knight posed the Motion to submit those plans. I was not working with the district at that time.
6. Mr. Knight stated that he had made it clear in "a couple Board Meetings" that he stated that he would go along with the Measure "M" only if the District were to consider "rectalfit". The reality is the Mr. Knight posed the motion for the resolution that clearly stated that Measure "M" would build a new acute care facility to improve emergency services, provide more privacy, and to add Cardiology and Oncology services.
7. I cannot speak to the Gross's Clinic project that Mr. Knight has discussed. Discussion would be a clear breach of executive order of the Board. I am shocked that Mr. Knight has exposed his wife, who is not yet a board member and the media on executive protected information (quote me!).
8. As for the discussion about me bullying and cursing at staff: No comment except to say that I hope that he can find nursing staff who are willing to purger themselves in court, because that is where this discussion is going.
That's what came up for me, but I am sure that you will think of other issues - just call me!
(How do you like the tip of the iceberg. More to follow...)
The irony, I hope,will not be lost on anyone here in the KRV, that Sierra Kings District board of directors voted today to file bankruptcy, a chapter nine, municipal bankruptcy of a public healthcare district.
For those who are new to this blog, Sierra Kings District, is the, or will it be "was the", home of the criminally charged, Kern Valley Healthcare District, former CEO, Pamela Ott.
Ott who is charged with eight counts of elder abuse stemming from her time with KVHD, is currently on unpaid leave with the district, until the November preliminary hearings scheduled at the Kern County Superior Court.
Last month, September, Ott plead "not guilty whatsoever" to the elder abuse charges and was released on her on recognizance, pending the hearings, but with the provision that she not work in a skilled nursing facility. (I'm thinking maybe living in one might be the lesson)
After reading the article published on the web, by the Sierra Kings' local newspaper, "The Reedley Exponent," regarding the last month's board meeting, the new CEO and CFO, spoke of converting hospital beds into swing beds which could be used for skilled nursing.
I wonder how that plan, if it ever gets underway, as Sierra Kings voted on going with bankruptcy to solve their financial woes, will combine with Ott's employment and court orders?
What happened at Sierra Kings, other than the obvious?
Oh, the news of the Sierra Kings bankruptcy, which is scheduled to be filed tomorrow, according, to interim CEO, Sandy Haskins, reeks of timing I must say.
One month after Ott is talking innocence with a Kern County judge, her hospital, the one again in her care, under her leadership, is said to appear to be a "sinking ship" in the local Reedley newspaper.
But bankruptcy is a word I think all of us, and I mean all of us, (yes, I see you), will never forget as being the word that Ott used constantly here in the KRV: but not as a solution, rather an attack on people who would utter such a contemptible idea.
Now, Sierra Kings, Ott's latest adventure, will likely be saved from total annihilation by doing this.
In the same article from the Exponent, the latest word had been a gasping "plan" devised by the firm HFS Consultants, who have been working with the hospital for a year and supplied both the interim CEO, Haskins, and Chief Financial officer, Teresa Jacques. http://www.reedleyexponent.com/
Losing both CEO, Ott, to criminal charges, and CFO, Barbara Jennings, to some not really specific complaints, (she didn't do her job is basically what they are saying), Sierra Kings has filled it shoes with the resources of this consulting firm HFS.
You can find HFS off the website for the Association of California Healthcare Districts, ACHD. http://www.achd.org/
ACHD is a power player in the healthcare industry, and considering HFS is on the front page of their website, I'm assuming this company must be in the big league too.
Last week there was the unveiling at the SKDH board meeting of the three million dollar plan, hatched by HFS, which would be a complex, (and I'm sure costly), look at accounts recievable and billing issues. They were hoping to cull through lost monies and shore up the billing department.
But now it's bankruptcy. What a week it must have been in Reedley.
Although Haskins said, "We'd prefer not to have to do this," he elaborated on the fact that the hospital is cash poor and accounts recievable are out over 100 days.
He said, the board of directors has made the choice to go forward with the Chapter 9, and they "hope it will improve the situation."
This will be the story to follow at Sierra Kings, but the truth is that the problems here at KVHD may lead us to the same conclusions we came to ten years ago in 1999 when a CEO was fired for even mentioning the idea: Bankruptcy.
Pam Ott totally disagrees with bankruptcy. Where is she anyway?
Now, without it's CEO, Pam Ott, Sierra Kings faces a huge challenge to remain on the healthcare map as bankruptcy is both costly and risky.
