She said, good you're an American...

I walked into the store tonight and a ten year old pointed and said to her mother, "is that Laura Hart?" Her mother said, "Sssshhh."

I made a mental note of how weird that felt and went about collecting up a few candy bars to fuel up so I can work late editing videos.

When I made my way to the counter the girl said, "Good you're an American."

My thoughts rushed to what does that mean to me anymore?

Clarifying as I do, I asked, "do you mean simply English speaking people or what did you mean by that remark?"

She gave me my change as it seems the conversation got too deep. I asked, "What does it mean to you to be an American?"

Her face suddenly looked disappointed, her brow came down over her eyes, she shook her head from side to side: "trouble, especially here in California. It's bad."

And yesterday at the election's office I met a woman who was told if she didn't have a candidate statement she wouldn't be able to get an endorsement for her candidacy by the "in group."

The statement costs $600, which isn't pocket money for many except high paid CEO's, and she said she had children in college and couldn't pay to take the risk.

She was turned away as that is the law, pay to play. (Laws are written, but rarely upheld...I got that information from a survey)

"I don't understand isn't this America? Why isn't it an even playing field where anyone, money or not, can run?"

We have ideals that it could be an even playing field. But could she run against Meg Whitman who has cleaned out all of the change under her couch cushions and put together a massive amount of money to win as Governor?

Where as Jerry Brown, looks away from the mess he helped create at our hospital, and relies on name recognition. He has been busting everyone from the City of Bell to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But he just can't quite grasp what he has done to our rural community by not finishing his given job as the attorney general.

Just so you know, Mr. Brown's office is making money suing and following rather morbidly, pseudo celebrity deaths. He flew right down to make sure something was done to find out what happened to that lovely woman, Anna Nicole Smith.

I've invited him and others to our board meetings but they don't seem to care or they think they can just walk all over us...well you got the story you milked, but now you're going to have to buy the cow. Moo.

What are we anymore? Hypocrites and thieves putting bond measures on that actually trick the voters? Yes and not just the Kern Valley Healthcare district either it's part of the problem with the system.

Much like our case in this comparably tiny village, we can't even run our government hospital. What does that say about the rest of the government? Can we count on them? We're all in trouble and we can all feel it.

But we don't know who we are and what Americans who killed, maimed, enslaved, taxed, tortured to bring freedom to some people...Wait...but there's one thing I still believe in and that's hope for something better.

Whatever comes of this obviously well known battle against greed, fraud, and self serving institutions and individuals, I will bring home some hope that things CAN change if we persevere.

This is a "new world" and we need some cartographers to guide us through it. We may want to truly change the system and not just a regrettable Proposition 14 either. Phooey!

I think American's are as depressed as the economy and many don't know what to do or have the time and money to do it. That helps keep us entrenched. The internet however is a balance as we are now able to convey information that is quashed in the regular press, who are quite jealous by the way, and get it to people who can do something. (I should say who aren't afraid to)

We bailed out the banks and Wall Street and left ourselves high and dry. Now the government is asking the Federal reserve for help to keep the economy from crashing?

But if a mongrel like me who will be taking this all the way regarding the last four years of corruption, crime, lies, backstabbing and deceit, in my own backyard, our supposed center of health, the hospital, then any and every one of you can too...Don't forget it.

Now that's what I call being an American...undaunted and original...beaten up, but NEVER beaten down.

"You're sick of the game!" Well, now, that's a shame. You're young and
you're brave and you're bright."You've had a raw deal!" I know -- but don't
squeal, Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight. It's the plugging away that will
win you the day, So don't be a piker, old pard! Just draw on your grit; it's so
easy to quit: It's the keeping-your-chin-up that's hard.

It's easy to cry that you're beaten -- and die; It's easy to crawfish and crawl; But to fight and to fight when hope's out of sight --Why, that's the best game of them all!
Excerpt from "The Quitter" by Robert William Service

He thinks it's funny: Do you DHS, Jerry Brown, CMS, DA?

Jerry Brown: it's never too late...

KVHD board meeting, June 2009:

Feeling safe and secure he will never have to face his responsibility for the disasters/failures/crimes of the Kern Valley Healthcare District, the district's employees and patients have been enduring for the last two plus years, board member, Brad Armstrong, reacted when I told him it was sick he was still a free man while a doctor and pharmacist pay his toll.

He laughed and smirked.

I asked him, "Do you think that's funny?"

I'm sure Dr. Pormir isn't laughing and neither are the families of the patients in the skilled nursing facility, or the former employees scapegoated and known always as "disgruntled."

While the perpetrators of the disasters sit at our KVHD board table each month, Armstrong, Bob Jamison and Chet Beedle, CFO, without conscience or an understanding of how many lives have been altered because of them. I'm going to make sure they know what their crimes have reaped.

Again, I repeat as I have written in personal correspondence with many of our elected officials, you let the leaders go, to continue the same indifference to laws and ethics while you took the "worker bees."

You want to kill the swarm you go after the queen and her mates. (Don't forget, former CEO of KVHD, Pam Ott, now infesting Sierra King District in Reedly, CA: Oh yeah, she's a witness for the state.)

Apparently the Department of Justice doesn't scare our Mr. Armstrong, I believe he thinks he is untouchable. He should probably take heed there are those out there that "know" what he did.

Bob Jamison has laughed off investigations crowing from his sqawk box at QAB media about the impotence of government. So, now he faces a new hurdle at the next board meeting and every meeting thereafter: having to listen to his own emails being read onto the hospital record.

And Chet Beedle with his funny abacus will never admit to the short staffing, the personal attacks on employees, the grandiose contracts, the short sighted bond refinance, so we are just going to have to help him out with the truth.

But once the state investigators looked away from KVHD, the element just reassembled, added new members, burrowed back in, becoming even more fearless.

