KVHD board meeting DEC.1: New turn around cash flow on the menu

The Kern Valley Healthcare District Board of Directors will meet for the final gathering of what could be called the "wildest year yet" this Wed. Dec. 1, at 5:30 Pm in the hospital cafeteria.

New board member, David Derr, and returning member, Kathryn Knight, will be sworn in and the agenda has an interesting subject under "new business": turn around cash flow.

Sources say the hospital has already put the chill on salaries and has cut hours and benefits, so it will be interesting to find out which way we are turning, "righty tighty or lefty loosey."

There was a plan

After the loss of Measure G, the hospital had not answered the repeated question from the public, what is plan B?

The financial problems are not new or sudden or anything of that nature. They have been with this hospital for 22 years. I can imagine in 1986 the announcement of the "grand plans" for the expansion of the hospital. They managed to eek out half of the promise, but that mistake still haunts the district to this day.

And the hospital admitting to a plan B, disseminating it at a finance committee meeting, would not allow a copy to be given to me or the public. I can't imagine what they don't want us to see.

They have also been directed to send a plan to Cal Mtg. as well. And the grand jury, complaint driven "review" requires a response within 90 days too. (that complaint/review was not generated by me and not much to write home about either. I know they can do better than that)

Why did we not meet Cal Mtg. in March of 2009?

Chet Beedle has told us many stories over the years, most of them recorded via video, email or documents, but he has not told you why they, CEO Rick Carter, CFO Chet Beedle, board member Bradley Armstrong, stopped what could have been a fruitful meeting with Cal Mtg. more than a year and a half ago.

Heading off problems before they become threats during an election for a tax increase/bail out, would seem to be the responsibility of the management team, administrators and board members.

Nobody acted on anything except to try and halt progress, which they accomplished. In an email from February of this year, Beedle talks of answers and the only one he can see is a GOB. The public had not been told that the hospital had already at this point been using the potential GOB in an effort to obtain a line of credit for one million dollars.

In emails between Beedle and Cal Mtg., Beedle tells the insurer of the "old debt" that they heard good news (this is April 2010) from Caldwell, Winters and Flores regarding a phone survey they did.

Tim McGlew, CEO, said the survey was done for "free" by the bond company which aids in elections and sells the bonds derived from property tax monies. The outcome of the survey was well over the 2/3 majority to win the election. The outcome of the election didn't quite reflect those figures which showed up again in July, as the paid for survey took place, and the public reported repeated calls, and convoluted questions. (We paid $15,000 for that phone survey regardless if the other was free, neither were accurate as people cannot be called a second or third time, and the numbers are easy to move, as it's how the question is asked. Complaints were numerous but fell on deaf ears.)

Regardless of the complaints the board of directors went ahead and put the measure on the ballot based on these surveys, only to have it defeated, and not register any of the numbers provided by CFW.

CFW, also in 2006, even though they were the company selected to run the 12.5 million dollar remake of the acute care wing, donated $7,500 to the campaign.

Where do they think they are going now?

With the last board meeting still causing dyspepsia among the viewers who have seen the video, and simply have been shocked at the behavior, or the most well worn word: arrogant.

It was difficult to watch this board ignore again its responsibility to this community, and the answers were not there. The respect and intelligence was missing as well.

Five months ago, the CEO told the board he would have a date for the strategic planning meeting in a few weeks. Nothing ever came of it. Kern Valley Sun reporter, Susan Barr, asked McGlew if the public was allowed to attend this elusive event.

The CEO and board counsel fell all over themselves explaining the public of course could attend and is encouraged to do so. Unlike the last one in 2008, where Bob Jamsion, the chairman of the board at the time, wrote a document eliminating the public. Only two members went or were notified or allowed, I'm still not sure, and those were insiders, Reverend Charles White of KRVR and former board member and Hospital Foundation volunteer, Chuck Wild.

Though the documentation of the "KVHD story" will be available to the authorities, and stored safely on the internet, I'm going to show you a few things before you head off to the meeting this week.

You're going right?

Average salaries for hospital CEO and CFO: how does it compare to KVHD?

Is the hospital paying above the national average for all it's employees?

According to several companies which calculate average salaries for hospital administrators, such as the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial officer, the numbers I have found are far below what is being paid at the Kern Valley Healthcare District.

There are two stories coming from inside this hospital. The first is that they will go bankrupt if they don't obtain a bond which will be provided by the community in property taxes. The second involves the CFO, Chet Beedle, who says the hospital is not "hanging by a thread" financially that they are now making money.

He said the hospital has a surplus. (more on this soon)

Which do you believe, or which do you want to believe?

At the September KVHD board of Directors meeting, the board members voted to put the 22.7 million dollar bond on the ballot for the November election.

