Dear Mongo and other Duh-Vita lovers...

[Mongo]

Sorry to let the board in on your surprise, bioya!   ...nice fireworks!  

What was so special about this news that you couldn't divulge it but to a few posters here?   

How would a low level FA know about an article that a upstanding paper like the NY Times would publish. Could it be because you were there and taking the reporter on a tour of the Casa? hmmm? LOL. You tell on yourself mongo.

Still trying to figure out who I am, eh??? I guess if you find enjoyment trying to figure out who I am (I've told you a dozen times already), ...who am I to take your fun away?!?  It's your time to waste...

I never said I was a "low level" FA. I guess that's why you DOR'd...you only saw yourself as some low-level paper-pusher. FAs at DaVita have the most important position in the company, in my opinion. We are the face of the company to our patients and it is our job to make it all work. Not everyone can do it...as you so readily found out. Now, if I could have been at the Casa to take that reporter on his/her tour, I would have gladly done it!

As for how I found out, it's pretty public knowledge around DaVita that this article is being written. I guess I gave you too much credit and credence when you were hyping up "the missle" that was about to hit. Once again, bioya, your bark is worse than your ego!  

   And you should also know..."loose lips sink ships!"      

Why would you say the NY Times is a rag? Are you afraid of something that they might publish about you? lol. Oh my.... the days are counting down and I get more happy to see you squirm. Your posts prove that you can't stand the pressure nor the fire that is lighting around you. Soon you and your company will be exposed for what they are ..... a cult with an idiot as its leader.

Because it is a rag...not worthy to line the bottom of a bird cage! But, hey, I guess I'm giving you some insight into my political leanings more than anything else.

You start this thread...addressed to me and others like me...with the promise of fire works...and all you give us is a newspaper article?!?!? Stop believing your own press, bioya! LOL

Let's see what this "reporter" has to say and we'll go from there. It might not be "all you were lead to believe", afterall!   

Mongo

[bioya]

My goodness "mongo", this "rag" has you all upset. Yea, we will go from there. Oh, by the way. You never gave one of your famous replies on why you had the two video clips taken off u-tube.  Can you tell us why you were so embarrased that you had to have them removed?  What, you don't like for the public to see the real Duh-Vita and all its glory?
Yea, you can keep mouthing on me because I left Duh-Vita. Your right, I saw the light, just like hundreds of other of my co-workers (opps, I meant teammates) who left when the BS started. I would not be a part of something as stupid and as arrogant as the "mayor" and his "village" (idiots).
Look KT, your what... 52 or 54 years old. When you get done playing with your toys, let someone run the company who is a business leader and not a pretend character. Jesus, I bet you wear your sword to work! LOL

[paris]

I am with you Angela--- ---lots of words, going around in circles, not really saying much

[goofynina]

I am just letting them speak their minds and to be honest, i got my money on biyoa, he seems to know more than we think he knows  

[George Jung]

Without discussion things would never improve.  If these individuals have half a brain between them somebody will recognize the lack of productivity and find their time better spent elsewhere.

It is my opinion (not that anyone cares or anything) that one reason for this site is to discuss differences of various topics and issues.  I say no harm, no foul, and let them play ball.  If the game sucks I usually choose to leave early.   

[bioya]

