2007 DUH-Vita national meeting going on now in Flordia

[bioya]

I hate to say it, but I kind of miss the meeting, seeing all of the jackasses come out of the woodwork. LOL
I wonder what bull$hit they did for this meeting? I will try to get my hands on a highlight DVD if I can, but honestly, I doubt if they put them out anymore knowing that some of their clips hit the internet. What a bunch of idiots these people are!

[Sara]

Florida, huh?  We could go undercover and take secret footage!

[reno2360]

Well, the nonsense this year is taking place at the Gaylord Palms and Convention Center in Kissimmee.   Today is the Village Square set-up with booths, just like an old fashioned Village Square.   Nauseating.

We have the pleasure in our office of receiving daily reports on the goings on.  What a waste of time and money, it's just disgusting.

When it is all over we will be expected to sit through pictures of all the "fun" and then hear, ad nauseum, via the endless e-mails and the Village Voice newsletter we all receive.   Oh yes, we also now receive a magazine that is published and sent out to every employees home.  Can you think of how the money spent on that piece of junk could be helped to staff clinics, give us the means to do our job better, etc...

But it is all due to the amazing ego of KT and his cronies. 

Bioya, I think you will appreciate this considering you understand the money that the executives will spend on themselves.  With Gambro we did have nice holiday parties once per year, probably due to the fact that they didn't waste tons of money on junk.  Anyway our holiday "event" was held in the parking lot of our building.  We actually weren't going to be allowed to have one at all as the budget didn't allow it (we were told)  but someone eventually gave in and a $25.00 per person allowance was given.  We found out later that part of that $25.00 was actually from our managers personal $ as they felt bad about this.  Usually any business with any class at all would give away door prizes, etc that were donated.  We actually had a flat screen tv as the big prize but, get this, we had to buy raffle tickets for it. 

Once you get past the total disgust it is almost entertaining.  I will stick it out as many others will as this can't possibly go on too long this way.   The people I actually work with are good peoplea as almost all are former Gambro employees.  That's what keeps most of us here.

[bioya]

You are right. Gaylord has a contract w/ Duh-Vita for the nationals. Last year we were at the Gaylord called the "texan" in Dalllas. Not too many places can hold all of the bullshit that Duh-Vita has!!! (in terms of people) LOL
Reno; I thought I could stick it out, but the waste of money got to me too. Davita spent MILLIONS on each meeting, all the while cutting hours and staff.  Dont' get me wrong, Gambo had national meetings too, but we did not do dances, cheers and all that. We actually had presentations that were scientific in nature. Davita, well, they keep going over their "history" time and time again. KT has a freaking ego the size of the Pacific ocean. It turns your stomach to be a part of it.
I took a twenty thousand (yea, 20K) cut in pay when I left Duh-Vita, but my peace of mind and sanity has been worth it.
Please, don't stick around Duh-Vita just because you think it will change, it won't. The higher ups are getting way too much money on the side to change anything.
Sad... very very sad!

[Adam_W]

Geeze, and I'm about to start dialyzing with this company? Good Lord save me now! At least I'll be doing home dialysis through DUH-vita, so it shouldn't be too bad.

Adam

[gr8fulrn]

Davita is a great company and they do great things for everyone. they care about patients and teammates. they also care about patients in other countries that are not fortunate to have the government backing that the great usa has. we are very lucky to live in the usa and have choices. why put down a company? yes they are for profit but what company isnt. would you really want your dialysis run by the fed. gov??? I think not. This is a caring company and they give so much to the community's you live in. So what is the big deal about national meetings? All companies have them. It is big fun, we work hard and why not have a meeting to meet our teammates and help each other? Just because we work in healthcare is that a reason we are excempt from a good time?  Our job is hard, stress some times but we love you and care about you or we wouldnt be here. Let me remind you, FA's job is not pt care.... We are hired to manage every detail in our clinics. staffing, outcomes. budgets, contracts. etc........ We do the best we can and hope our patients and teammates are happy. Its sad that some people have such a pathetic life that they have nothing better to do than put people down .  Lets just be grateful we live in america and have choices. God loves us all.. Dont judge..... He will do that for us.  Live your life and dont worry about what others are doing.. Be thankful....