HFS has apparently taken the helm for this round at Sierra Kings, but where's Pam Ott in all of this?
Ott, who in my opinion, considering the circumstances at Sierra Kings, and the criminal charges, will be moving her base of operation somewhere else in the near future. But then again, she has gotten awards from ACHD and worked with HFS, so she's in with some big guns which could protect her if they were so inclined.
Oh, but what a legacy (or scarring, whatever you want to call it) she left our respective healthcare districts.
KVHD, now known for its elder abuse, collusion, criminal negligence, retributive firings, obstruction of investigators, short staffing, and some really colorful scapegoating, has a cousin in Reedley, Sierra Kings.
They are now known for their own construction projects gone awry, a CEO charged with elder abuse, a suspicious termination of the finance officer, no money and now bankruptcy. (I'm sure there are other things I missed)
Bankruptcy is taboo
So, to tell this story I must go back to the fact that while Ott was with KVHD the legend goes that Mr. Robert Knight, CEO, wanted to bankrupt the district to shake off that mountain of debt brought about by mismanagement of a construction project some years earlier.
This lead to Ott and her gang just twisting it and spinning it, that Robert Knight, was a "threat to the healthcare district" as he wanted to bankrupt and get out of debt.
Well Knight, as CEO in 1999, and I will show you this paperwork someday, did have an attorney look into bankruptcy. It is a detailed report on the situation of the debt load they were trying to carry, and how a bankruptcy could save or renew the district.
Enter the bad guys, the antagonist, Cal Mtg.
I'm sure it wasn't the day after the bankruptcy report was made, but certainly shortly thereafter, our friends from the state agency who insured the 22 million in revenue bonds, Cal Mtg. came pounding on the door.
No way were they going to let us bankrupt without a fight. We, or the board of directors at the time, signed our district away on the construction project which brought us half a SNF and an inoperable OR.
But guess who ended up as the bad guy? Robert Knight because of his suggestion of bankruptcy. Not Brad Armstrong who still sits asleep at the board. Not the people in OSHPD who approved the building plans. Not the CEO of the time nor the board of the time.
Here's the funny part: Knight was not even at KVHD when the real damage was done with the revenue bonds. He was hired on after the disaster, expected to run a company with a huge debt load, yet, still blamed. Interesting how that worked.
(But you don't bankrupt on Cal Mtg.)I asked the interim CEO, Haskins, if Sierra Kings had any debt insured by Cal Mtg. and he reported that they did not.
Of course not, or they wouldn't even be considering Bankruptcy.
Cal Mtg. has the claws in its contracts set up so that, sure you can bankrupt, its legal, but we will take everything.
If you're interested, the state plan 2007, for Cal Mtg. is like a Stephen King novel in its descriptions of what happened to those who couldn't pay. My favorite story from the state plan involves some poor healthcare provider who couldn't pay. Rather than telling the state, they knew what was going to happen, so they just walked away and didn't even call.
Cal Mtg. actually went physically to the site to find that they were gone.
I think every healthcare provider out there should read that state plan before embarking on the Cal Mtg. deal.
Ott ramping up the propoganda: she used the blame game
Ott came to KVHD by way of the management company, BRIM, and CEO appointed, David Green (See: tracking down the troubles).
She started as Chief Nursing Officer in 2002 and was then neatly packaged as the new CEO by 2003. Dave Green basically handed her the keys to the family car and didn't check her license.
Well, Mr. Knight, won a seat on the board of directors, and he was not going away. (sound familiar) He was not going to be scapegoated without a fight, unlike others who have been taken down at KVHD.
That scrapper Knight, and then CEO, Ott, had some real problems. Where as Knight likes to tell it like it is, Ott's verbiage robotically and repeatedly contained the word "wonderful" or the Knight's did it.
Ott and the gang also accused Knight of not playing with the team about the seismic construction issues which included the Measure M general obligation bond for 12.5 million.
Knight had actually had a bid to do the retrofitting required by the state to keep the hospital in business and safe from earthquakes. (Though they would take us down in a New York minute if we didn't pay the Cal Mtg. debt payments. I guess this makes sense to somebody, only a politician I would think.)
But the Knights, who chose to fight and even run and serve on the board, (Currently, Mrs. Kathryn Knight is our chairwoman, which would have disturbed Miss Ott to no end, as you will see in the email below) have been telling the story of the hospital, it's relationship with Cal Mtg., the financial problems, and finally, we didn't listen when they tried to tell us about the nursing facility.
