DMH Employees Are NOT HAPPY with Ken Smithmier!
Here's a comment received today on an earlier post. The mismanagement of DMH is hitting home.
"I am a long term DMH employee. I would leave if I were not close to retirement age and have too much invested in the pension plan - although I am starting to worry about whether or not that money will be there when I need it. DMH has changed local investment companies at least 3 times in the last 4 years. Could this be because DMH is extorting a portion of the management fees these firms charge?
The mission statement of DMH is "To improve the health of the people of central Illinois" - quote taken directly from the back of my DMH employee badge.
Alas, DMH does not seem to have the same concern for their own employees. Insurance costs were raised once again for the year that began Jan 1 2007, forcing many employees to drop coverage. I personally know at least 1 RN at DMH who had to enroll her kids in the state's "AllKids" program because she could not afford the DMH insurance premiums. Shame on DMH and Smithmier for not providing affordable healthcare insurance for its employees. Shame on Smithmier & DMH for forcing its own employees to turn to state programs to provide healthcare insurance for their kids.
It is the employees - the nurses, radiology techs, lab techs, cleaning ladies, etc., that the patients see most and provide direct patient care. It is these bottom of the feeding chain employees that bathe, turn, change dressings, give meds, etc., to our loved ones. I guarantee you that Smithmier and his cronies are not out there being exposed to infectious diseases, cleaning your grandmother's dirty bottom, feeding her or washing her dentures, scrubbing floors, and doing all of the other back breaking dirty work that patients and their families have a right to expect.
DMH is definitely not the same organization I hired in to almost 20 years ago. It has been a steady downward spiral in the quality of healthcare provided to patients that accelerated when Smithmier & his buddies arrived from St. Louis.
Would I allow myself or a member of my family to be treated at DMH? Absolutely not! We will go to Springfield, Champaign, Peoria, or St. Louis to get quality care. "
...OR St. Mary's! I've heard that St. Mary's accepts all insurances that DMH accepts, and, unlike DMH, will work with patients to set up a reasonable payment schedule. I would ask them about the level of coverage that the DMH insurance would have at St. Mary's
FRAUD ALERT: A friend recovering from a heart attack initially had cardiac therapy set up at DMH, but later had it swtiched to St. Mary's. He said his therapy at DMH and THE EXACT SAME THERAPY provided at St. Mary's was almost 20% higher at DMH! I didn't know DMH could bill Medicare MORE than St. Mary's could!! I hope the FBI is looking into this "discrepancy."
"I am a long term DMH employee. I would leave if I were not close to retirement age and have too much invested in the pension plan - although I am starting to worry about whether or not that money will be there when I need it. DMH has changed local investment companies at least 3 times in the last 4 years. Could this be because DMH is extorting a portion of the management fees these firms charge?
The mission statement of DMH is "To improve the health of the people of central Illinois" - quote taken directly from the back of my DMH employee badge.
Alas, DMH does not seem to have the same concern for their own employees. Insurance costs were raised once again for the year that began Jan 1 2007, forcing many employees to drop coverage. I personally know at least 1 RN at DMH who had to enroll her kids in the state's "AllKids" program because she could not afford the DMH insurance premiums. Shame on DMH and Smithmier for not providing affordable healthcare insurance for its employees. Shame on Smithmier & DMH for forcing its own employees to turn to state programs to provide healthcare insurance for their kids.
It is the employees - the nurses, radiology techs, lab techs, cleaning ladies, etc., that the patients see most and provide direct patient care. It is these bottom of the feeding chain employees that bathe, turn, change dressings, give meds, etc., to our loved ones. I guarantee you that Smithmier and his cronies are not out there being exposed to infectious diseases, cleaning your grandmother's dirty bottom, feeding her or washing her dentures, scrubbing floors, and doing all of the other back breaking dirty work that patients and their families have a right to expect.
DMH is definitely not the same organization I hired in to almost 20 years ago. It has been a steady downward spiral in the quality of healthcare provided to patients that accelerated when Smithmier & his buddies arrived from St. Louis.
Would I allow myself or a member of my family to be treated at DMH? Absolutely not! We will go to Springfield, Champaign, Peoria, or St. Louis to get quality care. "
...OR St. Mary's! I've heard that St. Mary's accepts all insurances that DMH accepts, and, unlike DMH, will work with patients to set up a reasonable payment schedule. I would ask them about the level of coverage that the DMH insurance would have at St. Mary's
FRAUD ALERT: A friend recovering from a heart attack initially had cardiac therapy set up at DMH, but later had it swtiched to St. Mary's. He said his therapy at DMH and THE EXACT SAME THERAPY provided at St. Mary's was almost 20% higher at DMH! I didn't know DMH could bill Medicare MORE than St. Mary's could!! I hope the FBI is looking into this "discrepancy."
posted by Watcher2300 at 1/02/2007 09:19:00 PM
36 Comments:
I have to remain anonymous. I work for DMH and for various reasons, can't leave and work somewhere else right now.
