Friday, March 31, 2006

Radiology--Out of the Closet?--5/3

What fun x-ray is having. It's not every administrator that has his roommate working under him! All joking aside, the issue is: Can an administrator properly have a live-in work under their span of control. It would be interesting on the 90 day eval for the administrator to be perched over Mr. Neal's shoulder...watching....

But it sure does cut down the bit@hing in the fileroom, or does it? Guess it moved to the reading room where two female radiologists were "discussing" a difference of opinion--and had to be moved to separate rooms. What a comedy act.

But it ain't over, it seems that one of the cardiologists stroked out a patient a few days ago doing an incidental "drive by" carotid arteriogram...the brain is much less forgiving than the heart....

...and those emails just keep coming....

75 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG! I feel like Jeff Foxworthy when I ask......How'd that happen?

I can't imagine how that happened. Would someone please explain it to me?

Anonymous said...

This place is falling apart! Gay or not, you can't supervise a significant other...or have someone that you supervise...supervise them!

Anonymous said...

I thought that was neuro, only?

Anonymous said...

Apparently it was a mistake, I just for the life of me can't figure out how.

Anonymous said...

That's why radiologists do at least a year long fellowship in Neuroradiology!

Anonymous said...

I smell malpractice, and who gave privleges to this cardiologist for this procedure? is it common practice at this location?..or any other?

Anonymous said...

Now I know they didn't do this on purpose? No way! The cath tip migrated somehow, and they didn't catch it? Right?

Anonymous said...

Wonder if the cardiologist had made it back to Dallas before ANYONE caught it??????

Anonymous said...

I know an air embolus that didn't get caught until the next day.

Anonymous said...

Well, well, well, the radiology department continues to implode!

It's not bad enough that cardiologists are now able to perform interventional studies and locum's(loco's)nearly go to fist city over a disagreement? What is going on here?

What has happened to what was once a good x-ray department that had good seasoned staff and radiologists with a 50 year track record in this city?

I would like to think most of the blame falls on the slumped shoulders of Ms.let-me-stab-you-in-the-back, Mock, but it goes much farther. Her incompetence as a manager is legandary, but the marching orders for her come from the second floor and all the way east to TN.

Just today, Radiology lost another highly skilled technologist; one who was qualified in nearly every area of the x-ray department. Ninteen years at the same hospital and he gave it up because he saw the future and it wasn't something he wanted to be a part of. The hospital's loss, but, hey, they can have a temp in to cover his slot before he gets his 401K rolled over!

This is the most amazing cluster *&%$ I have ever seen!

It's hard to imagine any company can be this stupid!

Whew! I feel better now.

Anonymous said...

Doesn't Bev the "I'm not the director" of radiology at PRMC and full time teacher in the X-ray school at PJC have a daughter she "supervises" in the x-ray program... sound familiar?

Anonymous said...

A few movies are coming to mind here. Needful Things and Devil's Advocate.

Does the plot sound familiar?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the cardiologists "drive's" are as bad as mine. I wonder if he yelled Fore?

Anonymous said...

I'm sure the cardiologist in question was safely home in the media room of his Dallas mansion before the results of his quest was even known. I quarantee he hasn't lost a minute of sleep over it.

Anonymous said...

A drive-by cardiologist stroking a patient, a "significant other" in the file room, catfighting Radiologists..........this reads like a soap opera for sure!

Syndication on one of the networks might be more their style instead the healthcare industry!!

Oh........and by the way that pix is TOO much........HAHAHA!

Anonymous said...

There is a real problem with doing "incidental" angiography. It has become commonplace for cardiologists to squirt contrast into carotid arteries and renal arteries while doing coronary angiograms. I wonder if the patients and their families are properly consented and informed of the disastrous consequences if something goes wrong? I also wonder how much extra can be billed for "incidently" squirting a carotid artery. Where is the accountability? Where is the peer review? Alas avarice has overtaken it.

Anonymous said...

I would think that would be out of their scope of practice--and not a procedure that could be billed for.

I've never seen that on written consents, but it's been a few years.