At a special board meeting in March, I was asked to get a report for a TV station. When I entered the board room, the board counsel was giving me the synopsis over the phone, when Brad Armstrong stepped in front of me, clicked off the phone as the attorney was in mid sentence, and told me, "meeting adjourned." (Worthy to note, the chairman is the only one to say, meeting adjourned. He's not the chairman. I guess he's still living in the middle chair of his mind.)

I protested that I had not gotten the report. While I was protesting the cameraman from the TV station was getting hit with sprinklers as he tried to film in front of the hospital.

We went up to the bench at the entrance of the facility to do the interview, and suddenly, the sprinklers from the tree, sprayed us. We laughed and I explained to the startled cameraman that it was just the nonsense of stupid people. (He fixed the sprinkler by the way. Chet you owe him five bucks. Or maybe you would prefer he be your sprinkler consultant and you could contract for say, half a million?)

The healthcare district spent $60,000 on a public relations firm to try and change its damaged image.

They then really helped their marred image by turning the sprinklers on a cameraman from KGET, Channel 17 news, out of Bakersfield last March.

Opinion #7-13 Laura Hart:

Mr. Attorney General, if the government cannot serve the type of justice which produces healing by removing the malignant force, then it would be best to do nothing at all. You removed some healthy tissue but left most of the tumors behind. Not a good prognosis.

By ignoring the leaders in your indictments, much like leaving ruthless leaders from authoritarian regimes in power, you let them continue the same actions but with impunity.

Unfortunately, the message the state sent to the Kern Valley was that we are only a provocative headline for you sir and your public relations staff who are working on your next political campaign.

Dr. Pormir chided me two years ago that, "you, Laura, know nothing about politics."

Given our respective situations, related to the political machine, I'd say we're becoming frickin' experts.

Potable Quotables for $1000 Alex...and Jerry and Diane

Pick a quote

As we approach the next court date in the Kern Valley Healthcare District soap opera, "Specific Hospital" when the new season begins next Tuesday, March 9, nobody here in the valley knows what to expect.

Several mystery pieces to the puzzle should be cleared up. During the end of last season's cliff hanger, former CEO, Ott, who had been given the Martha Stewart treatment as she "came in on her own recognizance" in exchange for respect, no bail necessary, and fashionable clothing rather than an orange jumpsuit.

And Ott's attorney, waved his hand at me dismissing the charges as nothing more than small town gossip. (What do I know)

(I would probably agree that at any other time it was small town gossip, though in this case, it was the gossip that kept Ott's iron's out of the fire, at least until the truth was so damning that even board member, Bob Jamison's now famous attempts at portraying Ott as the "victim" didn't last.)

In Attorney General Jerry Brown's press release that I have on my wall and walk by and give it a kiss each day, there is the paragraph that changed my whole thinking that the AG's office would never "get it" the truth.

Now, we're looking at our watches for March 9, and waiting on the justice. Excerpt from press release DOJ, Feb. 9, 2010.

In addition to today's court victory, BMFEA has investigated and prosecuted
several other notable elder abuse cases in the past year. Late last year in
Sacramento, Maria Elna Flora pleaded guilty to 12 counts of grand theft and
burglary for stealing $435,100 from retirees to fund a daily gambling habit.
In
September 2009, Brown filed charges against Pamela Ott, a Kern Valley
Hospital
administrator, for allowing staff to forcibly administer
psychotropic
medications to patients to sedate them for the staff's
convenience. The case is
pending in Kern County Superior Court.

The first in line for abuse Brown's press release declared, was Mary Louise Wilson, who had a problem setting fires, but nobody died as a consequence of her latent pyromania, as she was a "resident" not an employee or administrator of several nursing homes.

In descending order of elder abuser state gathered "rankings" is the gambler, who couldn't fold them, and began stealing from the elderly to continue her gambling habit. Almost half a million in what? Out of curiosity what might have been at a nursing home that was stolen from residents that could be worth that much?

Usually, there is no jewelry left on, though in certain cases there could be. But what else did she take? Cash laying around is not usually an issue as there is no where to spend it.

Finally, now to Pam Ott, the CEO, nursing home administrator, giving her permission to staff to drug patients in a manner which had not, according to public health records, been done before.

She didn't seem to be looking away and allowing a reportedly highly "irritable" nurse to keep patients quiet so she could think.

Sorry, some of these claims are preposterous. Ott brought in exactly who she thought she needed after getting slammed in the annual inspections for the use of physical restraints and lack of staff leading to patient weight loss and dehydration.

Mary Louise Wilson, got a prison sentence of almost 20 years, for her problem fire bugging the homes she stayed in. And the people were injured and no one was killed.

In Ott's case, I'm wondering about the charges, as the state claims that several people died at KVHD because of the treatments and the lack of proper staffing.