My brother in law died at DMH 2 years ago as a direct result of poor staffing and negligence on the part of DMH. He was only 52 and his death was totally preventable. His death occurred despite questions, comments, protests from myself and other family members. We were all dismissed as being too emotionally involved.
Experienced nurses are leaving in droves. Most of those that are still at DMH are actively seeking employment elsewhere.
Who do you want to take care of you or your mother or spouse? An experienced RN or a new graduate who cannot function without a mentor/preceptor for 6 months or longer?
I'll take the experienced RN any day of the week.
I would never be a patient at DMH. I know what goes on there on a day to day basis and know that the nurses and ancillary staff are stretched too thin to provide quality care. I leave work most days thankful that I did not harm any of my patients - not satisfied that I gave them the best possible care.
IMC (a critical care level of care) patients on a huge medical floor? That is exactly what DMH is doing now. Critically ill patients who require close, constant monitoring are now placed on a huge 74 bed medical floor. RN's are expected to give these patients the highest level of critical care and monitoring while caring for 9 or more other patients. This is a recipe for disaster. Nurses can only be in one place at a time, despite what Smithmier and other administrators think.
I would bet the farm (perhaps the one Smithmier stole from the DMH Foundation) that Smithmier or any other of the higher ups would never allow themselves or a family member to be placed out on a huge floor as an IMC patient.
DMH is so proud of it's Silver Award. From what I understand, if you pay the money to "earn" this award, you get it.
DMH is now pursuing status as a "Magnet Hospital" - one that attracts the best nurses.
News flash for DMH administrators - your best, brightest, and most experienced nurses are leaving in droves.
I recently was a patient at another hospital in central Illinois. The difference between the care I received there and the care patients receive at DMH was the difference between night and day. The nurses at the other hospital I was a patient in actually had the time to sit down, hold my hand, and answer my questions and those of my family. I felt like I truly received the care I was paying for and that the staff really cared about our concerns.
I used to be proud that I worked at DMH. Now I don't tell people where I work and change the subject if they pursue the matter.
If you want high quality care do not go to DMH
Dmh may be "Mastering Modern Medicine", but medicine is both an art and a science. Too much emphasis is placed on the science and latest technology at DMH (not to mention the landscaping) and not enough emphasis is placed on the art of medicine - compassion, getting to know your patients and their individual needs, etc.
Ken Smithmier and Tim Stone don't care what their employees or the community think.
They are interested only in lining their own pockets.
Smithmier illegally bought land donated to the DMH foundation but managed to weasel his way out of those charges (according to him). Wonder if you or I could get a sweet deal on Foundation land? I think not.
Meanwhile, there are employees at DMH who make so little that they qualify for food stamps, WIC, and other state progragrams to assist low paid workers.
Come on Fed - do your job and nail these crooks. Only question is will Smithmier wiggle out of the charges and will some lower paid administrator be forced to take the fall. Terry Myers comes to mind. He is VP of the foundation. Poor sap - he probably will never know what hit him.
Ken Smithmier and Tim Stone are so arrogant they think they can do anything they want and get away with it. What we think does not matter to them.
Interesting about the salaries of DMH administrators and the TRUE profits DMH has made over the past few years.
I was at one of the meetings Smithmier held for all employees in November 2006. The figures old Ken gave as profits over the years were millions less than the ones you posted. His arrogance was astounding.When one of the employees had the nerve to ask about bonuses for the employees, Smithmier's answer was short and curt - "Not with those numbers". That's all he said and immediately went on to another topic.
He was so proud that DMH is recruiting new doctors. When asked why the old ones where leaving, he said "I don't care why they are leaving. I can always replace them."
All employees were left with the unspoken message that if you don't like it, leave because I can replace you, too.
An employee asked about the health insurance rate hikes and whether or not it would be cheaper for for DMH to go from self insured to getting insurance from another company such as blue cross so employees could pay more affordable premiums. Smithmier gave some double speak about administrative costs for insurance plans. His employees are not as stupid as he thinks we are. We know that DMH gets those administrative costs. More money for DMH.
Morale has never been lower at DMH. It IS affecting patient care. Fewer staff are being asked to take care of more and sicker patients.
No bonuses for hard working employees. Any information out their on the bonuses administrators received?
St. Mary's should be more aggressive in bidding for those PPO contracts from companies in the area. Let DMH lose just a couple of those contracts, and things would change dramatically in Decatur. Caterpillar is a prime example. DMH has that PPO contract. There are lots of CAT employees and retirees in the area. Cat pays billions in health care costs. Maybe it's time for them to see if they can get a better deal from St. Mary's.