There is a part in there saying that a stroke is a possible complication, but I thought it was from stray plaque---not stray contrast.

Anonymous said...

Do cardiologists take the Hippocratic oath?

Anonymous said...

Where is the cath lab supervision? Who is saying no to incidental contrast?

This is where it was getting bad at the hospital. No one wanted to hear--stuff like this going on in the first place. If you voiced a concern on something like this---you are gone.

If you voiced it--you were concerned for the patient- and the liability of the hospital.

The hospital fires you- for looking out for the best interest of the patient, and the best interest of the hospital.

Anonymous said...

Is it commonplace everywhere, for cardiologist to do incidental carotid sqirts, or is it a Paris thang?

I've seen the incidental renal sqirts.

Anonymous said...

You can feel it in the air, when you walk into the hospital. It should be called a hostitial.

The hostilities are brewing all over the place---I wonder where the next cat fight will break out.

Anonymous said...

We're back to the policy--that we can't talk about any policy....

Anonymous said...

Someone was recently 'dismissed' from the hospital for not fitting in with the direction that the hospital is headed. If this is the direction it's headed, I don't think anyone fits in. Someone is making a MOCKery of a formerly good department.

Anonymous said...

Beverly-4, Radiology-0!

Anonymous said...

Attaboy!Mrs.B, you go right ahead and get rid of those 'high priced' senior techs. Bring in that cheap labor. And when the physicians and the radiologists are yelling about the quality or lack thereof with the radiographs...Hey! you just point and shoot, right?!

Anonymous said...

Do you think perhaps that THIS is the reason Ms. Mock has been under the radar of late? Her goal was to "pillage & burn" the Xray department, as per instructions from the top (yeah Andrew, we know TOO well your take on things) and now that chaos reigns supreme and management is a thing of the past (funny how that works, stir up the herd and they stampede, even cowboys know it ain't a good thang!)she hides.........isn't that amazing. All wind, threats and NO SPINE! If she were truly a "manager" this would not have happened. But then again dimestore managers are just that a, dime a dozen. WooHoo Bev, you go girl........those gunsights in the ivory tower are clearly aimed at you. When Ms. Mock goes down, there will be celebrating in the street.........Clarksville that is!

Anonymous said...

What's funny is the fact that the majority of soon to be graduates of the Rad Tech program, make no bones about NOT wanting to work at PRMC. Could it be that in doing clinicals at other sites it has shown them what a screwed up, ill managed mess Xray is at PRMC??? Nawwwww, surely not!

Anonymous said...

New T-shirt entry:

Essent----Just Say No!

Anonymous said...

Seems that Mock/Neal duo conveniently agreed that those first 1 - 6 techs that left were better gone for the hospital's sake. Was it bad blood? They didn’t try to keep them. Mock didn’t stand up for anyone of them. Well, now that most all the old techs are gone and the x-ray department is in complete chaos, we can see where the problem lies. It never was with the worker bees but the inept management who is still looking for people to BLAME for management’s incompetence.

This is sure to make the investors and board members proud.

Knowledge and experience can save lives, they can't blame the old techs any more--they have none.

Maybe hiring students can C.Y.A. any court action.

Anonymous said...

When a tech with 19 years invested with the hospital takes a hike, there are several things to consider:

1. What is so much better about where he is going (Casa Rio Rojo, otherwise known as Red River)?
2. What has gone wrong at the hospital (why he's bailing at this point).

Why he's going (to): Well, all the equipment will be new. Looks like they will be doing interventional studies. He knows the quality of work that the rads do. It's the same rads--no locums.

Why he's leaving (from): Old equipment. Less interventional studies (locums traditionally don't like to do them in unfamiliar surroundings.) He has no idea day-to-day who he works with (docs). Director is a psycho, manager is just incompetent.

Where does that put radiology? No currently experienced interventional tech. Little 'corporate knowlege.' And, last but not least, will probably be replaced by a temp tech who won't know the suite, nor the procedures, nor the docs...just where I want to go to have anything done....

Anonymous said...