The quotes; the story...
We will soon see what the Department of Justice will do with the case against Ott.
(If there is a 50-50 chance that something can go wrong, then 9 times out of ten it will.
Paul Harvey)
One of the concerns of many people is how the state is able to even understand this case as the cover up was thicker than Maybelline.
(The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer.
Edward R. Murrow)
This situation at the hospital, did not have to happen, and had there been vigilance or even some oversight it well may never have happened.
(This country has far more problems than it deserves and far more solutions than it applies.
Ralph Nader)
Locally, the problem with communication within two small media outlets who rely on the hospital for advertising dollars, was that the coverage became cloudy, and before people knew what was happening, the dust had settled and kicked up once again.
(Multinational corporations do control. They control the politicians. They control the media. They control the pattern of consumption, entertainment, thinking. They're destroying the planet and laying the foundation for violent outbursts and racial division.
Jerry Brown)
Small communities can certainly contribute to the larger picture, but sometimes there are problems in insular type of places such as the KRV, where instead of kicking out the mediocrity, it seems to have moved to protect it.
(Where there is a sufficient social movement of self-reliant communities, there can be political change. There must be political change.
Jerry Brown)
The media in this local area showed it had a difficult time investigating it's home town story of unfortunate proportion. It had what many outlets have, is the question of the truth versus popularity as well as money.
Then there is the sadder tale of the ABC news and Diane Sawyer coming in three years after the fact, and no facts of import added to the story, no corrections made to the story, and this is what we call "journalism."
(I love the early process of asking questions about a story and deciding which questions matter most. Diane Sawyerism
An investigation, may take six months. A quick interview, profile, a day. Diane Sawyer…)
I think we forget that the role of a local politician is just as important if not more important than those of the distant offices in Sacramento and Washington DC. The local politicians know the people, know the region, the history, and the needs, which makes them important to the growth and vitality.
But if we don't vote in the right people, we get situations such as the one's we are currently dealing with in court.
("Sure there are dishonest men in local government. But there are dishonest men in national government too." -Richard M. Nixon)
More to come as the next court date approaches where we will likely meet the "quiet one's," attorney's Donald Etra and Allan Ginsburg, who supposedly have taken over the criminal portion of the Dr. Hoshang Pormir case.

Don't blame me, I didn't even know about the ABC story: everyone who has read this blog knows I wouldn't have endorsed that crap

Well, thanks Diane Sawyer and ABC news for making my night:

Yes, it was Kern Valley Healthcare District board meeting night, and the phone was ringing off the hook at home as I was trying to get ready to leave for the meeting.

And you want to know who these callers were? They were people who thought I knew or orchestrated the weak, at best, attempt at a story done by ABC "WORLD" news tonight, they have more credibility than the lone blogger.

I'm sorry that anyone would even question it, but no, as I described in a post below, oddly enough, I had to call the television stations to find out what happened, as none of my team made it to the ballpark, and I was hoping for the scoop on what happened in court.

Not strange now, but none of the other stations were in court, and 23 had some interest in "my" interest in the case. But never told me about the Diane Sawyer version that was to come.

If I had known I certainly would have questioned what they were doing. I assumed a local take on the court date, not a retrospective.

Instead, my stepfather, in a different state and time zone caught the news and said our local story had gone national. He didn't elaborate on the story except that he caught a glimpse of the "Jerry's story" soundbite from the attorney general's office where this investigation emenated, and a picture of the hospital in "Lake Isabella." (How it got to Isabella nobody knows, but we do have a penchant for mobile things, homes, mammography, around here.)

So, to clarify, I had nothing to do with this story, and do not condone "using" people to fill a minute of time in a news show. We are not fluff.

If it had been done with some new information, and maybe a touch of class, or even a graphic or two, it may have had the potential to be helpful. Instead the misinformation in the story outweighed any significant assistance the news organization could have actually been to our situation, which I might add continues on.

It's not over, but the only story they ever run is what happened three years ago, within a six month period. And words were used like "intentionally overdosing" patients. Hmm, there seems to be a discrepancy somewhere as there was not an issue of overdosing per say, as there was an issue of the type of drugs used.

But who am I to quibble with such accuracy.

And Pam Ott, the CEO, with the funny credentials, doesn't even get a dishonorable mention. As if she never mistreated families of victims or fired employees who attempted to stop the situation. (That's not interesting at all is it?)

They lost their chance to be effective and helpful.

And they didn't show up for the  meeting. Yes, that's correct the ABC news affiliate in Bakersfield, Channel 23, where the story from last night's ABC elder abuse scare (they could've called it, "slipping mickey's to Grandma" if they wanted to) orginated, did not attend our current meeting.

Umm, what happened? Are we a one night stand? I thought you cared about us, our community. But it seems not. You tell stories we believe you, or at least people outside the situation who know absolutely nothing, believe you.

Anyway, please don't think I did this, it's embarrassing. And I'm sorry I had no time to address this before it happened.

We have more issues to deal with like the board member, who is unfit for his elected position, Bob Jamison, and his saga with using a radio outlet with no competitors to broadcast propaganda about serious health and safety issues at the hospital he was elected to represent in an honest fashion. (That's not interesting either?)

And major issues with our hospital, it's longevity, it's staying power...more to follow.

I miss the toughness and integrity of 60 minutes: Diane Sawyer allows hack job of Kern Valley Healthcare District elder abuse Story (national but not helpful, thanks for trying)

ABC World News Tonight: sounds good

(I still remember the hayday of 60 minutes, the CBS masterpiece of television journalism, how about you Diane Sawyer?)
We were happy to hear that the story at the Kern Valley Healthcare District was being covered nationally, but that was short-lived as the majority of those who watched it shared with me they were disturbed.

"They don't even know the truth and that is why the media is as screwed up as it is."

"I can't believe they did it again."

"You're right, TV can't really cover this story."

After hours of talking and then reading some emails, I began to realize that ABC World News tonight really did nothing to help our situation here in the Kern River Valley, nor were they able to really get a handle on the story. And the may have even hurt us by coming in at the end basically and using year old footage.

The story eminates from channel 23 in Bakersfield, the local ABC affiliate, much like the only radio station in our mountain town, QAB, is also an ABC news affiliate.

The irony here lies in that ABC news, it could be argued, is a co-conspirator in the elder abuse case.

My argument would be that I personally, and I know directly that others have contacted agencies such as the FCC and ABC news and QAB to complain about the behavior of Disc Jockey and "KVHD" board member, Bob Jamison, in regards to keeping the truth of the circumstances at the hospital from the public.

Which I think makes it a conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Charged with eight counts of elder abuse, and the last defendant to be charged "thus far" (I hope anyway) in the case, former CEO, Pam Ott, was allowed an almost solid hour (meaning advertisements were purposefully reduced) to make her case with Board member Jamison's blessing.