During this same meeting, a raise was given to the new CEO, who has been with the hospital for one year now. In a question and answer forum in the Kern Valley Sun, the CEO said he makes $213,158, the CFO Beedle makes $133, 723 and CNO, Mark Gordon gets $100,006.00.

The CEO goes on to say there are no bonuses and no extra expenses, they get what the rest of the employees get.

According to three sources, the average pay for a CEO nationally is $130,000 per year.

More specifically, Bakersfield has an average even lower than the national which is $108,000.


These figures include large and small hospitals, as a government site, had a figure of an average CEO salary at $116,000.

The Chief Financial officer has an even lower average which ranged from site to site, at or around $100,000.

Beedle who said in email below: KVHD frugality, that he was making $106,000 in 2008, then two years later, that has increased to $133,000. That would be almost 10% increase per year.

speaking of bonuses

There is much material to read in regard to health care, and one particular site, focused on performance raises. With the economy and healthcare reform on a crash course, administrators recieve raises based on the "overall" health of the hospital.

I would think that the board of directors could have implemented that style of pay increase, based on the performance of the hospital financially.

Due to the fact that these jobs are very difficult to obtain, and a small, rural hospital paying the highest end, for averages on hospitals such as large metropolitan medical centers, is out of touch with reality.

Can this small hospital afford to continue to ignore how it spends it's money?

Another main issue, was the fact that CEO's are usually groomed and are brought up from within the organization allowing them the education and knowledge to take over at some point. All of KVHD's management came from recruiters and live outside the valley even.

Please use Google average CEO salaries and average CFO salaries as there is much information to be found.

The hospital is paying the latest CEO, $65,000 more than the last administrator, and $100,000 more than the average CEO in Bakersfield.

“Competition for the CEO job in a hospital is fierce," said Carol Westfall, president of St. Louis-based Cejka Search.

That last comment makes me want to ask the question, could our CEO and CFO make the same amount of money at the same size hospital somewhere else?

Let's do an experiment and find out...

For more information, Google: "Payscale" "indeed" "national average salary, Average salary in California, Average Salary in Bakersfield California.

Kern Valley Sun Newspaper takes on alleged KVHD "choking incident"

Three news accounts: was the best "saved" for last?

Interestingly we have at least three different “news type outlets” who have covered the alleged “elder abuse” incident and yet it appears we have been given at least three creative accounts of the situation which occurred at the Kern Valley Healthcare District on Monday, Aug. 23.

As has been reported a Registered Nurse allegedly grabbed an eldery woman by the throat at the hospital. The Kern County Sheriff's have verified that an incident has been reported by KVHD to have occurred as red marks were noticed on the victim's neck and the nurse was arrested and has been released on bail.

After reading a comment on this blog it occurred to me that initial statements from the hospital were not as neatly tailored as what has appeared a week later in the Kern Valley Sun Newspaper (August 31 edition..today for now)

As the Sun only rises off the presses every Wednesday of the month here in “Hooville” sometimes called the Kern River Valley, they are ten days out since the original statements given or reported to the Bakersfield Californian Newspaper, which was obviously wearing its running shoes that day as they snatched up the first prize which is the first report.

This is actually a good thing as it will help me make a point here.

The first article or report of this alleged choking incident was published on Wednesday, August 25, two days after the incident which is supposed to have taken place on the 23rd.

The first article attempts to put together elder abuse charges and doesn’t contain any information about the location of the incident being inside the emergency room as opposed to the nursing center, the KV Sun reported, except to say the woman was treated there and it was reported to ER Director Dr. Sacapano.

But the quote from the KVHD CEO, Tim McGlew, according to the Californian article was “"We've never had any issues with him before," McGlew said of Gotico (the nurse charged). "This was so off the wall."

I wrote to see if the hospital had anymore to say and a more public relations response is now formed, three days from the incident in question.

When I got my response via email regarding the matter, again it doesn't clarify the location, but it does add more information: "Mr. Gotico has worked with the facility for some years as a traveling nurse. He was hired on as an employee about one month ago. He is a registered nurse. We had not experienced any behaviors of the kind demonstrated by this individual before Monday night. It was to all involved, a surprise. Where the Californian was not exactly accurate was in who reported the incident to the Sheriff’s Office. The House Supervisor, who witnessed the event, immediately told Dr. Sacapano (who was on duty that night), and he directed her to contact the Sheriff’s Office, which is our protocol. Dr. Sacapano then attended to the patient. Nursing Administration was then notified, and I was then called. The Board was then promptly notified of the incident. We reported the incident to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and have also notified the California Board of Registered Nursing."

Now, today, sleepless from a toothache and barking dogs, I read the Sun’s version, and I realize that things do change if you give it more than a week. "The Sun will come out tomorrow," sing along everyone...