OH, MOCK STOOD UP FOR THE TECHS ALL RIGHT. SHE STOOD UP BEHIND THEM WITH A BUTCHER KNIFE SQUARELY BETWEEN THEIR SHOULDER BLADES AND LET MS. PERRY DO THE DIRTY WORK.

Anonymous said...

So....
Back to the incident in the cath lab last week.
I hope the hospital, the board, the exec and credentialing committees are all heavily insured! All of them have a part in this, not just the monkey on the other end of the catheter injecting carotids. When you tolerate incompetence, you too are liable!!! Isn’t that right… Burt, Steve, and Larry?

... or should I say Larry, Moe, and Curley?

Anonymous said...

When your wife has a pipeline into admin and you take a job with the competition, sounds like it's time to run, not walk, to the nearest recruiter.

Anonymous said...

If the consent is worded so loosely as to cover, then common practice comes into play. You don't get a consent to squirt the heart, and then shoot a carotid just 'cause it's there....standard of care....talk about peer review, should be judicial review.

Anonymous said...

When you are approached by a previous patient in Walmart and told, "I just thought I'd let you know that I won't be going to the ER at Paris Regional anymore, should something happen to me or my family. Simply because we are terrified of that place." How do you respond to this. All I could do was say "I totally understand. And if it were me, I too would choose another facility." I used to work there, I don't anymore. When the citizens of Paris, because they recognize you from an ER visit, come up to you in Walmart, a local restaurant, or anywhere for that matter and voice such concerns, then you have to ask yourself, what the h@#$ is wrong with the powers in THIS town, that they are not doing something about this. Bad PR my butt........THIS HOSPITAL has put our community in such a state of fear it is unreal! We as employees and ex-employees have had a standing agreement since Essent took over, if I should come into the ER, stabilize me and ship my butt to Dallas! When THIS kind of pact is being made between hospital workers, how do you think it affects the level of healthcare here! We all know how disastrous this place has become, and yet, we have found NO way to circumvent the tragedies that are happening and will continue to happen. This community is in danger, period! Administration be damned, our people here in Paris need effective and SAFE healthcare! And it has to be dealt with now, not in the future!

Anonymous said...

I truly hope that the new Xray Techs understand that they need to CYA with the current Administration/Director/Manager. That license your worked so hard for can be slam-dunked in a heartbeat. And trust me, PRMC's Admin from Xray to the top will not be behind you, if anything, you will be their sacrifical goat. It is so easy for Admin to say, "We had the protocols in line, this person simply didn't follow it." Yeah right, check the ink on the paper, if it smudges, you got it, Admin did a fresh CYA manual. Be careful and be afraid, very afraid!

Anonymous said...

They do change the rules, like I change my drawers--and they have this funny way of not telling you about it until there is an issue.

Anonymous said...

About this time, if past history holds true, that tech ought to be getting a fair amount of pressure to stay--possibly an offer of more money, or a not so veiled threat.

If it's the money, don't take it. Historically, those that accept counter offers from employers are generally terminated within the year. They just have more time to shop for a replacement.

As to the threat, they must be getting desperate....

Anonymous said...

8:03

They use laser printers, check to see if the pages are still warm....

Anonymous said...

Personally, I'd like to see the blog, posts and comments, printed out and bound for the next Joint Commission team that comes through. Heck, I'd pay money to see it and bind it!

fac_p, you ought to have a post to comment on violations....

Anonymous said...

Yes Jay is leaving us and we are all going to miss him that knows him, But we know Nannette also. Why would anyone want to say something againt her just because of where her desk is. Then I would say you don't know her very well. Someone out in this ugly web world needs to apologize to her.

Anonymous said...

I don't see anything against Nannette. I'd say that what is inferred is that they talk, and that on the basis of such, he's going across the street...as maybe we all ought to do.

Anonymous said...

So what happened to the BOARD posting?

fac_p said...

What do you mean?? Yesterday the board post wouldn't come up, only difference was the image. Had to flip positions.

Anonymous said...