I would leave the DMH owned physician I have seen for over 20 years (who is not allowed to admit his patients to St, Mary's) and go to another MD who can admit to St. Mary's.
I understand from talking to MD's at DMH that the new administrator at St. Mary's is almost as aggressive as Smithmier. Get going, St. Mary's! Make Decatur truly a 2 hospital town again.
1/03/2007 10:32:29 AM (reposted)
Ken Smithmier and Tim Stone don't want to hear what the citizens of Decatur think. They are too arrogant to care.
It is their way or the highway.
They are only interested in lining their own pockets and driving St. Mary's out of business - perhaps turning it into a large nursing home.
I hope the Feds come down hard on them. They are guilty of Medicare fraud, double billing insurance companies, self referring, etc.
Only question is whether Smithmier will weasel his way out of a conviction and some lower administrator will be forced to take the fall.
After all, Smithmier did manage to get out of the charges that he illegally got land donated to the DMH foundation to build his mansion. At least, according to him it has been determined that he did nothing wrong.
Wonder if you or I could get a sweet deal on land donated to the hospital? Why do I think that would not be possible.
Smithmier and Tim Stone are the worst things that ever happened to DMH
1/03/2007 10:45:00 AM (reposted)
en Smithmier and Tim Stone don't care what citizens of Decatur and surrounding area think. They are interested only in lining their own pockets.
Smithmier illegally got land donated to the DMH foundation but managed to weasel his way out of those charges (accoding to him).
Wonder if you or I could get a sweet deal on Foundation land like Smithmier did. Yeah, right.
Come on Feds, get these crooks. They are guilty as sin.
Only question in my mind is whether Smithmier will worm his way out of the charges and some poor lower administrator will be forced to take the fall.
Like I said earlier, Smithmier and Stone don't care what we think. They are superman and invincible (and have a team of high priced lawyers to protect them.
1/03/2007 10:55:58 AM (reposted)
Hey? What's the problem here?
Just look at the DMH campus. It is beautiful. Look at all the new buildings DMH has built.
Unfortunately, while everything looks good on the outside, DMH is rotting on the inside.
Smithmier is more concerned with appearance than actual patient care. Experienced staff have had enough and are leaving like rats deserting a sinking ship.
They realize DMH is more concerned with appearance than providing experienced people to care for patients.
They have had it with the cuts in benefits, no bonuses while DMH posts record profits, and Smithmier's policy of "If you don't like it, leave."
That is exactly what is happening. Good people are leaving and the result is new people taking care of you and the people you love. These are people who essentially are learning on the job. Mistakes are common, but I'll bet Ken and Tim don't ever mention that in their ads and on the billboards all over town.
That's OK with Smithmier. He doesn't have to pay them as much as long term employees with years of experience.
What counts to them is image. As long as the place looks good on the outside, people will come. Unfortunately these people learn too late that DMH is understaffed.
If you go to DMH be sure to take a friend or family member to stay with you 24/7 to make sure mistakes are not made. Your life and health are at stake.
Meanwhile Smithmier and other administrators continue to increase their salaries and bonuses.
Anywhere we can find out how much in bonuses these administrators have made in addition to their salaries?
The sad part is there are many caring and skilled people who work for DMH - losing them would be a disaster to the health of the community. I hope for the sake of all of us things change for the better pronto!
Check the tax returns on www.guidestar.org.
The salary is listed, the "bonus" and all "expenses."
For instance, in fiscal year 2004, Ken Smithmier made $500,470 salary as listed on page 22. Right beside this number is his "benefit plan" (read BONUS) of, get this, $182,671!! He also listed "expenses" of $8,633. Total all these up, and you get Ken's "compensation" for 2004 of $691,744. In 2003 he got a BONUS of $159,290 but in 2002 he only got a BONUS of $23,416.
Coincidently, 2003 was the year that the FBI began their investigation of DMH, it's administration, it's employed doctors, and the allegations of Medicare Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, and violations of the Stark Anti-trust laws.
I wonder why these "benefit plan" calculations suddenly changed? Perhaps because Ken needed more money for a lawyer? or maybe to help pay for the mansion north of Forsyth?
DMH Employees...this is money you worked hard and earned for the hospital by the job you do everyday. Do you think it's fair that these administrators line their own pockets with it?
I understand that St. Mary's will match any discounted cost that DMH provides to any insurance carrier. As example, if you are CAT insured, St. Mary's will match the discount...I am told you merely have to contact St. Mary's finance department to make such arrangements. Better check though I do not know this first hand.
