I have been attempting to get a representative from the NCDHHS to explain their investigation results from the inspection of Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, resulting from my complaint. I started by calling the Western Regional office of NCDHSR in Black Mountain. This is the office that did the "administrative review " of the complaint findings. I spoke to the director Todd Davis, and asked if someone would explain the findings to me. Mr. Davis immediately took an offensive position, and denied my request simply because the survey was done in 2012.
The next step was to contact the State level director of NCDHSR , Ms. Beverly Speroff. I requested the same meeting from Ms. Speroff, explaining that it might help them in future investigations. Of course I was denied again because there have been investigations since my complaint. Ms. Speroff informed me they can not go back and cite a facility if there have been subsequent investigations. I wrote Ms. Speroff again, explaining that I did not expect them to write any citations. The reason for my request was simply to understand their findings from my complaint. After two weeks I received a response to my request. " We informed you in a letter dated February 6, 2014 that this request will not be honored because the investigation was completed in the spring of 2012. This matter is closed."
Does this mean the amount of time passed changes the fact that they failed to do a thorough job? Is the NCDHSR doing a perfect job with their investigations ? Am I not entitled to an explanation of the conflicting information in their report ?
If I have information that could improve the effectiveness of future investigations, why don't they want to know? Could it be that the same Todd Davis, was the lead investigator of my complaint ? I can understand why someone would not want their incompetency's exposed. The fact that those incompetency's affect the licensing of nursing homes, should be more important than ones pride. I am being nice in calling them incompetency's. I believe that the findings of the NCDHSR investigations are just plain false. There are no other explanations for their findings, not even plain old stupidity.
Is the NCDHSR incompetent, or are they another example of what money can buy in our political system? From everything I have seen and heard, my bet is good old fashioned corruption. The following paragraph is from Wikepedias definition of corruption.
Some forms of corruption – now called “institutional corruption” – are distinguished from bribery and other kinds of obvious personal gain. Campaign contributions are a prime example. Even when they are legal, and do not constitute a quid pro quo, they have a tendency to bias the process in favor of special interests and undermine public confidence in the political institution. They corrupt the institution without individual members being corrupt themselves. A similar problem of corruption arises in any institution that depends on financial support from people who have interests that may conflict with the primary purpose of the institution.
When you look at the ownership of many nursing homes, you will find plenty of politicians. They go from County officials, all the way to Congressmen and Senators. There are also plenty of owners who belong to the same country clubs as the politicians. There is plenty of opportunity for corruption at any level. The fact that not one government agencey will follow through on a complaint against these people is a good indication of what is written above. Nursing home owners are major contributors to politicians, all the way up to the President. The nursing home PAC's have plenty of money to throw around, to obtain favors in the political arena.
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