I am sorry guys, I just can't shut up when Mongo speaks from the Corp office. I know, I got a hard on for Duh-Vita. Never have I seen such waste of money and mismanagement, even in the government. I have talked to literally hundreds of people at the National Meetings who like me, were embarrassed to be a part of something so fake and so useless. At least when we were Gambro we had scientific meetings that we could learn, but not Duh-Vita. Its always the same ole $hit with Duh-Vita. These sucks go around talking about Mr. KT like he was Jesus reincarnated. How wonderful he is, how great he is, how much he means to everyone on dialysis. Have you seen his salary and bonus money? Hey, I would do flips too for those millions of dollars. I was there in a meeting with this dude. About 15 or 18 of us in San Francisco when he walked in to have a private meeting with administrators. He was still in his famous mickey mouse suit (oh, I meant the three-musketeers suit). Lord, how he begged us to go back to our clinics and preach how great Duh-Vita was to our co-workers. When he left, some black lady just shook her head and said (and it sums it all up) “you have got to be kidding me”. Folks, if you believe for one minute that KT, Duh-Vita, or any of the other corporate managers that work for this idiot care about you, your in a dream world. KT makes millions of dollars a year in salary and bonus. Along with his monies are the millions the other corporate bigwigs make. They don’t care about you, or your kidney disease, or your anemia, or your four hours on a dialysis machine. All they care about is pleasing the stock holders so they can keep their jobs and keep their millions per year.
Yes, soon I think the real Duh-Vita will be exposed for what it is.... a cult. This KT reminds me of Jim Jones from Jonestown.. Remember... the Jonestown massacre? He has a charming way with words and he speaks with a forked tongue. All the while, he is planning and organizing something sinister. Listen to KT folks, listen to his words and then look at his deeds. YOU make the decision on what you think of him and his cronies. I have said it before, and I will say it again, I have no clue what you, the patient goes through, NONE. Only someone on dialysis knows what they feel and how they feel. But someone like KT and his cronies who use the company to their own advantage and spend millions and millions and millions a year on open bar parties instead of putting the money back into the clinics, well, he is no friend of yours. Only you the patient can change things. The stockholders will listen to you. I can tell you from what I have been told there is a movement to unionize some clinics. We will see where that goes.
Until then, just wait for the free press to speaks its piece, then YOU make the decision. Until then, I will keep hitting KT in the mouth!

[goofynina]

Bioya, i have seen the videos and i think they are a joke too, but of course not as much as the head "honcho" KT.  Epoman opened our eyes to alot of faults this company has and it is sad that the patients have to suffer even more in the long run.  I appreciate your honesty and keeping us updated on what is going on    Thanks a bunch amigo 

[angela515]

Folks, if you believe for one minute that KT, Duh-Vita, or any of the other corporate managers that work for this idiot care about you, your in a dream world. KT makes millions of dollars a year in salary and bonus. Along with his monies are the millions the other corporate bigwigs make. They don’t care about you, or your kidney disease, or your anemia, or your four hours on a dialysis machine. All they care about is pleasing the stock holders so they can keep their jobs and keep their millions per year.

I just wanted to say that most people running a business, or whatever, are indeed in it for the money and don't personally care about the individuals at the bottom... that is however, unfortunately, a fact of life and how things work when big money is involved.

[goofynina]

Folks, if you believe for one minute that KT, Duh-Vita, or any of the other corporate managers that work for this idiot care about you, your in a dream world. KT makes millions of dollars a year in salary and bonus. Along with his monies are the millions the other corporate bigwigs make. They don’t care about you, or your kidney disease, or your anemia, or your four hours on a dialysis machine. All they care about is pleasing the stock holders so they can keep their jobs and keep their millions per year.

I just wanted to say that most people running a business, or whatever, are indeed in it for the money and don't personally care about the individuals at the bottom... that is however, unfortunately, a fact of life and how things work when big money is involved.

Have you seen how this guy acts at these "conventions"  He's a joke!!!  The way he flaunts himself says it all:  J O K E 

[angela515]

Nope, I don't... I have actually never even seen a pic of him mainly because when I stopped doing in-center hemo and went on PD I didn't keep up with what was going on with that kind of stuff. I bet he is a joke, however the fact remains... money is what business's are after and want, it's sad.. but true.

[thegrammalady]

it's simple, according to my doctor, davita is EVIL  from some of the things i've read here, i think i agree with him. luckily the center when i visit my parents isn't davita.

[angela515]

Well that is another thing as for why I don't know crap about DaVita... my center was privately owned by my neph.

[Mongo]

Oh, by the way. You never gave one of your famous replies on why you had the two video clips taken off u-tube.  Can you tell us why you were so embarrased that you had to have them removed?  What, you don't like for the public to see the real Duh-Vita and all its glory?