So, we, the community, the public in general, did not know to what extent the situation at the hospital had degraded.

By this time, I know of one for certain, family that was paid off and took money to be quiet.

Yes, the district paid off a family, a small sum to go away and not let this mess get out to the public.

But when it did, the media, QAB and even the local newspaper, were allowing misinformation, and focusing on what they thought would help (help keep their advertising contract I'm sure) the hospital.

You cannot allow a hospital overrun by criminal and unethical behaviors/activities to be removed of a few and leave the top layer over the rest with no recourse.

We were warned

There was a whistle, a horn, a scream, and then a crashing noise as all of this took place between late 2006 and early 2007.

I'm here because one of the media outlets flat out lied, and the other could not bring itself to understand the problems and give it the coverage it needed.

I'm here because the attorney general had the former CEO, with diplomas from Kennedy/Western University (google that or just look at the post of her whole resume) and emails misrepresenting her credentials. Any rookie human resources clerk could catch that.

I'm still here because the county DA didn't want to get into this morass of small town politics.

I'm still here because people still need help and the truth has not finished surfacing. And I won't be going away anytime soon it seems. As there have not been others willing to step up and take on this crooked situation.

Did your story help us? Then what was it for?

We are quick to beat up on the media, and truly they do need some good wake up calls. But for the most part the media want to report as best as the type of media they utilize can support.

A television station cannot handle a complex story such as the one that has occurred here on the five o'clock news unless it becomes a series, drawn out to allow time for interviews and facts, allowing the viewer to have enough information to decide on their own what has happened.

I could suggest a few segments for television which would cover our story:
"Financial policy leads to short staffing a nursing center potentially causing patient harm. The on-going Kern Valley Healthcare District case."

Then they could add a story on corporate tyrranny and use the KVHD managers and a few board members as examples. "What to do when your manager is doing something illegal: the whistleblower act."

Another, why people are frightened enough to do things they normally wouldn't do?

The list goes on and on, as there are many layers to this situation, and so much to be learned by us all.

Point is there is a lot of material in this story, so which do you do? All of it, of course. Leave nothing out. It's too vitally important.

I'm here to help bring about true change and hopefully watch justice happen in my lifetime. Though I recieved a few exasperated emails tonight from those who just want this to end. Some are families of the nursing center residents and others are just involved somewhere.

I hope that there are those who are redeemed from this horrible situation, as it changed all our lives who are and were involved.

Channel 23 I believe you should make your way up here tonight, at 5:30 pm for the board of director's meeting. It is time for the media to help out, we would appreciate it.

You could help get the truth, "the dam truth" out there. Because that is what our job is about.

A story with a juicy Jerry Brown soundbite is tempting, but that was old news, and he has reiterated the exact same message without elaboration.

I'd like to ask him why or how Pam Ott ever got on the witness list. What drugs were the investigators on when they did that? Psychotropics?

And really I want to know why the rest of the notables, some still stuck at the hospital, are not being at least reprimanded. Maybe not elder abuse, but lot's of obstruction took place, and truthfully, some of it, not so long ago.

So, the media who covered this need to ask themselves if they did this to shock us and make us tingly or to help?

I know that the story contained an interview with the "former" attorney for Dr. Hoshange Pormir, a long time doctor in the valley, from Lebeau and Thelan, about how Dr. Pormir supposedly feels about the drugs which were administered.

I know Dr. Pormir probably didn't appreciate that interview as today in court, the date was continued until March 9, 2010, because he has a new attorney, Donald Etra, from Los Angeles.

That was a very self serving interview I believe, and even more so, it may have damaged Dr. Pormir's case as I saw no reason that he should reveal anything as to the direction his client or his defense is taking the case.

That was a bad and damaging interview.

What happened in court:

It was a strange morning as I struggled to get out of bed, and my camera person had a car breakdown, and my friend hit traffic in the canyon because of road work, and none of us made it to the church on time to see the three defendants.

But I decided to make a call to channel 17, KGET, and then 29 to see if they had covered the case. No.

Unhappy, I decided off chance, though I had not talked to them before as I have the others, to call channel 23, an ABC news affiliate.

I got someone on the news tip line, and asked if they went to court. Yes. I thought great. I was told that it was continued until the ninth of March as a new attorney, Donald Etra, had come on for one of the defendants, he couldn't tell me which one.

I thanked him for the info and then he asked me who I was. I said, I'm Laura Hart, and not hearing a shriek, I continued on to say I am the reporter who was the first investigator on site in the matter and staying on until it's properly and justly settled.

He didn't tell me about the story that was to run later on both the local and national news, but asked me some more questions. I told all he needed to know about me was on my blog: google me I told him. (sounds kind of kinky now that I say it that way)

Anyway, news guy  then thanks me and asks me for my name and number, basically because of my winning personality I'm sure, to catch up later.

Then I try to find this attorney locally, and the name, "Etra" sounds both like "extra" and etcetera" which seemed odd.

So, I call back the newsguy at 23, and just for kicks have him restate the name so I know it's not in my mind, and I dyslexically wrote it down.

He reassured me on the name and so then I looked it up and reassured myself by calling the courthouse to verify the name.

It may not be exciting, but basically, the case was continued, new lawyer needs time to catch up on the situation, and we will see where they are at in March.

There maybe more...I'm still poking around.

Civil case, in Shepter vs. KVHD, they're arguing the statute of limitations law which allows the government entity, say the healthcare district, to be informed that they are going to be sued six months after the injury or death took place. That is in California, other states are even more restrictive.

KVHD is arguing the Shepter case, one of the victims listed in the criminal matter, that they didn't file on time.