Wonder if their next uniform color will be fuschia? Perhaps puce........hmmmmmm!

Anonymous said...

In an Email received yesterday by the PRMC leadership team, sent by Ken Miller:

Subject: Kronos Productivity
($$ paid to people clocked in)

"We are currently at 93.3% productivity. The departments listed below are all below 95% and should be taking some action to hit 95% by the end of the pay period."

There were 34 departments listed, with radiology being one of the lowest at 59.2%.

An additional email was sent from Cheryl Perry...4-12-06...regarding same subject.

"Based on our productivity, we encourage departments to close their offices on Friday in observance of Good Friday if possible. This is not a designated PRMC Holiday. Employees will need to take no pay or vacation pay.
THERE WILL BE NO HOLIDAY PAY AND TIME AND A HALF WILL ONLY BE PAID IF THE EMPLOYEE EARNS IT AS REGULAR OVERTIME."

So starts the downsizing of services...?

Anonymous said...

There were 34 departments listed, with radiology being one of the lowest at 59.2%.

Really...........! Imagine that!

Well Bev, kinda hard to un-demoralize a department, don't ya think?

And just what do you think the Queen of Chaos will do to bring those percentages up? Tap dance while singing "Swanee River"?!?!

Anonymous said...

Who'd a thought it? I had an emergency with my son last weekend.

Thanks Dr. Salas for giving the people of Paris another option for minor Emergency.

Anonymous said...

And more leaving soooooon!

Stay tuned in folks. This will not be pretty!

By the way, congrats on hitting 40K!

Anonymous said...

Well well well....seems that the love interest of a certain Big Wig is now getting promoted from File Room Clerk to PACS system manager...wow...and he isn't a tech and has no clue about PACS or radiology! Sure is nice to have a "friend" in a high place, huh?

Anonymous said...

It's not who you know, it's who....

Anonymous said...

I suppose it doesn't count as nepotism since same-sex marriage isn't legal in this state....

Anonymous said...

There goes the "management" (if that was ever an overstatement...) of Radiology into a huddle. Circle the wagons, guys, 'cause the indians are a-comin'!

Maybe they can get one of the cardiologists to do the IVC filters...'course they might squirt some more die...(intentional misspelling.)

Anonymous said...

RE: 9:24 post

Didn't realize that same sex relationships were covered under the EEOC rules and regs.......qualifications and experience asided of course!

Puts a whole new spin on "good 'ol boys".....ya know?

Anonymous said...

Stay tuned....Rested and refreshed from her stay at another hospital, Beva Braun-O'Hara is working up a case against some more radiology employees...soon there will be others fired for not going the direction that PRMC is going. (Downward spiral!) It amazes me how she works so hard to create division and dissension among her staff. I thought leaders were supposed to encourage teamwork?
Meanwhile, more temp techs will be needed! Hope the budget can handle it since the patient load is so low. Beva should be careful...seeing who her boss is..the only ones safe are the male techs.

Anonymous said...

Seems as thought Bev has been very vocal about how "upsetting" this website is to her. OMG.........does this woman not have an ounce of sense?!?!

Your pound of flesh will be due soon, and the Devil (Essent) is a nasty taskmaster! So those rules you played so loose with in Radiology will be turned against you when it's your time. Nice thought, think about it when you go to sleep at night Bev.

Well earned, well earned!

Anonymous said...

Well buttering up Bice won't give her any extra Aces in hand. The trap is gently laid, and will close with sudden ferocity and with great relish. The new level of politics at hand will catch her totally off guard. She has no clue how to play this game folks! And if she expects that by firing more (or what's left of Xray) that it will deter her demise..........think again, that productivity rate rests soley on her shoulders.

And to think, she is just SOOOOOO upset by this website. Better concentrate on more important things dearie, this site is the LEAST of YOUR problems!

Anonymous said...

Talk about a mentor, X-ray had one of the best in ... Talk about a mentor, X-ray had one of the best in the business, took in the students like his own children.