[George Jung]

Davita is a great company and they do great things for everyone. they care about patients and teammates. they also care about patients in other countries that are not fortunate to have the government backing that the great usa has. we are very lucky to live in the usa and have choices. why put down a company? yes they are for profit but what company isnt. would you really want your dialysis run by the fed. gov??? I think not. This is a caring company and they give so much to the community's you live in. So what is the big deal about national meetings? All companies have them. It is big fun, we work hard and why not have a meeting to meet our teammates and help each other? Just because we work in healthcare is that a reason we are excempt from a good time? Our job is hard, stress some times but we love you and care about you or we wouldnt be here. Let me remind you, FA's job is not pt care.... We are hired to manage every detail in our clinics. staffing, outcomes. budgets, contracts. etc........ We do the best we can and hope our patients and teammates are happy. Its sad that some people have such a pathetic life that they have nothing better to do than put people down . Lets just be grateful we live in america and have choices. God loves us all.. Dont judge..... He will do that for us. Live your life and dont worry about what others are doing.. Be thankful....

You have got to be joking.  I want to rip this statement but I don't know where to start.  It probably wouldn't sway you either way with what I have to say anyway so I'll just forget it and leave you with one question.

How would you feel if you forced into dialysis which put you on disability where the government limits the amount of earnings you can make but on the other hand someone is making big bucks from your necessary treatments every week that you have no control over?  It is not difficult to see why duh-vita is on patients shit list.  Why don't you try putting your feet in our shoes.....oh, wait,.....let me answer that.....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[lola]

Live your life and be thankful..... who are you kidding..... Kiss my @#$!!!!

[glitter]

I think the whole duh-vita culture is bullsh**-

 that being said-

 I do not begruge private enterprise from making a profit-I mean they could close up and open fast food franchises which are probably more profitable, or they could decide to let someone else take the finacial risk of an open market. Just because dialysis put you on disability, does not mean everyone involved in treating you should also be so limited in income- my family took a 200,000 dollar a year hit when my husband went on dialysis and went on disability- but I don't begruge the center that treats him a profit- I want it to stay open. And I do not want the goverment running it.

[Sluff]

Davita is a great company and they do great things for everyone. they care about patients and teammates. they also care about patients in other countries that are not fortunate to have the government backing that the great usa has. we are very lucky to live in the usa and have choices. why put down a company? yes they are for profit but what company isnt. would you really want your dialysis run by the fed. gov??? I think not. This is a caring company and they give so much to the community's you live in. So what is the big deal about national meetings? All companies have them. It is big fun, we work hard and why not have a meeting to meet our teammates and help each other? Just because we work in healthcare is that a reason we are excempt from a good time?  Our job is hard, stress some times but we love you and care about you or we wouldnt be here. Let me remind you, FA's job is not pt care.... We are hired to manage every detail in our clinics. staffing, outcomes. budgets, contracts. etc........ We do the best we can and hope our patients and teammates are happy. Its sad that some people have such a pathetic life that they have nothing better to do than put people down .  Lets just be grateful we live in america and have choices. God loves us all.. Dont judge..... He will do that for us.  Live your life and dont worry about what others are doing.. Be thankful....

Welcome to IHD gr8tfulRN.
Please go to the introduce yourself section and introduce yourself.

Thanks
Sluff/ Admin

[Black]

Davita is a great company and they do great things for everyone. they care about patients and teammates. they also care about patients in other countries that are not fortunate to have the government backing that the great usa has. we are very lucky to live in the usa and have choices. why put down a company? yes they are for profit but what company isnt. would you really want your dialysis run by the fed. gov??? I think not. This is a caring company and they give so much to the community's you live in. So what is the big deal about national meetings? All companies have them. It is big fun, we work hard and why not have a meeting to meet our teammates and help each other? Just because we work in healthcare is that a reason we are excempt from a good time?  Our job is hard, stress some times but we love you and care about you or we wouldnt be here. Let me remind you, FA's job is not pt care.... We are hired to manage every detail in our clinics. staffing, outcomes. budgets, contracts. etc........ We do the best we can and hope our patients and teammates are happy. Its sad that some people have such a pathetic life that they have nothing better to do than put people down .  Lets just be grateful we live in america and have choices. God loves us all.. Dont judge..... He will do that for us.  Live your life and dont worry about what others are doing.. Be thankful....