These short statute laws offer a kind of protection to the government entities, as many times the people who have injuries or lawsuits are unable to collect or even be heard as they may not have filed on time. The lawsuit could be dropped or not even started based on this shorter than average time frame, statute of limitations.
Tonight: board meeting 5:30 pm in the hospital cafeteria. Please attend as the meetings become more and more important. The auditor will be here, to give his perspective on all things financial. But I want to remind those who attend: this auditor has been doing the districts books for many years, Rick Jackson. And the thing I would like to see happen would be a thorough, forensic audit.

Anyone can take someone else's numbers and say they look all right: but when you actually have receipts, bills, cheques, that is far more invasive and thorough. Yes, costly, but I bet we find more money than not, as billing is behind a few years.

See you there...

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

If it's rotten at the top...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'm a nurse practitioner and I can help you

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See you in court...

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will the DOJ take this into consideration?

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

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

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

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

Book em' Danno! Or Donno, or I mean, sorry, Donny, Jerry and Steve, our guardians of some California justice

Why not these two?

Now we know if we caught Pam Ott, former CEO of the Kern Valley Healthcare District, charged with eight counts of elder abuse by the state of California, smoking some marijuana, she would be in jail, on "bail" in a jumpsuit, being cursed by board member, and media non-personality, Bob Jamison.

But, because it was a matter of governance, or lack thereof, we seem to have forgiven those who allowed a situation to occur in a hospital and nursing center which may have lead to the demise of residents who knew nothing of the politics which played a role in their care.

I was looking through the California Penal code, for the fun of it, a week or so ago as there are so many laws on the books which could be applied in our case here at KVHD. I sit here this fine Friday afternoon, late for appointments, wondering why there are not at least two more defendants for next week.

We know that there are documents that pertain to the responsibilities of those in charge of the nursing center or any nursing home. The administrator, the leader, is the top dog, according to the district policy and the laws of the state of California.

That should not be questioned.

But our administrator also had a second in command, who knew very well, what was going on. Ott even pointed that finger early in 2006, when Department of Health Services or "Public Health" (thank you, I'm scared already) questioned Ott's credentials.

As has been pointed out on this blog, which has reached an unmanagable 200 posts, (wow, let's celebrate! It took 200 blogs to explain this situation, but only one jury can send the message home) that Ott had help in the cover up.

Let's see the CNO of the time, she definitely knew; the CFO, Chet Beedle, who recently made fools of the board and current administration with his pharmacy analysis, was cutting out more jobs than the mortgage industry, which made for big gaping holes in the staffing, he knew.

And board members, Bob Jamison, Brad Armstrong, and Barbara Casas were either covering for the "leadership lite" administrative nightmare, or they were duped like most of us.

Either way, it's still malfeasance. They should have looked at the records, stopped the cover up, but they, instead, helped Miss Ott out of the "country" off to her new position at Sierra Kings District Hospital which has now met with trials and tribulations under her leadership. They are bankrupting their hospital. (we're just killing our business little by little here at the hands of a CFO, but, let's keep him, pay him, and allow him to continue down this path of fiduciary suicide)

But the CFO, was right in the middle of all of this, taking out personal personnel information to try and keep the employees in their places.

(Yes, we're going to have another holocaust blog for Monday. The first one didn't work out as I was straight out of surgery trying to write it, but now, I'm ready. Are you ready for Mien KVHD?)

How is it that other employees were fired for lesser issues, but, again, the administration gets a break?

Now, the former CNO, who currently works in quality control and the cardiac arrest her departments which were created out of scratch, those medicines off the charts, needs to be addressed in a courtroom.

Thelma and Louise of the SNF, Ott and Sharon Brucker, read reports to the board throughout 2006, with such concern as, "whoops" our patients lost 25 pounds, yes, we need to start weighing them. But only when we can find a way to bring them out without restraints.

Brucker the former CNO, was seen in court last month though, in the audience unfortunately, as Ott took a few minutes to show up and plead not guilty at all, what are you talking about, to the elder abuse charges.

Ott didn't have to post bail, it was all quite streamlined for her, so I asked the Department of Justice, (several times in fact) why she was treated with this "fast track" method of justice.

I have not received a suitable answer or actually any answer. It's not a rhetorical or hysterical question, Scott Gerber, bad boy of PR: I was serious: why would you treat her that way after the evidence shows she had no regard for anyone else, employees, residents of the SNF, or the law itself?

Come on DOJ, serve the "loco" motion

As I said, there are so many laws on the books which could easily be used in this case to make sure, double check, that we got all the people out of there who need to be made an example of for the rest.

Would it be crazy to press these charges? I don't think so. I'm quite certain that even though the DOJ's investigation was late, like me, and the evidence was shredded, and the tapes were lost, (though there were some other tapes made by Ott, which I'm wondering if they have been turned over to the DOJ) there is still evidence.

Maybe you can't get them all on elder abuse charges, but there are other lesser charges, easier to prove that would at least get them out of the hospital so they can't do any more damage. And maybe then, we can heal this place.

But we need felonies as the hospital does not rehire those with felonies on their record.

And you need to take the board members too. Do not let them think they can do this without some sort of slap on the wrist or fanny or something. They knew what was going on: Bob, Brad and Barbara, "the killer B's."

However, politics played a big role in all of this, but the unfortunate element was the residents: they didn't get a vote, on measure M, their staffing, or the drugs a certain nursing director decided to use.

They didn't have a choice, but we do

The residents of the Kern Valley Healthcare District skilled nursing facility didn't know the staffing was cut because there was a need to save money. They didn't know that when they rang their call lights, busy nurses were doing all they could just to keep up with the heavy load dumped on them in 2006 KVHD budget.