Also, KS did buy farm land that belonged to the DMH foundation (unheard of before) and according to tax info, the price was at farm-land cost, not residential. Check this out though....DMH is now trying to sell land for the Decatur Water reservoir to the City of Decatur for a whopping $10,000 per acre....not at the same price as KS paid, if the info is correct. Sounds as though tax payers will be hurting on this one !!!! Perhaps the Decatur City Counsil should answer some questions.
I went to guidestar.org and looked at what those DMH administraters are making.
What the hell are these dimwits thinking? Didn't anyone learn anything from Enron? Do they actually think they can loot the bank accounts and continue to cut jobs and employee benefits without anyone noticing?
A better question is do the DMH employees, the DMH board, or the local medical society have the balls to do something about Smithmier's greed and corruption?
What exactly can the DMH employees do? Most employees are women and many are single moms struggling from paycheck to paycheck.
Smithmier has essentially told the employees if you don't like it, leave. I can replace you.
The medical society? Most are in cahoots with KS.
The board of DMH? Aren't they paid by the hospital? They are no more than a rubber stamp for Ken to continue to flaunt his power.
Employees get less and less every year. Benefits are taken away from them while administrators get richer at their expense.
The doctors owned by DMH are a major part of the problem. My friend hurt herself at work, saw a DMH neurosurgeon and was forced by him to go to DMH for treatment, even though better treatment by more qualified MD's was available at St. Mary's.
The doctors, medical society, board of directors, and md's employed by DMH must take some responsibility for allowing the ruthless KS to get away with his activities.
I don't see anyone in Decatur that can make him take responsibility for how he has destroyed morale at DMH and is forcing experienced employees to leave at a record pace. The DMH mds lack the courage to stand up to him.
DMH doctors, it is time for you to stand up to this terrible man. It is only you doctors who will be able to force a change.
Stop admitting your patients to DMH. Have the courage to give your patients a choice of where to receive treatment. Hit Ken in his pocketbook and send all that revenue to another hospital.
That is the only thing that he will understand and will make things change at DMH.
Where are the Feds when we need them?
Get over it, folks. Smithmier owns Decatur.
If you don't like the way Smithmier forces doctors to admit patients only to DMH and tell them how to practice medicine, get a doctor who is not owned by DMH, get another insurance policy that allows you to pick your own hospital and go someplace else for health care.
You would probably be safer at another hospital anyway. Whatever you do, stay out of the DMH emergency room. I can't tell you how many horror stories I have heard about that ER.
Ken Smithmier & his buddies don't care about the people of this area.
They care only about beefing up their resumes - not about improving the health of the people on central Illnois (their mission statement.)
They will leave when they have lined their own pockets with as much money as they can. Simply move on to another community and do the same things. Wonder why they left St. Louis and Barnes in the first place? Could it be that Barnes and St. Louis were smart enough to realize what a self serving bunch of crooks they were and Smithmier and cronies got out of town before they were charged with federal crimes?
All the big corporations that have chosen DMH as their PPO - can you not see that it is more expensive to keep your contracts with DMH?
It costs you guys more in the long run to pay for the mistakes, low staffing, departure of experienced staff, etc., when patients go to other, better qualified hospitals (Mayo, Barnes, University of Chicago and so on)than to continue to pay for the deteriorating care DMH provides.
C'mon insurers - step up to the plate and say enough is enough.
DMH health care is a joke. They cut benefits for the employees that provide direct patient care. The result is patients do not get the care insurers pay for. Experienced, qualified staff are leaving in record numbers leaving DMH with new, inexperienced, staff to care for patients. Every single depatment is understaffed - with the exception of their legal team.
DMH employees cannot even afford the insurance DMH provides. Bottom line - hard working taxpayers will be required to pay for Medicaid and other benefits for DMH employees who cannot afford the healthcare DMH offers them at unaffordable rates.
No matter - Smithmier and his pals get richer and rob the hospital of money donated by honest citizens to care for patients. Smithmier gets to build a mansion on land donated to the hospital to help the people of this area.
The feds will do nothing to stop these crooks. No indictments, no one has been forced to answer for medicare fraud, violations of Stark laws, violation of self-referral laws and so on. Smithmier is too powerful and will never be forced to answer for his unethical practices.
So sad that Smithmier has managed to turn a once good hospital into his own private money tree.
The citizens of this area will be the ones to pay for Smithmiers greed and arrogance.
So when will this federal investigation be over?
Does anyone really think there will be any indictments?
According to Smithmier, it is over. The Feds found nothing wrong.
Is this true? Will they get away with medicare fraud and all the other crimes they have committed?
Watcher 2300 you are my hero.
Keep up the good work and let the people of Decatur know the truth.
More throw in the towel!
At least 8 experienced nurses(probably more) have left or turned in their resignations at DMH in the past 3 weeks.