His explanations, maybe too in-depth for PJC /Tyler students lacking physics instruction, spent many hours after his shift was over, to help educate the new students. Bad things happen, his one student didn't remember her homework from a week prior and cried, the mentor was banished to the NORTH campus because a student's feelings were hurt.

Ms. Mock is proud of another incompetent action she took on behalf of E$$ent and PJC. Who wants to mentor new rad students next?

I think 404 and 601 should step up or shut up.

Anonymous said...

I'm 6:01 post. On the Code Blue Blog.

I don't understand what you mean by step up or shut up? I was stepping up when I worked there and I'm talking about it now.

I don't work there anymore. I was the only person on my shift over 30 who didn't have DM, HTN, or had back surgery. When the Essent heat got too hot-and breathing down my neck, I got out. The stress was affecting my health. After NVD for a couple of months with killer headaches, I called it quits.

It mysteriously vanished after my employment ended.

Anyway, I won't be shutting up. I stand firmly behind what I say, and I hope someone somewhere will listen.

I believe in mentoring, I believe in teaching, I believe in helping out other employees for the benefit of patients and I believe in proffesional organizations to help out.

I am still concerned for the patients, and potential patients of Paris. I'm concerned about being brought to PRMC by ambulance, and I worry about any family or friends in this situation.

I do still live in Paris. I do still have a right to my opinions, and I do still care for the people I worked with.

What happened to the Rad tech mentor, who was doing such a great job is unfortunate--but very common with PRMC. Many of the best and most verbal about pt. care were shunned, because they were the "trouble makers."

Anonymous said...

So 10:01, are you saying throw the baby out with the water because someone got banished for helping students or mentoring?

Anything you do at PRMC that is good happens like this. Are you saying stop doing your job well, stop mentoring, so you can keep your job?

I know the virus that is spreading at PRMC. Keep your mouth shut, your eyes closed, so you won't catch it and meet your fate. But sometimes you just have to step up, do the right thing and say WTF.

By the way---I'm the 4:04 post, and I am stepping up!

Anonymous said...

Let's really step up to the plate and get this organized...PLEASE!

I'm hoping we aren't spending all this time talking and then never accomplish anything by it?

With all the comments, it looks like we have a large, competent group of very concerned citizens...?

Anonymous said...

11:19

I agree. So what seems like the best plan of action.

A boutique hospital? Is there enough support? Are we ready to commit?

Option 2. Union. I heard that Tyler attempted to get a union a couple of years ago. Teamsters I believe, and lost the vote by one.
If we went this route would it affect it if they tried to build a boutique hospital or would it only affect PRMC.

Regardless of whether or not we had a boutique hospital, something has to be done about the other one, for the sake of the pt.s and the people working for them.

If the person who was organizing the union, has a level head on their shoulders, disasters mentioned previously will not happen.

Option 3. Are we going to join and ask for help from our professional organizations.

Are their any other ideas that need to be considered?

Anonymous said...

542 THIS IS A LITTLE OF SUBJECT BUT YOU MADE ME THINK OF MY FRIEND WHO IS ALSO A NURSE WHO SAYS SHE HAS "DNR" TATOOED ON HER CHEST, DO YOU THINK IF SOMETHING BAD WERE TO HAPPEN BUT WE ALL HAD "PLEASE TAKE ME ANYWHERE BUT PRMC" TATOOED ON OUR CHEST THAT THEY WOULD LISTEN. JUST A RANDOM THOUGHT OF WARPED NURSING HUMOR.

Anonymous said...

So I guess it's ok that a non-technologist person who has only worked in Radiology for a month--and never worked in any radiology dept ever before--can now be made PACS system Admin because he is the significant other of the dept head? And no one thinks this is totally wrong?
And where is Beva Braun-O'Hara in all this? She is certainly keeping a low profile lately....apparently she is doing like so many employees are trying to do: fly under the radar and not be noticed by anyone...
Something is rotten in the state of Radiology...

Anonymous said...

