tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post3793864257166928985..comments2023-03-31T05:17:46.047-05:00Comments on Nurses Uniting: HCA: Profit and Greed on the backs of their workforce.nurse advocatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236609820294804473noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-32538060157621616452011-06-13T01:59:47.786-05:002011-06-13T01:59:47.786-05:00This is an excellent resource, however I do not un...This is an excellent resource, however I do not understand why the font is white with a white background? <a href="http://www.caledoniahealthcare.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">SDS Glasgow</a>Dianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00607938116907416632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-39488912385450573752011-02-08T09:40:41.312-06:002011-02-08T09:40:41.312-06:00I am a former ICU nurse at one of the HCA hospital...I am a former ICU nurse at one of the HCA hospitals. The staffing was typically three patients, no techs, no secretaries. No matter how much we stated we were understaffed, we were told that "extra staff was not in the budget." We were instructed to falsify charting to reflect that patients were receiving proper care. I have spoken to many nurses about this issue. It appears to be an accepted practice nationwide if you want to keep your job. How unfortunate. During my employment at HCA I witnessed unimaginable patient suffering and unnecessary deaths due to understaffing. I told administration that they jeopardize the patient's lives and our licenses every day. I spoke up and even wrote certified e mails to administration only to be strongly cautioned as to what I say if I wanted to keep my job. They even went into my e mails and deleted them as if I never sent them. I'm glad I made copies. I had no recourse within HCA. We were told to sign a pre-filled form stating who we gave report to when we went to lunch and break when in fact we never went to lunch or break. When the charge nurse came by to have us sign we would tell her,"You know we didn't get lunch or break today." Her usual reply was, "I know. You also know I will get in trouble with administration if you don't sign it." Everyone signed so she wouldn't get into trouble. I finally had enough when a patient that came to us had been so neglected that she literally rotted to death in our facility. I know this to be a fact as I contacted the family and have since reviewed every page of her medical record. I know what actually happened and I know the things that were covered up in the chart. This put me on a quest to begin to change our health care system. I have since contacted several families about how there loved ones were really treated and the real conditions surrounding their deaths. I have signed releases from the families to review the medical records and use their loved ones information publicly to inform the general public. I have contacted a Congressman, worked with a medical fraud instructor contracted with FBI-we found upcoding and Medicare fraud, spoken with a fraud investigator with the Attorney General's office, and published a book to help protect patients when they enter the hospital. I am currently writing my second book: Swept Under The Rug...Horror Stories From The Other Side Of The Bed. These are all true accounts of abuse, neglect, and medical fraud..mostly at the HCA hospital where I worked. I have since took a position as a Director of Clinical Services and Administrator. This really opened my eyes to how administration and bottom line budgets increase profits on the backs of their employees. I left after three months when I was instructed to back date information and also informed of how the company "faked clients" to obtain their Medicare license. I used to think administration didn't care about their employees. Now I know they don't. When I feel it is safe to post my contact information, I will do so. We all need to take a stand for better care for our patients and ourselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-3475556925358551042010-05-04T12:30:11.739-05:002010-05-04T12:30:11.739-05:00HCA has always been a for profit company. They ope...HCA has always been a for profit company. They operate on the following business tactics: 1) control at least 60% of the beds available,allowing them to pay the employees as little as possible and charging the patient's a premium (semi-monoploly,only game in town) 2) operate the hospital with a cash flow profit of 13-15% of revenues (most hospital have a profit of 1-3%)see ahd.com for examples and 3)increase profit in the network of local hospital by self refferal, done by intimidating both medical and nursing staff. It's a semi-monopoly without ethics and drive by profits. They do not care about the community only the bottom line.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-90736057952758186382010-03-07T19:56:10.460-06:002010-03-07T19:56:10.460-06:00I work at an HCA facility and I can tell you that ...I work at an HCA facility and I can tell you that Administration has stuck the screws to us. Last year, they took away our 3p-7p shift diff which doesn't sound like a lot, but for most of the nurses on my floor, it was between 3k to 5k a year. Their rationale? Tough times, and between those hours, it is a little slower. Then they took a 12 hour staffer from us. I would like to know how they know it 'is a little slower' btw the hours of 3-7 since they never make rounds. We have lose excellent workers due to the fact that they needed the money. They are so budget-minded that if we are one person away from needing a staff person, they will put that person on call until we reach the 'magic number.' Then they end up paying them call and callback. They spend millions fixing up the outside of the hospital, yet, our nurses stations