VICTORY!

Hospital backs down on forced electroshock. Read the Dendrite news release.

Celebration march to be held Friday, Aug. 25, 2000 at noon, near DesPeres Hospital. 2345 Dougherty Ferry, just off I-270. Click here for map.

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St. Louis woman in the midst of forced shock!
Kathleen Garrett, 66, of St. Louis, told her doctor she didn’t want shock treatments. She told her son the same, and signed over a power of attorney, thinking he would be able to help. And years earlier, after having already endured shock treatments that wiped out her memory, she told her son to promise he would never let them shock her again.

Steve Vance has tried everything he could to fulfill that promise to his mother, including hiring an attorney and fighting. Mrs. Garrett’s doctor, Ricky Mofsen, insisted that she have the treatments and took it to court. And he won, despite the judge hearing from both Mrs. Garrett and her son, and despite ruling that she was competent.

On Monday, August 21, 2000, Kathleen Garrett had a shock treatment. On Wednesday, she had another. She has repeatedly told the doctor, the nurses and her son that she wants them to stop.

Shortly after the second treatment, a nurse informed her son that she would need 10 to 12 more.

Originally, Mrs. Garrett was hospitalized at Southpoint Hospital in St. Louis. When the shock machine malfunctioned, however, Dr. Mosfen transferred her to Des Peres Hospital. Thanks to an investigation by a Support Coalition member, it has been revealed that Des Peres is owned by Tenant Health Care, formerly National Medical Enterprises (NME).

NME was convicted in the largest case of fraud, bribery and conspiracy in U.S history on June 28, 1994. In addition to the record $379 million fine, they are enjoined from owning or operating psychiatric or rehab hospitals. This does not enjoin them from owning general hospitals that provide psych services.

NME is once again preying on the elderly. It was the obvious intention of Judge Kendall to deprive National Medical of the capacity to use forced treatment when he accepted NME’s guilty plea in Dallas on June 28, 1994. Today, unlike June of 1994, there are no indicted famous former football players in the county jail, to divert public attention from Jeffrey Barbakow’s corporate crimes.

Read the Dendrite from Support Coalition International. This news release has several ways YOU can get involved and help Mrs. Garrett. Help spread the word! Copy the Dendrite to your friends and colleagues and let’s GET INVOLVED!
Read some of the news stories about NME’s exploits.

Owner admits kickbacks: One of the nation’s largest psychiatric hospital chains yesterday pleaded guilty to kickback and health care fraud charges and agreed to pay a record $379 million in penalties for illegal conduct in hospitals in New Jersey and 29 other states.

Medical firm to plead guilty: A division of National Medical Enterprises will plead guilty to charges of Medicare fraud and conspiracy and pay a record fine of $362.7 million to settle a sweeping federal investigation, company officials said Tuesday.

Ex-psychiatric exec pleads guilty: A former Dallas hospital executive confessed Monday that he bought patients with at least $20 million in bribes to referring physicians and other health care professionals.

61 sue NME: Sixty-one plaintiffs sued National Medical Enterprises Inc. on Monday, alleging that they were “lured or forced” to its psychiatric treatment centers as part of a fraudulent scheme.

American health care. Mishap in the operating theatre: From the Economist (UK), an informative article about the economics of the health care business. Included is a paragraph about Tenet, formerly known as NME.

Added: Jul 22, 2006 12:00 pm | Trackback URI |  Email This Post  | Print