Anyone see a pattern here?
Those closest to actual patient care are deserting this sinking ship.
Does administration care? NO!
Smithmier's mantra - "If you don't like it, leave. I will replace you."
Unfortunately, experienced nurses are NOT being replaced at the rate they are leaving.
Sure, DMH has hired new graduates, but it will be a year or more before these new employees will be able to function independently.
Patient complaints are up. They are NOT happy with the care they receive at DMH.
Units are short staffed, patients are not turned, given important medications on time, wound care is not done on time or is not done at all, patients wait a long time to get needed pain medication - the list goes on.
Admit yourself or a loved one to DMH with this caveat - you are on your own. Keep a family member with you at all times to make sure you get the care your doctor orders. Make sure it is a family member is knows what the doctor ordered and is assertive enough to demand you get the care you deserve and your insurance is paying for.
It is not the nurses' fault - they are doing the best they can. This poor care is the fault of administration who is focused more on the bottom line than quality patient care.
So what is the big deal?
Inexperienced nurses are at DMH to take care of you.
It might take you an hour or more to get something for pain or to have your wet bed changed, but hey, what do you expect?
Ken is happy. He is rich.
So what if his employees can't afford the insurance? More money in Smithmiers pocket.
Indeed.
Ken making money, living in his big house, controlling his doctors, and making his hospital look oh so nice is all he truly cares about.
What a shock it will be to him when the FBI announce their indictments and his name is up on every TV screen in Decatur.
"To improve the health of the people of central Illinois." That is the DMH mission statement.
Unfortunately that does not seem to include the health of its own employees.
DMH employees are asked to do more and more everyday with fewer staff members.
Health insurance "benefits" - term used loosely here - have been cut and are outrageously expensive and cannot be afforded by many DMH staff members.
Employees are stressed to the max, but God help them (DMH won't) if they the suffer anxiety, depression, or any other "mental health" related illnesses (all of which are universally recognized as job related illnesses.)
With the new insurance benefits Smithmier proudly unveiled as a way to cut costs at DMH beginning in January 2007, mental health care is no longer covered by DMH.
Is it because all DMH employees are happy and stress free?
Or is it because the only physician mental health providers in Decatur are at St. Mary's?
Call me a skeptic, but I believe it is because Ken and company do not want to let a dime of their money go to St. Mary's. Most employees cannot afford to take time off the job to seek care elsewhere.
Since anxiety, depression, etc., related to your job are all covered by workman's compensation, DMH may be penny wise and pound foolish. I can just see all the stressed out DMH employees turning in workman's comp claims for treatment for anxiety, etc., that are job related. Wonder what would happen to Ken's bottom line if all of his employees that are stressed, suffering from anxiety or depression, etc., actually got care and turned those bills into DMH? Hmmmmm, wonder how much all those claims will cost Ken & Company?
No, I am not a DMH employee, but my daughter is. I pray that she gets out of there sooner rather than later and starts a new career where she is appreciated and compensated fairly for all her tough years of school. I see how stressed she is by her job and see how much weight she has lost since starting to work at DMH a little over 3 years ago.
I wonder? If Smithmier's wife or child needed mental health care ( and the majority of Americans do at some point in their lives), would he deny it to them because the money it cost for caring for his family would go to St. Mary's?
We all know the answer to that. Smithmier is concerned only with his own (and his family's) well being.
It seems there is no limit to the arrogance of the DMH administration and no limit to their greed while their employees bear the brunt of administrations greed and arrogance.
The patients bear suffer the consequences too as more and more experienced staff leave DMH and are cared for by the staff that is too scared to leave.
Is there no one out there who can help DMH employees?
I understand that the joint commission on accredication of hospitals is supposed to spend about a week checking out DMH this year to see if it should be accreditated for a couple of more years. Do they only check out whether the floors are clean, or do they ask patients (not selected by the hospital) what they think of the care they are receiving and do they ask employees what hey think?
If they ask employees questions, are the employees safe from reprisal or is there always someone from administration at their side?
So many comments and questions. So few answers and facts to help DMH staff and patients.
Bravo to Dr. Smith and Dr. Gregory for having the courage to say NO to Ken Smithmier and moving their offices from DMH owned property.
If only other physicians would have the courage to do the same.
Health care in Decatur would improve and the residents of this area would truly benefit - we would have a choice again.
I am sure patients insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid would benefit, too, if there was true competition for the billions of health care dollars spent in this community.
Most significant changes throughout history have taken place because a few courageous men have stood up and said "Enough is enough."
I would change doctors in a minute if he had the courage to say NO to Smithmier. I know many other people who feel the same. Actually, I am already looking for another doctor who is not in the pocket of Smithmier, Stone, Fahey, Peacock, Zia, and Myers.