Why didn't anyone in this community listen?
There's a certain amount of dissappointment on my part as far as this community's ability to understand a problem and deal with it. Gossip, judgment, and ego have played a bigger role than fairness, understanding, and compassion which always seems to take a back seat to the baser preoccupations of people.
The "smallness" of this community makes the situation more pronounced, such as attacking people who are trying to help. Like the Knights.
I tell you if there are people to respect and appreciate it is the Knights. They have a lot of heart and have hung in there when being called many unrepeatable and factually untrue things. In fact, Pam Ott, made her career here on the backs of the gossip about the Knights.
So, I'll end this for the night, and take up after the KVHD board meeting tomorrow.
I'll leave you with the immortal words of Ott from an email in 2006: (by the way those are her typos not mine. And the first reference is to the election of Kathryn Knight to the board while losing the precious Measure M.)
Ok, I finnally finished listening to the load of cow excrement. I want you to know that I got up at 5am this morning in order to accomplish this arduous task (tee, hee). I can't believe that we are all going to have to listen to that squeely little voice for the next 4 years. What is God's plan, I would like to know!!!!!!!!!!! Here are my thoughts:
1. Bob openly admitted that his grand plan continues to be to bankrupt the district. The staff are being used as a ploy in his adventure. He is well aware of our fragile economic situation and that simply increasing salaries and increasing staff will do exactly that. It is not about his concern for staff because he is well aware that no one will have jobs if he is to succeed in his ploy. Here is where I stand on the subject, there will be no bankruptcy, but rather, Cal Mortgage will once again step in and demand that a management firm come to the rescue to turn around finances just as they did during Knight's last intentional attempt at bankruptcy.
2. Mr. Knight has made several attempts to convince me to turn around the District financial successes and move the district toward bankruptcy. He has stated to me that Cal Mortgage would have to forgive the $16 million debt. Because I refuse to comply with such a sinister plot and he knows that Chet Beedle will never comply with such a plan, he now wants to remove all management and replace the very staff who have not only turned the District around financially, but also have improved customer satisfaction and quality improvement . Mr. Knight has informed me on multiple occasions throughout this year that he has a plan to once again take over the management of the district and that , even though I am a good CEO, my ten year is up. He actually even told me that I should take a position in the probation department. (QUOTE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE).
3. It is clear that both Knights have been in attendance at all Board meetings, but have not had the ability to assimilate information provided to them about the Measure M issues. First of all, why does he discount the ability of three very bright Board members who clearly understood the issues at hand? The Board and Administration had discussion frequently at meetings related to why retrofit was not a possibility. first of all, the community spoke clearly both in written and telephone survey that the current Acute care building does not have the capacity to provided the services that citizens would like to see such as an improved emergency department, cardiology and chemotherapy. We have discussed at the Board meetings that spending the approximate $25,000 to have architects propose retrofit plans is $25,000 spend on a project that will not give the Board any information that will be used based upon the fact that the district would still have an antiquated (loved your word), over crowded facility that would not meet today's standards for providing quality acute care services.
4. The discussion that they talked about Phil Foster and Tehachapi: Yes, If we were to use the modular concept with Aspen Street Architects, we could move forward far more expediently with a building project. Problem: Mr. Knight has some incompressible vendetta against Aspen Street Architects and if we do not use the already OSHPD approved modular concept, we will waste at least another year working with a new architect, spend $100's of thousands more on plans and wait for the average 2 years for OSHPD approval of plans. Three Board members understood the value of working with the Rural Health Design Network, a group of 13 Critical Access Hospitals who received a federal grant in order to save all of that money in order to meet the seismic standards in a very cost effective way.
5. Mr. Knight stated that I had already submitted a plan to OSHPD for the building of a net acute care wing: The plan presented to OSHPD was submitted in the year 2000, and Mr. Knight posed the Motion to submit those plans. I was not working with the district at that time.
6. Mr. Knight stated that he had made it clear in "a couple Board Meetings" that he stated that he would go along with the Measure "M" only if the District were to consider "rectalfit". The reality is the Mr. Knight posed the motion for the resolution that clearly stated that Measure "M" would build a new acute care facility to improve emergency services, provide more privacy, and to add Cardiology and Oncology services.