have missing drawer, banged up walls, ripped wallpaper; nothing has been done to fix our areas of work in over 10 years. It is very frustrating to go to work and not have enough space to just sit down and do your documentation. And then to hear that these people are walking away with millions of dollars. Shameful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-50146550563597952022010-03-01T10:18:28.087-06:002010-03-01T10:18:28.087-06:00I agree with part of what Nurse Brittney posted. P...I agree with part of what Nurse Brittney posted. Patients are consumers and do make choices every day on who provides their care. Their choices are however often limited by their insurance plans. I can choose to pay more for care at a non participating provider or non participating hospital but I would say that is not really a choice at all. I pay thousands for coverage that tells me who I can see, unless I want to pay more. That is not a choice for most of us. The rich have options and the poor have little to none. Capitalism and health care do not mix. The poorest of us and those with no insurance have no real choice in the matter and the outcome data shows that they suffer for that lack of choice and access. <br /><br />If I am having a heart attack or an emergency of most any kind I will usually end up at the most local hospital and that makes sense but to say that is choice is false. <br /><br />I support the idea of all Americans having insurance that allows them to make that choice and even better would be a universal system that allows all of us to choose who and where we recieve medical services.<br /><br />Very few patients use hospitals outside their own community so choice is largely directed by locality. <br /><br />Hospitals do not post their medical error rate, their staffing ratios, their close call numbers, their rates of hospital infections, their fall numbers, and the experiance levels of their staff. I have witnessed as a nurse many situations that if the general public was aware would change their opinion of a given facility. If a nurse was to publish accounts of these situations and outcomes they would be fired. The goal of for profit health care is to make profit and not disclosing the issues that I have listed above is part of protecting that profit stream. This means that consumers are making choices based on false data and incomplete information and that makes their choice one of uninformed consent. <br /><br />Thank you Brittney for your comments.nurse advocatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12236609820294804473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-77723381028072314452010-02-28T17:48:33.005-06:002010-02-28T17:48:33.005-06:00I dont believe this for one minute! These poor exe...I dont believe this for one minute! These poor executives come to work every day from 9-5, have to take an hour off at lunch, and leave on time. You couldnt pay me enough to do that! They get stuck working all week, and never get the joy of working a weekend, or have to leave a family function or arrive late on holidays.....are you guys sick! Who would want to live like that? There isnt enough stock options in the world to make me take a job that doesnt carry the risk of getting covered in feces or urine. How do you call living a MRSA free life even worth living? Whatever, they earn every dollar of that money........rrrrrriiiiinnnnnggggggg.....oh there goes the alarm clock, time to wake up. What a strange dream I had.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-35748560690058673112010-02-28T15:21:52.358-06:002010-02-28T15:21:52.358-06:00Healthcare is becoming more business driven. Peopl...Healthcare is becoming more business driven. People already shop and review their chosen doctors and hospitals based on customer satisifaction. Where, how, who and of you receive healthcare in this country is a choice and while you may have limited choices you do still have choices! Customer service and following a business model is a very practical approach to medicine. It is where things are headed if Medicine is not socialized. Private healthcare is about having choices. If a patient chooses to go to a for profit hospital they do it because of the care hey are lookig to receive. <br />So unless you think it's a wise ideal to socialize medicine, the capitalist approach Is the best one.Nurse Brittneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09074430800900577808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-29230104006165325512010-02-01T17:07:33.262-06:002010-02-01T17:07:33.262-06:00HCA paid a 1.75 billion dividend. Is there any qu...HCA paid a 1.75 billion dividend. Is there any question where the priorities are for this company??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-13825087145934843622009-08-20T11:38:48.010-05:002009-08-20T11:38:48.010-05:00I heard there is a rally in Las Vegas against HCA ...I heard there is a rally in Las Vegas against HCA next week. Has anyone heard about this? I would like to go!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1235922847401035250.post-66242377277226374362009-07-13T13:58:07.999-05:002009-07-13T13:58:07.999-05:00These actions by HCA executives are exactly why he...These actions by HCA executives are exactly why health care is NOT a usual capitalistic business. Anyone's health should be worth more than the most expensive auto, television, software, etc. Health care is treated like any commodity. I hope most will join me in SHOUTING, it is not. HCA and the other corporations are only out to satisfy the shareholders and themselves, not the product which is people. What is the difference between what is going on with health care now and slavery 150 years ago? If you can pay the price you can own yourself.sho-me'joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09616205976938950826noreply@blogger.com