CEO of HCA hospital in Florida that allegedly had roaches in the operating room leaves job

[ck4829]

The chief executive of HCA Florida Bayonet Point, the Hudson, Florida, hospital whose physicians characterized it as unsafe and unclean in a February NBC News report, has departed after less than four years, according to a memo delivered to the staff Friday.

Regina Temple is leaving “to pursue other opportunities outside HCA Healthcare, effective immediately,” the memo said. Temple’s exit seemed sudden, physicians working at the hospital said, as she was engaged in long-term initiatives as recently as mid-July.

Temple, who is being replaced by an acting chief executive, did not return a text seeking comment.

HCA Healthcare is the nation’s largest hospital chain, with more than 180 hospitals in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company is highly profitable but has come under criticism from some doctors and nurses for practices they say put profits ahead of patients. NBC News reported in June that 27 doctors at 16 HCA facilities said their officials pushed doctors into admitting patients to hospice care, reducing in-hospital mortality rates, a closely watched quality measure, and freeing up beds more quickly, potentially generating more revenues. HCA’s spokesman said in a statement then that “Suggesting that medical care in HCA Healthcare hospitals is based on anything other than a physician’s independent medical judgment of what is in the patient’s best interest is untrue and wrong.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/ceo-hca-bayonet-point-hospital-florida-leaves-job-rcna97354

A feature not a bug of the profit-motive in the healthcare system.

[brush]

1. Gack! How do you get roaches in an operating room?

Is someone eating and leaving crumbs?

[Jilly_in_VA]

3. To me it says

there are roaches throughout the hospital. I'd be willing to bet that nurses have been complaining about it for years, but nobody does much when nurses complain I know, I'be been one in an HCA hospital!)

[brush]

4. You're undoubtedly right. God, roaches in operating rooms.

Horrible working conditions.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Rick Scott's Medicare fraud lives on at HCA.

[UpInArms]

6. And ... see my post just below yours

The rot runs deep

[UpInArms]

5. Reminds me of what HCA is ... some history for those who don't remember

JUNE 26, 2003

LARGEST HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE IN U.S. HISTORY SETTLED - HCA INVESTIGATION NETS RECORD TOTAL OF $1.7 BILLION

WASHINGTON, D.C. - HCA Inc. (formerly known as Columbia/HCA and HCA - The Healthcare Company) has agreed to pay the United States $631 million in civil penalties and damages arising from false claims the government alleged it submitted to Medicare and other federal health programs, the Justice Department announced today.

This settlement marks the conclusion of the most comprehensive health care fraud investigation ever undertaken by the Justice Department, working with the Departments of Health and Human Services and Defense, the Office of Personnel Management and the states. The settlement announced today resolves HCA's civil liability for false claims resulting from a variety of allegedly unlawful practices, including cost report fraud and the payment of kickbacks to physicians.

Previously, on December 14, 2000, HCA subsidiaries pled guilty to substantial criminal conduct and paid more than $840 million in criminal fines, civil restitution and penalties. Combined with today's separate administrative settlement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under which HCA will pay an additional $250 million to resolve overpayment claims arising from certain of its cost reporting practices, the government will have recovered $1.7 billion from HCA, by far the largest recovery ever reached by the government in a health care fraud investigation.

"Health care providers and professionals hold a public trust, and when that trust is violated by fraud and abuse of program funds, and by the payment of kickbacks to the physicians on whom patients and the programs rely for uncompromised medical judgment, health care for all Americans suffers," Robert D. McCallum, Jr., Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division said. "This settlement brings to a close the largest multi-agency investigation of a health care provider that the United States government has ever undertaken and demonstrates the Department of Justice's ongoing resolve and commitment to pursue all types of fraud on American taxpayers, and health care program beneficiaries."

"Let this case be a continuing reminder to all that in the fight against health care fraud this office will not be deterred," said Acting Principal Deputy Inspector General Dara Corrigan. “Medicare dollars paid to provide ever more expensive health care services to the country's taxpayers should never be fraudulently diverted. This is our job and our trust and we take these duties very seriously," Corrigan concluded.

Bill Frist, Republican Senate Majority Leader in 2003

After serving as Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Frist succeeded Tom Daschle as the Senate Majority Leader. Frist helped pass several parts of President George W. Bush's domestic agenda, including the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 and the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (which established today's Medicare Advantage.)

… snip …

His father was a doctor and co-founded the health care business organization which became Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). Frist's brother, HCA co-founder Thomas F. Frist, Jr., became chairman and chief executive of HCA in 1997.

[3Hotdogs]

7. Profit before patients --- whoever came up with that plan is either a genius or

a Republican.

Alan Grayson, describes the Republican Party's health care plan. "Don't get sick.

If you do get sick, die quickly."