7. I cannot speak to the Gross's Clinic project that Mr. Knight has discussed. Discussion would be a clear breach of executive order of the Board. I am shocked that Mr. Knight has exposed his wife, who is not yet a board member and the media on executive protected information (quote me!).
8. As for the discussion about me bullying and cursing at staff: No comment except to say that I hope that he can find nursing staff who are willing to purger themselves in court, because that is where this discussion is going.
That's what came up for me, but I am sure that you will think of other issues - just call me!
(How do you like the tip of the iceberg. More to follow...)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
updated: Caldwell Flores Winters: advice on writing the ballot Part 3 "special Meeting"
Caldwell Flores and Winters, a bond consultant company, out of Oakland California, who was instrumental in the 2006 Kern Valley Healthcare district general obligation bond, Measure M. Though the bond missed by less than 100 votes, and the early surveys showed that it would be close, the plan the hospital, under former CEO, Pam Ott, had was not workable.
Here's the CFW link: http://cfwinc.com/
Ott eventually admitted to serious problems with the architectural plans and the hospital would not have been able to complete it's project.
But had it passed, and even though they couldn't do the project, the community would still have had to pay for the bond: you vote for it and you pay for it.
If you vote for a GOB for the hospital this year, don't forget you pay for it. You're paying money and I will go quickly into the elections aspect of the bond in another post.
The monies derived from a GOB are supposed to be protected, but like she did here in the valley telling us one thing and doing another, Ott, moved up to Sierra Kings District Hospital and was able to use the bond monies for things like payroll and other sundry items the bond was not voted in to be used for.
(I'll be following up with Ott in Fresno county to see if the DA will charge her for misuse of the public funds. How will the Fresno DA handle Ott's indescretion, better than they did here in Kern I hope.)
Sierra Kings went into bankruptcy shortly after Ott was charged with elder abuse, last September. She was then relieved of her position as CEO.
Here's the advice from CFW
Since the hospital wants to use the GOB to pay off a project that took place more than 20 years ago, and failed to be built to the plans. Half a skilled nursing facility is better than nothing? No, I"m afraid not.
Now, CFW, says they have surveyed this community and amazingly the community wants to pay more property taxes to the tune of more than 67% of the people contacted.
AMAZING! In 2006, with community members swarming around the hospital, meetings and volunteers, CFW's survey showed that less than 60% agreed to pay for a GOB.
The advice to the board at the time was to take their time to plan and gather volunteers prior to deciding whether or not to put Measure M on the ballot.
New advice at special meeting 5/17/10
I tried to get you the video last night, but things didn't quite go the way I wanted.
So, as I said, the representative from CFW had new advice for the board and administration, not to have to explain the debt history to the community, but rather say it's paying off a "lease."
I contacted KVHD CEO, Tim McGlew, to ask whether he felt it was fair to put in couched language to avoid the truth. Is it par for the course. Haven't heard back, yet.
(As we know the ballot that has been written, does not contain the word taxes, debt relief or bail out. It is unfair and it shall be fought, the ballot itself.)
I also sent off a letter to Caldwell asking about the survey they did up here, and how I could get in touch with the "objective" company who did the survery.
The reason: several people contacted me asking why it sounded like old women doing the survey, like the Pink Ladies, one person suggested.
Again, I get no response which makes me wonder what are they covering?
The CFW rep explained to the KVHD board members people understand buying is better than leasing. And then an audience member asked him straightforwardly if he was lying. Is the term "lease accurate?"
No. But it sounds better than admitting to failure and asking the community for a bailout because nobody is able and willing to say the terrible word, "bankruptcy."
And that aside, a bargain, a reorganization, anything else. We will take up Parcel Tax, as it excludes seniors from seeing the raise in funds and only lasts a few years, and may only produce a couple million dollars, but a creative management team can always find a way.
Temporary technical problems
Blogger is being problematic about the videos, so we will attempt to get these videos onto Youtube. And continue to get some more videos on the blog.
YouTube "orderbipolardisorder" Look for Leaselying 1 and 2. More to follow...if the upload gods will allow it.
And if you can't find us that way, just plug in "Ask Bob Jamison," and that seems to be easily found...
The week before the board meeting has just begun. Next up interview with elections department on how to write the verbiage for a GOB. A look at the answers other rural hospitals are finding to stay strong during the economic crisis...But a more serious matter is at hand, I'll get to that the day of the board meeting....June 3, at 5:30 PM in the cafeteria.