Yeah, right.    You obviously have not read enough posts yet; if you really care you will read a lot more.  As you are reading, keep in  mind that if the shoe fits, wear it; if not then it was not directed at you and you have no need to be defensive.

BTW, most of the "profit" KT and the participants in those annual bashes are spending are hard earned tax dollars being paid by our government for suppling minimal care to patients who have little choice other than put up with the clinic bullshit or die.  Agreed that is an over simplification, but if you spend more time reading about what many here have experienced thanks to Davita you will be more sympathetic.  No one begrudges a company being profitable or hardworking employees having a good time, but the blatant extravagance is totally out of line, especially when a lot of that "profit" came from shortchanging lower level staff and patients.

I am thankful everyday that we did not have to go to any of the clinics we inspected before Mike's kidneys failed, and two of those were Davita clinics; but it may make you feel better to know that the one that was really filthy was a Fresenius.  The misinformation, ignorance and arrogance was universal.  Thanks to what I learned here and on other boards, I knew to keep looking and we're using a NOT FOR PROFIT clinic 200 miles away.  The closest Davita clinic is a little over 10 minutes away.  It where Doris's son (I think she was Mom3 on this forum) was going last year when he almost died and suffered permanent heart damage because they refused to adjust his dry weight for several sessions, and left him severely overloaded with fluid.  They still go to Davita, but they have to drive about 20 miles instead of less than 10, in order to get staff a little more concerned about keeping their patients alive.

And for the record, I don't want the government to take over the Davita clinics, but it is likely that is some cases it could hardly be any worse.

[gr8fulrn]

It makes me so mad that people cant be thankful for what they have. So the gov. pays for a treatment that doesn't cover the cost of it. Its not my fault or anyones how the gov. and business works. All I'm saying is be thankful that we can treat the Pt's and find people to work in this field. So someone profits, who gives a care. What if the gov. didn't pay? or what if they put restrictions on who got a TX.?? then what?? I work in a nice clinic that is clean and fun people to work with and happy patients that appreciate us. I could possibly be a pt myself someday,and will be thankful for the gov. that foots the bill.  Stop the hating and just get on with life. My best friend was on dialysis for 3 years before her transplant, she worked 2 jobs to support her son, and didnt let it get to her, she followed the diet, fluid restrictictions, and took her meds.  she did it because she was a single mom and wanted to be there her son. She didnt give a care about the politics of the system, her focus was herself and her family. Yes she felt like crap alot of times but that didnt stop her from her life responsibilities. My mom has cancer and she isnt complaining that the cancer center is profiting from her disease, that is the least of her worries, she is thankful for her life. If people had to pay cash for txs how many families would sell their homes  and give up their savings for a loved one?? Be thankful

[Sluff]

Regardless of what goes on politically thank you for those caught in the line of fire who really do care like gr8fulrn.

[kruep]

Hi this is kruep,
I had the misfortune of going to this KT fest.  There was a group of us that were taking bets on how many times KT would cry during each part.  The worst of it all was when they had the senator there and they made us sing to her and wave our little flags.  I do have to say there was a very sore sight to see when Tom Gill (now head of DaVita at home) was up on stage in feeted pj's singing Mr. Sandman and throwing glitter into the audience.  I tell you the only way to make it through this was to drink and miss as much of it as possible, otherwise you needed to have some phenergan handy.
I would be nice to see DaVita put the money into actually staffing a facility instead of the layers and layers and layers of administration (and all of their assistants).
While out at the home office in LA we were told about the uh-ha moment (that is when you are supposed to get it), well I could never seem to have one.
Hence I am back at Emory working where I am making more money working 3 12hr shifts.  While at DaVita I was covering 5 home hemo units and working at least 60hrs a week.