Instead of driving to another city for quality health care, we could just drive to the other side of town!
C'mon Decatur doctors. I am sure most of you went into medicine to really help people - not to allow a power hungry man dictate to tou how to practice medicine.
Remember that Hippocratic Oath you took - to do no harm, etc.?
You harm your patients every day you allow Smithmier and his friends to tell you who you can admit to the hospital, what hospital you can admit them to, who you can refer them to, and
what tests you can do.
Doctors of Decatur, remember why you chose your profession. Surely it was not just because of the amount of money you can make.
If that is the reason you chose medicine, we would be better off without you.
Doctors of Decatur, show us that you really do care about your patients first. Stand up to Smithmier and DMH and tell them "We are going to take control of our professional lives again."
BE COURAGEOUS!
Your patients and Decatur will love you and thank you!
We all know the answer to that. Smithmier is concerned only with his own (and his family's) well being.
I am not so sure about Mr. Smithmier being all that concerned about his family. I've heard rumors he wouldn't visit one of his children in the hospital. I've also heard that he rarley goes to his children's school programs.
He does go to church I've heard. From seeing the way he does business in this town, I don't think he takes much to heart.
I agree with all I have read about Doctors having to stand up to Smithmier and not be allowed to be told how to care for their patients, where their patients can be best care for, etc. Unfortunately, if you do, you will be black-balled by him, they will harm your career and you will be FORCED to leave town because of non-compete statutes that they so smartley place in all the doctors contracts.
So the bottom-line, if you stand up to Smithmier, your career gets harmed, you have to move out of town and they will say negative things about you to harm new opportunities.
They know what they are doing. Unfortunately, most of us docs are poor businessmen!
Interesting what the doc (or doc's employee) has to say about the contracts they have to sign with DMH.
In layman's terms that clause would read "Play ball with me or I will ruin your career."
Is there not a law against this? Is this not coercion on the part of DMH? Are there not laws against coercion?
I know - nobody literally forced the MD's to sign these contracts, but they might as well have because of all the ppo contracts DMH has managed to grab over the past few years. Pt's are forced to go to DMH (or to another town in the network). Either way, Ken and cohorts win again.
What does the American Medical Association say about this?
DMH should change its mission statement from "To improve the health of the people of central Illinois" to this:
"To improve the financial health of and line the pockets of Ken Smithmier and DMH adminsitrators. The people of central Illinois are on their own"
That would be a more honest mission statement for DMH.
Depressing to read all these posts.
Seems Smithmier, Stone, Peacock, Myers, Fahey, and Zia are all bulletproof. What's worse, they continue to get richer while employees who actually provide patient care have benefits taken away from the, have to pay more for their insurance, and get mimimal raises - not enough to keep up with the cost of living when you factor in the sky high insurance premiums they have to pay. We're talking about single Moms, some of whom make little more than mimimum wage.
After all these months, it is still business as usual at DMH.
I am beginning to believe that no one will get indicted for medicare fraud, self referrals, or any of the other crimes these arrogant administrators have committed.
Sad day for a once great hospital. Sad day for the citizens of central Illinois who are forced to go to DMH for care because of their insurance networks.
I have no doubt that Smithmier & gang will emerge without any indictment. If anything, there will be a fallguy or scapegoat to make it appear that the Government did their job. The DMH Administration not only has the Doctors paid-off and in their pockets, but hitorically has done the same with goverment officials to get programs approved, favorable zoning, etc. Whay is anyone surprised that this did not take place with this investigation too?
If this investigation had been conducted by local or even state investigators, then your assumption would be correct. Ken has contacts in Chicago, has been part of the Illinois Hospital Association, and in town, has just about every bank, major law firm or major employer tangled in his web.
At the federal level, these connections and influence mean absolutely nothing. Federal investigators cannot be intimidated, even by US Senators. In other words, Ken's little phone call to Dick Durbin means zip. Mr. Durbin is up for re-election next fall, and would not take a chance on Ken's little problem jeopardizing his campaign.
The federal investigators may be slow, but they do NOT give up. This will take time. Records from over 80 physicians, hospital records, medical equipment companies, hospice providers and long-term care facilities takes some time to comb through.
Mr. Pittenger, any update?
Maybe one of the reasons physical therapy at DMH cost more than St. Mary's is because DMH now owns the YMCA. The YMCA used to have a program that provided individuals needing therapy a discount on a membership. However, the same program is only available to patients of "DMH doctors or DMH PT patients." Hmmm... that's funny when I last received a letter from the YMCA asking for a donation for such programs, I don't recall them asking who my physician was. Please also be aware the the YMCA is a United Way organization. I feel a letter at the national level coming forth. Plus, I will be cancelling my membership.