Here's the CFW link: http://cfwinc.com/
Ott eventually admitted to serious problems with the architectural plans and the hospital would not have been able to complete it's project.
But had it passed, and even though they couldn't do the project, the community would still have had to pay for the bond: you vote for it and you pay for it.
If you vote for a GOB for the hospital this year, don't forget you pay for it. You're paying money and I will go quickly into the elections aspect of the bond in another post.
The monies derived from a GOB are supposed to be protected, but like she did here in the valley telling us one thing and doing another, Ott, moved up to Sierra Kings District Hospital and was able to use the bond monies for things like payroll and other sundry items the bond was not voted in to be used for.
(I'll be following up with Ott in Fresno county to see if the DA will charge her for misuse of the public funds. How will the Fresno DA handle Ott's indescretion, better than they did here in Kern I hope.)
Sierra Kings went into bankruptcy shortly after Ott was charged with elder abuse, last September. She was then relieved of her position as CEO.
Here's the advice from CFW
Since the hospital wants to use the GOB to pay off a project that took place more than 20 years ago, and failed to be built to the plans. Half a skilled nursing facility is better than nothing? No, I"m afraid not.
Now, CFW, says they have surveyed this community and amazingly the community wants to pay more property taxes to the tune of more than 67% of the people contacted.
AMAZING! In 2006, with community members swarming around the hospital, meetings and volunteers, CFW's survey showed that less than 60% agreed to pay for a GOB.
The advice to the board at the time was to take their time to plan and gather volunteers prior to deciding whether or not to put Measure M on the ballot.
New advice at special meeting 5/17/10
I tried to get you the video last night, but things didn't quite go the way I wanted.
So, as I said, the representative from CFW had new advice for the board and administration, not to have to explain the debt history to the community, but rather say it's paying off a "lease."
I contacted KVHD CEO, Tim McGlew, to ask whether he felt it was fair to put in couched language to avoid the truth. Is it par for the course. Haven't heard back, yet.
(As we know the ballot that has been written, does not contain the word taxes, debt relief or bail out. It is unfair and it shall be fought, the ballot itself.)
I also sent off a letter to Caldwell asking about the survey they did up here, and how I could get in touch with the "objective" company who did the survery.
The reason: several people contacted me asking why it sounded like old women doing the survey, like the Pink Ladies, one person suggested.
Again, I get no response which makes me wonder what are they covering?
The CFW rep explained to the KVHD board members people understand buying is better than leasing. And then an audience member asked him straightforwardly if he was lying. Is the term "lease accurate?"
No. But it sounds better than admitting to failure and asking the community for a bailout because nobody is able and willing to say the terrible word, "bankruptcy."
And that aside, a bargain, a reorganization, anything else. We will take up Parcel Tax, as it excludes seniors from seeing the raise in funds and only lasts a few years, and may only produce a couple million dollars, but a creative management team can always find a way.
Temporary technical problems
Blogger is being problematic about the videos, so we will attempt to get these videos onto Youtube. And continue to get some more videos on the blog.
YouTube "orderbipolardisorder" Look for Leaselying 1 and 2. More to follow...if the upload gods will allow it.
And if you can't find us that way, just plug in "Ask Bob Jamison," and that seems to be easily found...
The week before the board meeting has just begun. Next up interview with elections department on how to write the verbiage for a GOB. A look at the answers other rural hospitals are finding to stay strong during the economic crisis...But a more serious matter is at hand, I'll get to that the day of the board meeting....June 3, at 5:30 PM in the cafeteria.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Maybe now this picture will mean somethingn to you...
Nobody bankrupts on Cal Mtg., really...
Early word is Cal Mtg. the insurer of the Kern Valley Healthcare District bond debt is recommending we get some help in the way of financial management. (which is a nice way of them saying you owe us and we are going to be making the calls now)
Early word is Cal Mtg. the insurer of the Kern Valley Healthcare District bond debt is recommending we get some help in the way of financial management. (which is a nice way of them saying you owe us and we are going to be making the calls now)
Now, there are many posts on the blog regarding Cal Mtg. which I will list for you as we have only just begun...there is no happy ending in sight.
I've talked about this for a few years now and I've explained it many ways, adding all sorts of examples. I even wrote a proposal last year and garnered support for dealing with the problem then and not letting the limb rot to the gangrenous point.