I have no earthly idea why the video was removed...apparently it was/is copyrighted material. I saw the videos and personally saw nothing wrong with them...a couple of individual idiots making fools of themselves and nothing more. Let me stress...INDIVIDUALS...how do the actions of 2 smear the bunch? Anyway, your strawman arguement is so full of hypocrisy it's blinding!
Now, how about the drunken fools you witnessed in the military? Answer the question...did you blow the hissy fit you are having now?!?!?

I am sorry guys, I just can't shut up when Mongo speaks from the Corp office. I know, I got a hard on for Duh-Vita. Never have I seen such waste of money and mismanagement, even in the government. I have talked to literally hundreds of people at the National Meetings who like me, were embarrassed to be a part of something so fake and so useless. At least when we were Gambro we had scientific meetings that we could learn, but not Duh-Vita. Its always the same ole $hit with Duh-Vita.

Maybe George Jung is right...I want the time I spend on this board to be more productive. So,, bioya...quantify the above statement! Give us more than KT running around in a musketeer uniform or a couple of videos that got removed from YouTube as evidence of wasted money and missmanagement. (And we already know how you feel about DaVita's National Meetings...3 days out of the year...what else have you got?!?!?)  How would you know what happens in DaVita...you hit the door early on!?!? And the same thing happened when KT took over as CEO...a bunch just like you were shown the door. And, ever since, clinical outcomes improved as did the health of the company.

Folks, if you believe for one minute that KT, Duh-Vita, or any of the other corporate managers that work for this idiot care about you, your in a dream world. KT makes millions of dollars a year in salary and bonus. Along with his monies are the millions the other corporate bigwigs make. They don’t care about you, or your kidney disease, or your anemia, or your four hours on a dialysis machine. All they care about is pleasing the stock holders so they can keep their jobs and keep their millions per year.

Prove it...don't rely on some phony strawman arguement. You're not going to because you can't... Here is my productive response to bioya's BS:

http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/76/76556/reports/2006_AR.pdf   This link will take you to the first page of DaVita's 2006 annual financial report to its stockholders. Go to the first page, first paragraph and tell me what you see. Corporate earnings...no!  Return on Investment...no!  Number of new facilities opened...no! What you'll find are the clinical results for 2006!! How many other Fortune 500 companies start a report to investors this way??? Now, bioya is telling you to believe what he has to say...because he says so. Don't believe me...look for yourself! And every annual financial statement since KT took over in 1999 and every investor call that I've ever listened to (I'm a stockholder) starts the same..."clinical outcomes are first in our company so that's what we'll start with".

Below is the first paragraph of a 2004 SEC Form 10 document filed with the government...

Our stated mission is to be the provider, employer and partner of choice. We believe our attention to these three areas-our patients, our teammates, and our business partners-represent the major drivers of our long-term success, aside from external factors such as government policy and physician practice patterns. Accordingly, two principal non-financial metrics we track are quality clinical outcomes and teammate turnover. We have developed our own composite index for measuring improvements in our clinical outcomes, which we refer to as the DaVita Quality Index (DQI). Our clinical outcomes have improved over each of the past three years, and we ended 2003 with the best clinical outcomes that we have ever achieved. Although it is difficult to reliably measure clinical performance across our industry, we believe our clinical outcomes compare favorably with other dialysis providers in the United States. Over the past three years we have achieved significant reductions in teammate turnover, which has been a major contributor to our performance improvements. We will continue to focus on these fundamental long-term value drivers.  http://sec.edgar-online.com/2004/02/27/0001193125-04031173/Section8.asp

Next, bioya is telling you to look at all the money KT and "his cronies" make. Click on this link to learn more about the history of DaVita and the ashes it was resurrected from.

http://www.sbnonline.com/National/Article.aspx?Category=96&CID=10652

I joined DaVita back when KT was just starting with the company. If I knew then what I know now about the financial trouble DaVita was in, I would have never taken the job! ...a couple of weeks away from not being able to make payroll...lousy clinical outcomes...and a stock price in the $2/share range. The bonuses bioya rants about are stock options that KT is cashing in when the stock was in the single digit and low teen range. Say and think what you want about corporate America but I'll take performance measured bonuses over "golden parachutes" any day!