The residents also didn't know why the people they had come to love and care about, the nurse's aides, who were pushed beyond the call of duty, were helpless to stop the people at the top. The aides were threatened with licenses and forced to work overtime, and more overtime, sick or well, they had to come in or the nursing center would close.

The residents also did not know why the board of directors so coyly turned away from the employees who tried to blow the damn whistle, but only air and fear came out.

They didn't deserve the disrespect nor did they have any idea what was really going on around them which would lead to such a disaster.

And the families of the residents, how do they feel?

We are now on a new course at the skilled nursing facility, one with more compassion, "more staff", customer service, renewed research into better systems, and a new CCO, Cynthia Burciaga, who is monitoring the situation.

Our new CEO, Tim McGlew, has added a new element as he had the insurance liability carrier, Betagroup, do a risk assessment of the nursing center.

Though we are paying attention now, there was a serious problem for the families who feared for their loved ones in the SNF.

From all the information I have heard and seen, the families had to fight to get information and paperwork. (Yes, the paperwork was delayed, how convenient)

But along with that, they were treated as if they were simple "complainers" in some cases, by the CEO, Ott and even mentioned was CFO, Chet Beedle, whom I accused of this behavior at a recent meeting.

How could the families even watch the video of Bob Jamison calling the tragedy at KVHD, Pam Ott's resignation? I'm sure they felt great that Jamison followed it up by allowing Ott a full hour of radio time to propagate her agenda.

(See posts: Here's your witness Jerry Brown and "Hey Tokyo Rose, where's your Kimono?)

But now we, and I mean the government, the lawyers, the families of victims, the staff, the staff who were fired, the whistleblowers, have to come together and get the truth out there for those who want it, and more so, those who need it to move on from this mess.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, the State of California has sufficient evidence to prove that Pam Ott, the spy, the media attack, the buffer, the number's guy, were part of a cover up of crimes against the residents of the hospital, but not only that, crimes against a community.

Again, we thank you for coming to be our jurors, and we know you will see through the facade, the collusion, to bring the leaders, the corporate administrators and elected board members, to justice for their roles in harming the public and obstructing the investigation.

We know you will be fair and impartial as you hear all the testimony of witnesses and victims of a case which lead to abusing elderly patients for the sake of saving money, (to pay Cal Mtg. I would say that, but they won't), and by the leaders who tried to cover their tracks and scapegoat the little guys. It could have been you, Jane or John juror, you could have been threatened with your job or fired, by an entrenched system of bullying and scapegoating."

That's how I would open my case...You have all that you need to convince a jury full of average folks who probably would not take kindly to hearing about high level, heavily reimbursed, bosses at a public healthcare district who allowed and even prolonged potential elder abuse.

I don't see any problems getting that message across to a jury. Feel free to utilize my little blog here and I've got many other bits of evidence around here at home too. Let's do lunch, then do KVHD...

(I'm trying very hard not to blow a fuse with the uploading problems with the video for Youtube. After three hours on Verizon's DSL, or supposed high speed internet, I managed to load one video last night. It's Chet Beedle though, and you should watch. I don't know what the problem is, maybe I'm competing with Jerry Brown throwing up all his gubernatorial campaign videos on Youtube...I dont' know. I'm still trying though. Aren't I?)

"Oh, we're goin' to the courthouse and we're gonna get prosecuted: Okay Jerry, Donny and Steve, you're up: but you forgot a couple

It's court time again folks, Superior Court, Kern County, elder abuse charges, what can the potential Governor do?

I've always liked Jerry Brown, but then I'm old enough to remember all of his terms in office, as well, as some of his campaign promises from the past. I also remember the idea of flat taxing which absolutely drove the inmates at the Capitol crazy, but, hey, I was all for it.

And I'm all for this too: Justice.

Can you do it Jerry Brown? You said you would. You sent people to our little village to investigate, even though I was here (not much I've been able to do).

But can you bring justice and finally, maybe, a conclusion to our drama?

You are a good writer, Mr. Brown, why I was just reading some of your stuff. It's promising that you understand how a "corporation" can use it's staff to commit crimes. In fact, this "whistleblower" story your office is working on is quite interesting.

So when two whistleblowers filed suit under seal in April 2008, attorneys from my office immediately investigated - examining hundreds of thousands of pages of documents, interviewing witnesses and subpoenaing records.

Do you think, Department of Justice, that you now have enough evidence to prosecute this case from the top, where it started? Did you read hundreds of thousands of pages of KVHD documents? I know you didn't because they were shredded. But you may have got a look at some of them, eh?

Is justice here in the KRV worth the same amount of time and effort as does a big, notorious, corporation? (I guess we're about to find out)

You see below the 2007 meeting post, and you read Miss Ott's words and you know as well as I do that she's lying through her teeth. You watch as the board let's her do it. (except for two board members who tried to get to the truth, but had no backing from this community, or the grand jury, or anyone in the media, except me-dia)

I can tell you if you put her in front of a jury and you let people talk, finally after feeling they've been on a stranglehold for three years, you will get the truth. You will know how this whole horrible drama came down from the top, the board, the CNO, and finally harming the patients.

You have the power, I have only more time than you. You also know that I will be there at court, both days, next Tuesday, Nov.3 and Wed. Nov. 4, for the prepre and preliminary (if indeed there is not a plead out).


I'll be the one wearing "Red, White, Black and blue."

I've been thinking that Pam Ott, former Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, the leader of the pack of trouble which hit this community hospital back in 2006 and 2007, thought she got away.

Her attorney in September, Jim Faulkner, criminal lawyer at large, told a reporter from the Bakersfield Californian that Ott's case, was well, basically, nothing. She's innocent and we're all idiots or persecutors, not prosecutors.

Fortunately, the Californian reporter didn't seem to be as dumb as her attorney was playing him, and neither are we. Especially those of us who lived through this nightmare.