The well worded article is not only a work of magical artistic manipulation, but it’s as if they know and nobody else does. “The Aug. 23 incident may bring to mind memories of reported past abuse of residents in the district’s Skilled Nursing Facility. Yet for all intents and purposes, that is where the similarities end.”

(oh really?)

That statement basically says this was not 9/11 folks, it was an anomaly as we not only run a newspaper part time but we have people at the hospital 24 hours a day. (I do though) There could indeed be similarities as one of the characteristics of an event like this is the actual charge itself: Elder abuse.

Why it was not assault is a good question for all, but our fallen nurse has been released from jail, and well, we don’t have any records to verify anything yet. However, the Sun seems to know more about this than the rest of us.

Now, Dr. Pormir, former KVHD CEO, Pamela Ott, and former DON Gwen Hughes are all charged with the same citation...386 B and by the state of California, Attorney General's office.

In the case of the previous three it was death, not like the recent violent or choking incident, it could have been a murder charge. It looks like there are similarities in that the cases could have been, murder and assault.

Which charges elder abuse 386B or murder and assault carry the most penalties? (more on this topic soon as we get back to the elder abuse case now teetering on the brink of trial)

Here’s another good one: “Hospital staff and administration reacted swiftly and decisively to last week’s incident involving registered nurse Rene Gachon Gotico, 65, and an 79-year-old female patient.”

According to what person or persons is there a factual evidence of “swiftness?"

They have had time for lots of good damage control this past week though. I guess that’s why they held the story a week...(not that I know that or have factual evidence of “held the story,” as I wasn't there.)

The article goes on to say that McGlew, now able to give a graphic description of the night’s events, has the situation in the hands of the sheriff’s immediately. However, in my response from both the Sheriff’s report and the CEO, there was not as “swift” action as has been described in the most recent “Soap Opera Weekly” report.

Now, am I wrong, but isn’t there a restroom or a bed pan or a mobile toilet in most hospitals? However, the Sun articles alludes to there not being any sort of way to relieve yourself in the ER. I think it would be cheaper to buy port a potty’s than build a new restroom, and maybe safer, if that's the point to that statement.

There is also no other account in the Sun’s whole story but the new one from McGlew who was not even at the scene at the time of the incident.

Could have made a call and asked the Sheriff’s department for a couple of specifics in my opinion. Just so you could report that the Public Information Officer said the incident took place at 7 pm, and the call came in at 8:40 pm. Another comment on this blog, asks what was the delay? I highly doubt we will ever get a complete answer to that question. (By the way thank you for your comments you do make me think and it gives me ideas as to what the concerns are with the community so that I can attempt to address them.)

And the Sun reports that McGlew said the nephew of the victim is "pleased" with the response to the situation with his Aunt. Can we hear a statement from the family as to how THEY feel about this latest "surprise?"

In 2007, a woman whom I cannot identify, but hospital insiders know, her family was paid off in a well kept secret mediation to keep the short staffing, prescription changes, from reaching the public. A family member said they needed the money to bury their mother, but regretted taking the pay off.

I'm not saying that this nephew or any other family members are going to sue or ask for some reparations, they may simply be okay with a criminal trial. But knowing people don't particularly care for their eldery parents or grandparents being physically violated I'm going to have to wonder.

How they handle it is their business, and no judgment from this camp. I am simply making a potential, hypothetical, and rhetorical too, reference to what has been done in the past to keep these things outside the public's good eye.

Will this pleased person, with a perfectly profitable court case, just walk away? Well, let’s wait and see what the Sun has planned for their follow up. They obvioulsy have some sort of name?

We know there are four potential civil cases waiting in the wings at the healthcare district ready to be discussed with the board in a closed session tonight, so this could be another one to watch on the Kern County Superior Court website of entertainment. (that's the site that covers most of what KVHD does)

But there’s one woman attributed in the story who enjoyed and felt truly respected by this nurse suspected of assaulting an elderly woman: Lucille Barr. She was surprised, according to author of the article Susan Barr, as it always seems to be the quiet ones. (That would then exclude me wouldn’t it?)

So, if you’re ever bored, lonely, angry, dispeptic, have some insomnia, just read the three responses and stories, all easily available to you via the internet. KV Sun, Baker, blog title...right here in fact:

http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x464578841/Nurse-arrested-on-felony-elder-abuse-charge

http://kvsun.com/articles/2010/08/31/news/doc4c7d5bdb7c5b6778177381.txt

http://kernvalleyhospital.blogspot.com/2010/08/nurse-arrested-for-grabbing-79-year-old.html


Don’t forget the KVHD board of directors meeting tonight, Sept. 1 at 5:30 pm in the cafeteria. Bring your eggs, lettuce and tomatoes as some of these “events” turn out to be “Melodrama”-tic...