And, it needs to be pointed out, clinical outcomes have steadily improved since day one of KT's leadership. But unlike bioya, I won't ask you to believe me, see for yourself:

*59% of DaVita patients have fistulas (52% national average), and 4 have their fistula for 35 years. -- Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:42:59 GMT  PRNewswire: DaVita's clinical outcomes, including fistula placement and management, are some of the best in America. In 2006, 59% of DaVita patients had a fistula which is ahead of the national average of 52%. This achievement is especially significant because DaVita takes care of 3 out of every 10 dialysis patients in America. As part of DaVita's focus on fistula management, DaVita held a contest to create awareness for the benefits of arteriovenous (AV) fistula as the optimal access for dialysis. DaVita today announced four winners of the Vascular Access teams' contest, "Got access? How long?" DaVita patients Anthony Logan, Barbara Raymond, John Horath and John Hart have each had a working fistula since 1972.

(NewsRx.com) -- Research studies have shown that patients who meet CMS Clinical Performance Measures (CPM) and National Kidney Foundation's (NKF) Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) outcomes achieve the lowest mortality rates. DaVita, one of the nation's leading providers of kidney care services, consistently exceeds national averages for CMS CPM and KDOQI outcomes. Most recently, DaVita exceeded the national averages by 6 - 30% on five key clinical performance outcomes as referenced in the June 11, 2007 Release: CMS Data Confirms Quality of DaVita's Clinical Care.
In the July 2007 edition of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, a retrospective study(1) analyzed outcomes for 13,792 patients treated at facilities operated by Dialysis Clinic Inc. (DCI), the largest not-for-profit dialysis provider, from 1998 to 2004. Tentori et all found that simultaneously achieving KDOQI measures including dialysis adequacy, anemia management and nutrition is associated with reductions in mortality.
The findings of Tentori et all are consistent with Wolfe et all published in 2005 in American Journal of Kidney Diseases. The specific findings include that mortality is lower in dialysis facilities with better anemia performance. For every 10% increase in patients with hemoglobin levels (Hb) greater than or equal to 11, there is a 1.5% decrease in mortality.(2) For DaVita's 100,000 patients and clinical performance outcomes, this would mean 2,550 additional patients are survivors with End Stage Renal Disease each year.
"At DaVita, we work along side our nephrologist partners to strive for clinical excellence so our 100,000 patients can feel their best and are able to enjoy life," said Charlie McAllister, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of DaVita. "Our distinctive clinical training and intense focus on quality improvement is essential to DaVita's success in patient mortality."
DaVita provides high quality prevention and treatment services to Americans with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), serving more than 100,000 patients in 42 states and the District of Columbia. DaVita provides treatment in more than 1,300 outpatient facilities and in more than 800 U.S. hospitals.

http://www.newsrx.com/health-articles/654256.html

Do a Google search and see for yourself...there are plenty more reports like these out there.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that DaVita is perfect...far from it. We make our mistakes, learn from them, and move on with better systems in place to avoid furture errors. And sometimes, we fall flat on our faces over and over again. bioya mentions "100s" of people who think DaVita is a joke...I can point to thousands like me dedicated to a company whose job it is to help people live with ESRD.

We will see what the New York Times article holds. My understanding is that the whole EPO whoopla is what prompted this story. Have bioya explain to you DaVita's Pharmaceutical Compliance Commandments and you'll understand why, if this is what this "article" is focused on, it's a bunch of bunk.

If you are a patient and don't like DaVita for a reason you experienced first or second hand, I have no argument with you and respect your opinion and experience. But I will never stop fighting the ignorance and arrogance of those who purport to know something and can do nothing more than present a strawman argument...I will continue to hit them in the mouth! 

   (sorry, couldn't help it!!)