That's a new one.
Somehow, I would find it hard to believe the YMCA/YWCA would discriminate based on hospital or doctor affiliation. If true, then by all means the national office of the Y should be notified.
It wouldn't surprise me, though. I have been told that anyone from St. Mary's may not occupy any space at Hickory Point Mall since DMH has an exclusive contract with them. You may want to remember that the next time you need to go shopping. As for me, downtown suits me just fine. Springfield has a nice mall. Champaign/Urbana has some nice shopping opportunities, too.
In response to the Feds can't be bought comment by Watcher 2300. I don't entirely agree. First of all, my understanding is that DMH rents office space to the Feds...is this correct? Second, my understanding is that Mr Pittiger retired and the case was turned over to State Police Investigators. What's up with that?
DMH does not rent space to federal investigators. The developer who rents to DMH here in Forsyth also rents to the federal investigators as well. This office just happens to have been the office formerly occupied by the failed Dr. Sharon Collins and her snake oil show.
Mr. Pittenger has indeed retired. A new federal investigator has been assigned this case, reportedly someone who had been investigating the White Water scandal. The state has been in on this investigation from the beginning; nothing has changed. Since Illinois' Medicaid funds were allegedly fraudulently acquired from DMH's self-referral policy (which, I understand is still the norm!) then the State would have to be part of the investigation.
Ken and Tim are not off the hook. Why do you think they are paying themselves so much these days? So they can afford the lawyers and prepare themselves for after their jail time.
My heart goes out to all of those Nurses who cannot quit due to close to retirement age!
Before I left DMH's employment years ago, I saw more work placed on the coordinators and less on the directors.
I also became digusted with the self governing concept. My question went ignored and unanswered, "who will govern the committee?"
DMH going "Magnet" status? Oh Ken and Tony? Dellusional thought process on both of your parts! News flash! Your "Magnet" status nurses are close to retirement with very scarey replacements in nursing schools!
Put out the $$$$ and you will see better patient care and more retention of nurses.
Will I come back, sorry, no! I tired to do the right thing only for it to fall on deaf ears!
I am laying odds Tim takes the fall when the Federal axe comes down!
Interesting comment from the DMH retiree. She saw firsthand how management does not care about patients and quality care. Management's concern is the bottom line, their own bonuses, and getting everyone and anyone with power or clout in the community in their pocket. They do not care about the patients and suggestions of experienced staff.
DMH seeking "Magnet Status"? What a joke! Magnet Status means experienced, qualified nurses. Unfortunately for DMH and the community, those qualified, experienced nurses are retiring or taking other jobs outside of the DMH orbit. They are fed up with no support from administration.
DMH is slowly but surely being staffed by new grads with no experience and many of these new grads are leaving as soon as they haved served enough time to get their sign on bonuses.
Does DMH care? NO!!! There is always another warm body to take the place of the experienced nurses who are leaving. Turnover is amazing these days at DMH.
The number of employees who are counting the days until retirement is at record highs.
Wonder if DMH will be able to pay off those who bestow Magnet Status just like they have been able to pay off everyone else?
Please, investigators - do your job and punish these felons and get DMH back to its mission of providing quality care.
At last count 8 experienced nurses have requested transfers from the surgical floor at DMH but these transfers are being held up or blocked because there is no one to replace them.
Ask yourself why so many nurses would be trying to get off a floor that is understaffed and managed by indifferent management. These experienced nurses are trying to provide good care to their patients, but it is impossible when you have no support from management.
These nurses care about their patients, but DMH is making it impossible for nurses to give the care the patients need, deserve, and are paying for.
It is so sad - good nurses are desperately trying to give quality care but get no support from administration.
Don't worry though. There are new graduates with no experience and not yet knowledgeable enough to see the whole picture with a patient.
Allow yourself to be admitted to DMH with this caveat: you will be cared for by staff that has no experience. God help you if you have surgery and then have a heart attack or develop other complications. These inexperienced nurses will concentrate on the scar from your gallbladder surgery, but have not had the experience to see the "big picture" and know that you are developing heart problems, etc.
It is not the fault of these new nurses. It is the fault of administration who does not give them the support they need and deserve.
Give these new graduates a couple of years and they will be great nurses. In the meantime, they need experienced mentors to teach them how to see the whole patient. Too bad the experienced nurses who could guide them and help them learn are leaving as quickly as they can - therefore no mentors for the new graduates.
Doctors can get their MD degree and in theory go out and practice medicine, but they spend years in internships, residencies, etc., to learn how to really care for patients.
It is the same with nurses. They may have the degree, but they need an "internship" and "residency" just they same as new doctors to connect all the dots in patient care. They need the experienced nurses.
