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The Western Slope Health Center — formerly El Dorado Medical Care — is doing its best to improve itself amidst a court case involving two nurses from the former facility.
Donna Palmer and Rebecca Smith face charges of alleged elder abuse relating to the death of Johnnie Esco while the facility was still El Dorado Medical Care.
The incident, however, has proven a boon to the recently-purchased facility.
“It’s given us more opportunities to speak with the public about positive changes, for growth at Western Slope,” said Doug Hawkins, RN and administrator of the facility. “We’ve earned trust in the past 10 1/2 months, and many see it for what it is: not a reflection on our services and the care we are providing.”
The facility was bought by San Diego-based Plum Healthcare on June 11 of last year, after Palmer and Smith left the facility, and is now an independently operated health care facility. With new ownership came improvements.
“We put in a state-of-the-art rehabilitation gym, geared for rehabilitative conditioning, upgraded the dining (room) with fancy artwork, linens and china,” Hawkins said.
Laurie Randall, LVN and director of marketing, mentioned the new salon, Spa Sierra, which Hawkins said features “facials, nails and hair” services.
Hawkins also said that the staff has seen improvements, with RNs now on duty 24/7. A full-time dietician has been added, Randall said, rather than having one contracted out. Rooms have been upgraded and improved to be “home-like,” Hawkins said.
The improvements have had a positive effect on the care center. “The resident census has grown by 28 percent,” he said.
“We both grew up here,” Randall said, noting that both are graduates of Ponderosa High School. “We’re providing a service; we want to give back.”
“We’re treating our schoolteachers, neighbors, our own families, and will continue to do so,” Hawkins said.
While Randall has not had her own family in the facility yet, “I would not hesitate to put a loved one there.”
Hawkins and Randall intend to move away from Palmer and Smith and focus on all the positives.
“We want people to understand we are a new company,” Randall said.
“New and improved,” Hawkins added, smiling with pride.
“We’ve worked very hard for our image to be wonderful,” he said, “and we are very wonderful.”
Contact Cole Mayer at 530-344-5068 or cmayer@mtdemocrat.net. Follow @CMayerMtDemo.
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Anonymous ReaderAugust 06, 2012 - 9:37 am
I actually worked at this particular facility in the late 90's into 2000, does not appear much has changed. I was a CNA, which is physically and mentally demanding. The pay and promotion scale is nil in this field and until it is treated more like a career than a job I can't imagine it will change much. You have the RN's, LVN's and administration having virtual no repore with the residents themselves, unless of course the state is due to stop by and inspect and then every nurse and administrator would come onto the floor to help bathe, feed and assist the residents. It's a sad state of affairs. I invite any administrator and/or licenses staff to pick up a full roster and work the floor for one day. I mean a full roster, between 8 and 12 patients, and I don't mean the ones that are only coherent and ambulatory. This man in this article may not remember all the facts correctly but I promise you he does have some correct. Pay attention society! You can sign me NOT ASHAMED of the work I did while I did it!
for what it's worthAugust 06, 2012 - 2:52 pm
On BBB confirmed that Plum Healthcare Group LLC had not obtained a necessary license from Department of Social Services. http://www.bbb.org/sandiego/business-reviews/nursing-homes/plum-healthcare-group-llc-in-san-marcos-ca-171998470/
p'ville residentAugust 06, 2012 - 7:24 pm
You can only go forward and yes focus on the positive. I have seen some of the positive transformations in "Western Slope" and it is like looking at a before and after picture.
Anonymous ReaderAugust 06, 2012 - 8:58 pm
I see the comments regarding this ownership maybe versus past ones, PLEASE! Ownership really has nothing to do with the day to day running of a long term care facility, except maybe the pay scale and facility decor.
Former Employee (CNA)October 18, 2012 - 11:42 pm
The ownership and name is all new but they did not go through and hire new aids. This particular facility may look new and improved but what is behind closed doors is what the media should be covering. I have made many reports about abuse/neglect from this place but in the end it was me that lost my job while the party responsible still works there to this day. I had worked there for 4 years before they sold and NOTHING (as in care) has changed. As for Mrs. Smith, she was just the nurse on duty the day of the Esco incident, and Ms. Palmer was the D.O.N. that threatened Mrs. Smith with termination of her job if she went above her head and sent Mrs. Esco out for care at the local hospital. This place has and always will be corrupt.