Mongo

[glitter]

seems like plenty of patients here-indeed the creator of this site- had (have) reasons for dis-liking Davita. All your quotes of 'team this' and fiscal reports say blah blah blah, do not change the fact that some patients do not want anything to do with the Davita 'culture'. My husband receives excellent care at a private facility, some of the staff is former Davita. They are excellent nurses, they just couldn't stomach the 'cult-like' atmosphere....why is that aspect so hard for you to accept?

[BigSky]

I am sorry guys, I just can't shut up when Mongo speaks from the Corp office. I know, I got a hard on for Duh-Vita. Never have I seen such waste of money and mismanagement, even in the government.

Seems more like you were shown the door and are now a disgruntled employee trying to seek revenge of some sort.


Stressing waste of money and mismanagement is a joke.   Maybe instead of complaining to the board you, if you really cared you would have been stressing it to the stockholders IMO.

[bioya]

Think of it what you will. I gave a 30 day notice and went to where I felt I could do some good. All of my comments still stand. Mongo (KT or other administrator) will always refute what I say. I am not a masters degreed statesman like KT and his upper level management. I don't have a way with words. I just speak what I feel is the truth and go from there. You all take it for what its worth to you. I will cry foul with KT anytime I can. Don't believe me folks, believe your hearts. Watch for publication by that "rag". Mongo (KT) can say he does not like the NY Times because of his political ways, but we all know thats not true. Someone is about to call his bluff, and he does not like it.  Isn't it funny that little ole me has hit the nerve of Mongo (KT)? I mean everything I say he comes back with page after page to refute me, but never says a word when its all said and done. Why would one low level former FA like myself draw so much attention? Well, maybe its because I am speaking the truth and the upper level managment at Duh-Vita know it. I will always be around to slap mongo gongo around a little. I wonder why he spends so much of his working day posting on a site and not doing his job? hmmmm? (maybe it is his job?)

[Mongo]

I am not a masters degreed statesman like KT and his upper level management. I don't have a way with words. I just speak what I feel is the truth and go from there. You all take it for what its worth to you. I will cry foul with KT anytime I can. Don't believe me folks, believe your hearts.

You are a master of the straw man argument! Not only do you not have a way with words, you don't have a way with facts.

Come on, bioya, you didn't answer one challenge I posed to you in my previous post. Why not? You flame all over the place but when confronted with facts, you run behind your "awe, shucks, I"m just a simple person" facade. So again, I challenge you...put up your FACTS!

Watch for publication by that "rag". Mongo (KT) can say he does not like the NY Times because of his political ways, but we all know thats not true. Someone is about to call his bluff, and he does not like it. Isn't it funny that little ole me has hit the nerve of Mongo (KT)? I mean everything I say he comes back with page after page to refute me, but never says a word when its all said and done.

Now you're omniscience! Oh, you're right about my stand on the New York Times, bioya, thank you for setting me straight on my own motivations,, thoughts, and opinions!     

The New York Slimes is a radical left wing rag that has done nothing but weaken this nation and advocates and espouses the agenda of the left wing socialists in this country.  Is that clear enough for you, bioya!

What "bluff" are you talking about?!?! I have said from the very beginning that I am, too, interested to see what comes of the article. And, I'll be happy to go over it point by point, fact by fact with you...but like my other challenges to you to deal in facts, it'll fall on deaf ears I'm sure.

I'm sorry you're not able to follow my arguments and trains of thought. What can I clarify for you? No more flaming, bioya, let's talk facts. I have responded to every question you have posted to me...in fact, I've repeated myself many times because you just don't seem to get it and you keep asking why videos are removed or why an underaged teammate from your unit was allowed to drink at an academy (I still get a chuckle from that one!). Yet, every question I've ever asked you goes unanswered. Once again, your silence is deafening!

You know, George Eliot once said, "Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact."  Be blessed, will you?!?   

