The T-S today reports that a Humboldt County jury has penalized Skilled Health Care to the tune of over $600 million for health code violations. The for-profit company runs a chain of nursing homes with five local outlets.
Wondering what the fuss was about? Read Journal freelancer Carol Harrison’s disturbing account of Skilled Health Care’s corporate abuse of both its employees and, especially, its patients, from our June 4, 2009 issue. Seriously chlling stuff.
This article appears in National Anathema.
great article. Getting people to talk on the record about what goes on in this industry is almost impossible because they are rightfully afraid of being blackballed from working if they tell the truth. To everyone who did have the courage to speak out and to Carol who took the time to research this, the community owes you thanks.
We warehouse our old folks. But I would have liked to seen more about the turn around that has been going on at SeaView over the past couple of years. It is making progress. But as long as there is a lack of qualified nurses and people can go into the woods and trim for more and these people are out for profit and won’t raise wages it is going to continue to improve slowly. And if Skilled Healthcare sells then only a bigger company with more profit motives will come in. Why can’t we have government run healthcare again?
People think I’m a communist when I argue that certain services have NO business being run as for profit enterprise. But here is a prime example. We can regulate the hell out em but the bottom line, the report to shareholders, still rules the day and trumps common decency and sense of humanity. Lack of nurses and CNAs and other staff? Offer better pay and benefits and you will have applicants knocking down your door- but Nooo, that might cut into the profits and the excessive CEO pay. This “industry” has no business being a for profit enterprise, as such, it will always be corrupted. Jose Lynch CEO, President, and Director, makes $1,035,570; Boyd Hendrickson CEO, Chairman, makes $1,492,780; info at Reuters Yahoo! see: http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/officerProfile?symbol=SKH&officerId=966375 and yet they can’t afford to pay for mandated staff? Yet, even if the company goes bankrupt, these folks who profited off the suffering of others will walk away, prolly get another similar job, maybe even at higher pay.