Funny that we have the same financial person who has repeatedly told some really interesting, though hardly coherent, stories about how we are the only pharmacy in town who can't make money. How we needed to cut staff which lead to us going the complete opposite way and try to buy ourselves out of trouble with the likes of Don Ermel Doyle and his gang from the nursing center.
That was a great three million dollar investment.
Just like the 22 million we anchored the district with 20 plus years ago. Theres so much this hospital could have done.
And again, that's not "history" I'm talking about, I'm talking this year. Why didn't the board or administration ask to have another look by another finance consultant as they could see they were on the "killer Luge?"
I don't know, just wondering, they wouldn't have something to hide and that's why they didn't get help earlier before the storm hit. It's kind of like Katrina behavior: we saw the storm coming, were warned, but decided to do nothing.
And now Cal Mtg. who thought we were quite the country rubes back in the late 80's, (and I guess we were by the looks of it) took our bet that we could build all these great things onto the hospital and do it for 13 million which was way out of our means.
But Cal Mtg. was there with her alluring credit line, her feasibility studies, and we like money, so we took it. And when trouble started our "friends" found a likely criminal way to get us 9 million more so we could try, but not succeed in finishing our building plans.
We built an Operating room that used to actually be used, now there are a lot of colonoscopies going on up there, and a regular losing proposition, it is costing the hospital big bucks.
But the nursing center was not short staffed in 2005 because it didn't make money: it was short staffed so that money could be jockeyed over to another department which was losing money.
Like when I heard the physical therapy department was making money, and they couldn't get their supplies. The money that department makes was being moved into another department to make up their deficiency.
There is no organization anymore or if there ever was. I just know that at this point this hospital and it's satellite clinic, "the jewel of the district" are not safe places to get your healthcare.
Hey cal Mtg. if you want it, take it. Oh, yeah, you already know that.
But the bottom line is they own us.
What? I told you we own them? We do own them.
Whose on first? Right.
We pay property taxes and vote
I'm afraid to tell you reader but you might be to blame for part of this situation at the KVHD hospital.
If you live in this valley and voted in sorts such as Brad Armstrong, and Bob Jamison, then you know nothing about their contributions to the financial collapse.
Armstrong who has spent his life trying to control everything, and I say this humbly as he has a license to carry a gun and I'd rather not get any more on his bad side (yeah right), voted more than 20 years ago to screw up the future of the this hospital.
We are looking at the ghost of decisions past. Armstrong should have watched the construction more carefully and not taken the seemingly "free rural" monies backed by Cal Mtg. He has at least admitted this was a "bad decision" but doesn't he get it? He's sitting there on the board looking at the consequences of a bad decision.
But then there's Cal Mtg. themselves, a qausi government agency, in theory who was to "help" rural hospitals.
We can see from records that they not only helped, but mostly landed on their heads as many of those loans seem awful iffy. Even on the outside, I think a good analyst could detect a pattern of allowing the agency to insure the very unsure. That got this country hospital in trouble. Now we need to be saved.
Maybe a pawn shop we have a lot of unused equipment such as PhACO machines and Mammography, and there's plenty of other odds and ends.
Or how about another feasibility study by the experts at OSHPD?
I'm sure are overactive board of directors will come up with something to pull us through. Right? They have been so helpful so far.
Maybe Cal Mtg. should just dump them all and start over. I would if I had that power and you all know it. I've not been impressed by anything...well maybe because nothing has been done.
But how could they be wrong they make money
Cal Mtg. doesn't want to hear that people in this valley think we should bankrupt on them.
Because Cal Mtg. has something we are all trying to get: clout. They make money and that is a good thing these days.
But it's also odd.
Someone said to me the other day when I asked about the person's leaning toward paying for a bond or a parcel tax, aren't public hospital's non profit.
Well, you have to have some profit to keep going into the future, but non profits have a different structure. We will discuss this soon.
I'll get as much information as I can regarding this new development, and we will find out soon if HFS, who happens to be in Reedley cleaning up with a bankruptcy, will be our new neighbors.
My blog is so bloated with information, I'll try to get a list of the Cal mtg. posts so that anyone interested, can find out more.
Don't strain yourselves, this information is tedious and quite boring unless you're an obsessed writer/researcher. If you begin to understand what I'm talking about, I warn you it could be bad for your health. You will be quite irritated to see the mediocrity and arrongance which are in charge of your healthcare.
Much more to come, like a board meeting, this week, Cinco de Mayo, 5:30 pm in the cafeteria. If Cal mtg. brings the guacamole, we might bring some chips...
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