Why would one low level former FA like myself draw so much attention? Well, maybe its because I am speaking the truth and the upper level management at Duh-Vita know it. I will always be around to slap mongo gongo around a little. I wonder why he spends so much of his working day posting on a site and not doing his job? hmmmm? (maybe it is his job?)

LOOK AT THE TITLE OF THIS THREAD! My God, how dense are you?!? You address this thread to me...spoiling for a fight and when you get it, it's "why is big, bad DaVita picking on me???" And I guess to soothe your bruised ego after you were shown the door, you have to pretend I'm some corporate honcho or KT himself so that you can once again play victim. I am who I have always said I am...no more...no less. And, then to build yourself up even more, you have to pretend that what you have to say is so important that someone from DaVita upper management would spend their time refuting what you have to say...classic narcissistic tendencies! And, once again, quite the masterful straw man argument.

I seem to have to repeat myself for you quite a bit, bioya, but I'm patient and will continue to ask...do you care to discuss the facts I laid out in my last post??? Or are all you going to do is weave and bobb some more? If you can't run with the big dogs, bioya, stay on the porch!

Mongo

[bioya]

I have stated fact and stand by my statements. you can twist, turn, bend, slice and dice your comments all you wish. I made my comments and stand by them. Duh-Vita is a cult and managed by idiots that dress in costumes and role play. My comments stand as true, you can't deny them no matter what you try to feed this forum.
Keep sending those replies...... They make me laugh!

DUH-VITA = Home of the brainless

By the way Mongo. how many times did you cross that bridge?

[George Jung]

Mongo and bioya, I thought you might be interested in a point of view from a member of this site who is on dialysis (in-center).  You are both guilty (from what I have read) of "personal attack" type of comments and although the probable intent is for influence (regardless of why) all that really happens is you wind up discrediting yourself. 

Example: (I know there are better ones but you know that too)

DUH-VITA = Home of the brainless

You are a master of the straw man argument! Not only do you not have a way with words, you don't have a way with facts.

Is there any productivity coming from comments like these?  Is the discussion about individuality of two members of this site or a company?  Seems to me there is too much bickering between the two of you for anyone to be interested in picking through the garbage to find the good stuff (if that makes sense).

Something that always holds true is that there are two sides to every coin.

Also, who here is asking either of you for your opinions about Davita?  As if we as patients are unable to form our own opinions?  What is good for the goose is not always good for the gander.

I used to be involved in worthless discussions (debates) such as this one and let me just say that looking in from the outside, you are both on the same level (hence the continuous butting heads not souported by fact).

[Sluff]

Lets see the evidence. 

[paris]

I agree, George.  They aren't trying to inform us now, they each just want to be right.  I enjoy a good debate but this isn't one.

[glitter]

well said George Jung.

[okarol]

I agree that at some point the benefit here has waned. Perhaps rather than a public forum, further discourse could be achieved through private messages between the members interested in continuing the discussion. 

This is just my opinion. When the posts get bogged down with insults I can't focus on whatever points you are trying to make.

ding ding ding 

[Mongo]

Thank you all for your viewpoints...your suggestions and admonitions have been heard and taken to heart!

There is no hiding my feelings regarding DaVita. I believe in what we are doing as a company and the care we provide for patients with ESRD. And I respect that others, too, have their feelings and beliefs about DaVita...good or bad. What I have a hard time respecting are baseless attacks that are nothing more than an attempt to start a "flame war". I fully acknowledge my role in these "discussions" and, while I will continue to respond to such individuals, I will do so with do so while trying to respect the intent of this board.

There is much that I'm learning on this board and my time spent here has opened my eyes to some things that are going on in my clinic. If anyone is interested in having a factual discussion about DaVita, I am more than willing to participate.

Mongo

[bioya]

I will withhold any further comment until the NY Times article comes out. At that point, I will gleefully await the reply of Mongo on the FACTUAL points that are raised by the article.  I stand by all of my comments earlier about the type of company Duh-Vita is and will continue to cry foul of the inept management that Duh-Vita has and their waste of millions of dollars that could be shipped to the clinic level instead of spent on parties. Tally-ho