What is happening in Radiology is just a microcosm of what is happening in the hospital. And if the reason for terminating several people of late was for not going in the direction of the hospital...then will someone kindly say what that direction is? As to stepping up...until the employee base gets a little backing, all you are doing is signing your termination notice. No one has your back here! There is definitely something wrong here but will anything short of selling the hospital change anything?! Something that has always bothered me...Why is it that employees are so carefully screened for their skills before hiring and yet, any airhead can get into management? Okay, I am remiss as to the screening of employees skills ie., file room clerk promoted to pac system administrator. Then again, maybe he was screened as to his 'skills'...

Anonymous said...

"And another one bites the dust!" Not to spur any more songs in your head, but this seems too fitting... a song popularized by Queen (get it?) and the late Freddie Mercury.

So another CT tech has resigned from radiology... after only a few short weeks! A rad tech also quit last week, and I hear more are waiting in line.

Gee, Bev... doesn't leave many more to fire... the whole department runs on temp docs and techs. Do ya thunk somethang isa wrung???? Yep!

Anonymous said...

Well it seems that PRMC's rep is well known. I understand that no one wants to come work here. Gee I wonder why.
Seems the new CT tech found PRMC wasn't anything like Baylor. Ya think??

With only three techs left in the 'over-10-year' group, I'd say that the times they are a changin'...and it isn't for the better. But has it changed? The only attitude that has changed is the addition of 'fear of firing'

Anonymous said...

Since we're quoting pop culture, allow me to use a line out of one of the greatest cinematic accomplishments ever, "Office Space".

"That's my only real motivation, not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired."

Anonymous said...

It is very funny you should mention that. You have to walk a fine line between working to little and working too much at PRMC.

It's a balance thing really, and it relates to the monkey theory.

If you work too hard, or care too much, it upstages the director, and instead of them realizing it makes them look better--they get all scared that you are going to take their job (that they are no more qualified for than you are).

Then you have the possibility of being harassed or fired.

If you don't do enough, there is the possibility of you being fired.

So I have learned to dumb myself down quite a bit--not volenteer-for anything, not produce any answers to questions, and to pace myself instead of running full speed ahead.

Just enough, is almost too much for these people. It's like the fine line of the ph balance. It doesn't take much either way to throw it off.

Anonymous said...

It is very funny you should mention that. You have to walk a fine line between working too little and working too much at PRMC.

It's a balance thing really, and it relates to the monkey theory.

If you work too hard, or care too much, it upstages the director, and instead of them realizing it makes them look better--they get all scared that you are going to take their job (that they are no more qualified for than you are.)

Then you have the possibility of being harassed or fired.

If you don't do enough, there is the possibility of being fired.

So I have learned to dumb myself down quite a bit--not volunteer-for anything, not produce any answers to questions, and to pace myself instead of running full speed ahead.

Just enough, is almost too much for these people. It's like the fine line of the ph balance. It doesn't take much either way to throw it off.

Anonymous said...

To "I have learned to dumb myself down...":

Now you have become the mindless robot zombie E$$ent is looking for. Hell, you could be management, except for the fact that you figured out the dumbing down part. Anyone that smart is too smart and probably one of those union forming trouble-makers.

So let's see, you're just exactly what E$$ent is looking for, except for the fact that you are not.

Any questions?

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha!!!! I wonder if that's the direction Essent is talking about that nobody seems to have the compass on?

Speaking of pop culture-----Forrest Gump comes to mind. When he was in the military--he was considered genius.

Anonymous said...

The fudge factor doesn't seem to be working in radiology these days.

It would seem that the radiologist de jour turned up MIA this weekend... couldn't be located. They got another to come in for two of the 48 hours, and then split. Fortunately, they aren't too busy these days!

Larry, Moe, and Curley must be very proud... but oh! They don't even come in when their on call so I guess it doesn't matter!

Anonymous said...

I gues the scheduled staff meeting is going to solve everything...the bleeding out of staff, the relatively non-existent PACs, the Nighthawk downtimes and delays, you know, the little things....

Anonymous said...

Had a pt this weekend.... Multiple PE's shown on the CT....didn't get a report or find out for 6 hours... That's right... 6 HOURS

Good job radiology