We know what happened Pam. It was Christmas of 2006:

Yes, here's a photo op we took Christmas of 2006, Pam invited me over to the skilled nursing facility with my camera and my dog to sing to the residents.

I'm all for singing, though, Ott should be singing another tune right now, in my not so humble opinion.

If you look closely at the picture you can see the discomfort on the faces of the people being asked to fake as if there is nothing going on. Why they let this idiot reporter right into ground zero and I didn't see a thing. Except I did.

After the fake caroling, and the addition to our group of songbirds, of former KVHD CNO, Sharon Brucker, who, according to paperwork shown below, was in charge of the skilled nursing facility during the time it used physical and chemical restraints, but happened to duck out, during the holidays, as the chestnuts began roasting on the open fire.

The employees watched me with some regard as I walked the halls of the skilled nursing facility with Miss Ott.

A resident and her husband, began to get loud, and they were yelling. Ott stopped by and began talking to the man. (The wife is still in the SNF, her husband died recently. The woman is having problems, I visited her, she's got anxiety I'm sure from her husband's death, but then there was the thing about moving her out of her room she had with him. Oh, well. They know better than I do about these matters.)

Ott began talking really loud, like they couldn't hear her, but that wasn't the problem. She was trying to cover up the fact that they were saying something she didn't want me to hear. "help."

I've been in a lot of nursing homes, and have seen a lot of things happen in them. I had two grandparents in homes at some point, and would visit them regularly, or when I had the chance. So, I was not shocked or surprised by the behaviors seen in nursing homes.

But the whole thing seemed strange as Ott tried to quiet the couple as if I would suspect something. I say she was starting to get paranoid, which lead her to blaming almost everyone for the problems.

Let's just say it: she didn't know what she was doing. The system failure Ott speaks of occurred before Ott arrived. She was the system failure. The failure of the board of directors and former CEO to actually research Ott's background.

Now, how is she going to explain in court the resume. The college called Kennedy/Western University, an online, diploma mill, which hands out certificates to those who "pay."

But she couldn't do it alone. Where are the others Mr. Brown? It's Friday, why haven't we seen at least two more brought up on charges. I know, I know for a fact, you can prove it. I hope it's not the money. I hope we are currently running off priniciples and the idea that justice can be served even if it's not on a platter.

Let your witnesses speak. Go to court and you will hear the truth. No plea bargains.

Why is my case not listed?

I was just checking the Kern County Superior Court website to see if there were any new arrivals posted there.

I entered a couple names into the search engine and they didn't show up.

http://www.co.kern.ca.us/courts/crimcal/crim_index_case_detail.asp

Now, I know that there's a way to do this and a way not to do this. If I were Ott's attorney, I would be thinking, "good" they didn't bring in anyone else. Therefore, I can prove my case, by saying, "why just poor Pammy?"

You can't do that, blame it all on her. She had a CNO in charge of the nursing center, it's her fault.

(If I was her attorney, I would do that.)

So, bring them in, Jerry. Bring in all the trouble and let them twist while the rest of us testify to what we know.

I'll have more for us all to consider on Monday, the day before we find out if the state does have the ability to bring justice to an open wound which continues to fester while there are still those present at the hospital and on the board of directors who are responsible for the disaster.

You have the power. And I have a blog. (Gosh, that hurts.)

Paperwork and quotes coming up next: It was the CNO in charge, according to Ott's correspendence with the Department of Health Services, who by the way, has its own responsibility in this matter. Apparently, they are regular "visitors" to the hospital now, after the fact. But where were they? And where were the witnesses?

It's not over until it's...probably still not over...

I won't leave until they do: and I've got a surprise too

"Isn't that right Barbara" Chief Financial Officer Chet Beedle, during June's finance committee meeting, seeks support from Controller Barbara Figueroa as he was asked to explain the discrepancy between his report three weeks prior at the June board meeting.

Controller Barbara Figueroa, rarely heard during meetings, backed her boss as he was questioned regarding contracts and spending.

Beedle talked about the nursing registry costs announced at the last board meeting. An 80K payment, said to be a standard fee to registry companies, was questioned as the hospital works with many different companies.

.

Former CEO Rick Carter was one of many, who received benefits such as an apartment, plane tickets, lunch and parking for personal business.

The CEO was also given a 19% raise before his departure earlier this year.

Last year, the CFO, Beedle, and three board members agreed that this expense which was on going, as well as paid housing, was reasonable considering the state of the hospital.

This is board meeting eve blog and I have a few things I want to make clear and then a surprise for a few people.

My goal is the perpetuity of this small public healthcare system, and with strong and circumspect leadership in the administration, finance, and the board of directors, there should no longer be minimum care and service.

Do you want Minimum care and minimum wages?

As the biggest employer and only healthcare for miles down a canyon road, the KVHD hospital must do better than just the minimum with staffing and services.

How many of us want the minimum amount of time we can speak with a doctor or nurse?

How many want to work for an employer which favors themselves over the whole organization minimizing the employee's worth?

How many of us want the minimum amount of time a doctor can spend dealing with our unique health issues?

Would any of us decide to want that for ourselves or our families. That is exactly what has been happening.

Who has to take responsibility and step aside or continue to suffer me.

Brad Armstrong: Mood, currently angry and bitter about lesser position on board as a new configuration was voted in last year.

Bob Jamison: Known to dislike almost everyone including all board members except Brad Armstrong.

Chet Beedle, has deliberately kept the public from knowing details of certain dealings. He has broken laws regarding employee information, which is a drop in the bucket.

Scott Nave, legal counsel, manipulated by the majority power, could not control the behaviors and even recent events have proven this to continue to be the case.

I'm going to work more closely with the hospital: Ombudsman

I'll be spending more time at the hospital watching and listening, reporting.