What is DMH thinking? Do they care about patient care or the bottom line? Hmm - new grads make less than someone with 15 or 20 years of experience.
Seems DMH would rather have lower paid nurses just to say they have the staff then to provide support to the experienced nurses that patients deserve.
I am a DMH nurse - don't shoot me, I can't leave now because I am close to being able to retire and need the money I have invested in the retirement fund.
I have an RN friend who had been at DMH for 32 years. Of course she was at the top of the pay scale after all those years. She broke her wrist and had to have a cast put on it. It was not a job related injury.
She is an excellent nurse - the kind of nurse you would want to take care of you or a family member.
She was told by DMH that they had absolutely no positions that she could handle because of that cast even though it was only going to be on for 4 weeks. Had she hurt herself at work, I guarantee you that they would have found a job for her until that cast was removed even if it was just answering phones someplace or counting paper clips just so they would not have to pay her Workers' Comp benefits. You wouldn't believe how many employees have hurt themselves at work. DMH manages to find positions for them while they are on modified duty, just so they don't have to pay those Worker's Comp benefits.
She has another job now, one that she loves. She told me that she is now off her blood pressure medicine. Her doctor told her that her blood pressure had been so high because of job related stress. She says that while she was upset that DMH treated her so badly after being a dedicated employee for 32 years, she did not realize until she was forced to leave what a toll working at DMH was taking on her both physically and emotionally.
I fear that I and other experienced nurses who are at or near the top of the pay scale are in the sights of the powers that be at DMH. I fear their plan is to get rid of all the experienced long term employees and replace us with new grads who don't make nearly as much as we do.
More money for DMH and its administrators. God forbid that they should treat long term employees fairly.
I was a DMH employee until 4 PM today.
I finally decided to leave because I could not stand the thought of going to work there even one more day knowing that there would not be enough staff to take care of the sick patients who relied upon me to give quality care.
I finally realized that I was putting my license on the line everday.
I will be starting a new job Monday where I will be making about $15,000 a year less than at DMH, but feel good about my decision to leave DMH.
The money was not worth worrying about my license and giving patients poor care.
I finally am proud of myself for having the courage to put my patients well being above my paycheck.
If only there were more nurses at DMH who cared more about their patients than money.
What is one life worth? What price tag can we nurses put on the life of one patient who dies because of poor staffing and cutting corners at DMH?
Nurses at DMH - what is the life of your mother, father, husband or wife worth? I'll bet all of you would say not what Smithmier pays me.
I'll be honest and say that it was the increase in insurance premiums DMH that finally convinced me to leave. My paycheck may be smaller at my new job, but I come out ahead because my benefits are better and cost less.
Thank you, Smithmier, for forcing me to examine my conscience and also do the math and realize that I can give good care to patients at someplace other than DMH.
I am finally proud again to tell people that I am an RN.
I AM A PHYSICIAN THAT LEFT DMH BECAUSE I DID NOT AGREE HOW THEY PLACED FIRST ILLEGAL BILLING PRACTICES, MONEY AND TURNED THEIR HEADS TO QUESTIONABLE DOCTORS AS LONG AS THEY WERE DEEMED "TEAM PLAYERS" BY SMITHMIER & CO.
THE MOVE HARMED MY CAREER AS THEY BLACK-BALLED ME, HARMED MY CHILDREN AND WIFE'S WELL-BEING AND WE ARE BARELY MAKING IT IN OUR NEW ENVIRONMENT AFTER HAVING LOST IT ALL.
BUT I DO HAVE ETHICS AND DID TAKE THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH, SO I CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT. I HAVE LEARNED THAT COMPLAINING AND PROVIDING CREDIBLE EVIDENCE WONT GET YOU ANYWHERE. IN THE END, ITS MY BELIEF THAT SMITHMIER & CO WILL EMERGE VICTORIOUS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE GREAT PEOPLE IT SERVES AND EMPLOYS.
WHEN THERE, SMITHMIER & STONE BRAGGED THAT OTHER THAN ADM OWNERS, THEY WERE THE MOST POWERFUL AND NOONE COULD TOUCH THEM. THEY HAVE POLITICIANS AND PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACES IN THEIR POCKETS. AND ALTHOUGHT THE FEDERAL FOLKS DOING THE INITIAL WORK ARE HONEST, GOOD PEOPLE, THOSE ABOVE THEM HAVE NOT ALLOWED THEM TO PURSUE REAL FRAUD & CRIMES BECAUSE OF THE SMITHMIER INFLUENCE.
I AM OUTRAGED THAT THIS CAN BE ALLOWED, BUT I GUESS NAIVE AS TO THE REAL WORLD HAPPENINGS. SAD FOR MY EX-NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS AND PATIENTS.
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