It all happened a few weeks ago when I visited the SNF for a short time and found three violations rather quickly.

I spoke to Sacramento and just chatted about what I had found. The woman knew about our hospital anyway. But after talking to me, she told me I would make a good ombudsman. She said she wanted to find my name on the list. Absolutely.

Wish I had done it two years ago, but hey, we can all work together now. Group hug.

But because I am a little different, I will be called onyourbuttsman, instead of ombudsman.

When the hospital is clear of violations, unethical behavior, and these people, then I'll move on too.

So, that was your surprise. Happy Birthday Jamison, Armstrong, and Beedle, I just wanted to let you know because I'm excited to get this new endeavour started.

I will, however, not take up the governments offer, as it would be in conflict a to reporting and writing about the problems and how they are being solved. So, just call me the "onyourbuttsman."

Board meeting tonight: Wed. July 1, at 5:30 pm in the cafeteria at the hospital.

Attorney General's elder abuse hotline

I've had some interesting conversations over the last few days, and it comes down to this: what did you know about the DOJ investigation in the KVHD skilled nursing facility, dating Aug.1, 2006 to Jan.25, 2007?
(That is the time frame which was investigated. Right when Gwen Hughes arrives as DON and right after she left)

During these chats I kept hearing the same names over and over.

"We reported it to her and she did nothing."

"She pounded her fists at us during the meetings."

Now it's time to report what you know to the people in Sacramento who are out of touch with what really happened in our little valley. How could they not be, it's evident in their own case.

And let us not forget what Jerry Brown said about our hospital and community:

Brown Announces Arrests of Nursing Home Employees Who Drugged Patients for Staff's Convenience

BAKERSFIELD -Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the arrests of a nurse, physician, and a pharmacist of a nursing home for "forcibly administering" psychotropic medications for their own convenience, rather than for their patients' therapeutic interests, actions that are alleged to have resulted in the deaths of three residents.

"These people maliciously violated the trust of their patients, by holding them down and forcibly administering psychotropic medications if they dared to question their care," Attorney General Brown said. "This is appalling behavior, which amounts to assault with a deadly weapon."

I'm trying to picture the PR folks writing this up. I am assuming Jerry Brown was standing somewhere waving his hands saying this is the worst I've ever, ever, ever, seen. You relied on the investigators information to say the things you are quoted as saying.

The young writer's picked up the message and created that little gem for Mr. Brown to live with. Was it true and correct to state that, I am sure it can be proven to be in error. You called them, "these people?" Okay.

We are the ones who know what happened. The evidence has built to such a degree that the mistakes of the DOJ case are self evident.

They have hostile witnesses from the hospital and seem to be basing their whole case on paperwork. Oh my, Dr. Locatell, the state expert, will give her version of the case based on possibly reliable, and most likely unreliable notations.

I know some people said they tried to talk to the investigators and tell them what was going on, but they weren't heard. So, it was not just us, but a deaf and dumb goverment entity that was immune to the warnings of employees, that helped lead to some bad situations.

(It's the worst I've ever seen, these government people; forcibly administering injustice, ignoring the Kern Valley Healthcare District witnesses of the truth for their own convenience! These DOJ people violated the trust of their voters to be heard.)

Now is your chance to set the record straight. Let them know what you know.

So, the state AG needs some help. They have suggested calling the enforcement department regarding elder abuse. (I won't get into my last conversation with the state unless I have to. I've told a few of you about it. Pretty sad.)

There are many of you who were there and know the truth. Help the poor AG get this right, so we can move on with the other problems at the hospital.

To report elder abuse or Medi-Cal fraud, call the Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse's hotline at (800) 722-0432.

Scott Gerber or Christine Gasparac (916) 324-5500

Send A Written Complaint By Mail
California Department of Justice Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud Elder Abuse P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550

Call the Hotline
Phone Toll-free: (800) 722-0432 Attorney General's Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse

Phone Toll-free: (800) 822-6222 Department of Health Services

http://ag.ca.gov/bmfea/reporting.php or go to this page and file a complaint via email.

Thanks for your help and your stories.

Give us all a break KVHD: that's not an investigation, this is an investigation...

KVHD, former CEO, Rick Carter states in documents from February of 2009, that a report of neglect in the skilled nursing facility, was "unsubstantiated." But the KVHD investigation proves not to be so substantial:

On 11/23/08 two CNA's report to work at the KVHD skilled nursing facility and and say they find residents wet, skin rashes, a wound, and alarms not on that morning.

After making rounds they wrote up a handwritten report and gave it to the RN and LVN in charge of the SNF overnight. They both say they wrote a handwritten report, signed and dated it.

The RN and LVN are traveling nurses, who the two aides, say they gave their report to that morning.

Both CNA's who filed this report have been fired. Both have had complaints filed with the state board of nursing after their terminations.

Hospital records state that the nurses who were in charge of the SNF at the time of the report, could not be found to add anything to the hospital's own little investigation...

I just got off the phone with them.

I forgot to ask them if their licenses were under investigation too.

It took no time at all to find them and the hospital cannot say without looking ridiculous, that they couldn't have done it themselves.

I imagine the hospital has the excuse the employees had left and therefore could not be investigated by the hospital. But they would've been witnesses not the subject of the investigation.

(See stories below, "employees fighting back")

Take Ott, Beedle, Armstrong and Jamison; and give us Dr. Pormir and Debbi Hayes

You know, Mr. Attorney General, we could make a trade for the correct people and you could give us back the scapegoats you so readily targeted.

If you had taken the correct people and not made a witness of one of the ring leaders, I would be writing about you like a sage, but that didn't happen.

But had it happened it would have solved most of our problems. Yes, there would have been some residual clean up, but trust me, you would have been the hero.

So, once again, I extend you an invitation to visit us and see the results of these indictments. More information for you sir, soon.