My Sister Worked for Rick Scott's Hospital and Here is Her Story. By Geniusofdespair

Sis, a nurse for about 30 years, worked at Columbia University Hospital -- one of Rick Scott's Hospitals -- more than a decade ago as a Case Manager. She said she was responsible for discharge planning for people who needed home health care. Her instructions were, she was to steer people to use Columbia Home Health Care which was housed where she was working (she believed that was against the law). Usually, she said, a hospital would normally ask a patient if they had a Home Health Care Company and suggest some, if they didn't. Hospitals did not strong arm patients on a selection as they did at Columbia. She was to say to patients: "We will set up Columbia Home Health Care for you."

Sis said the hospital was short staffed and poorly run and not supportive of nurses at all. There was a push to get patients out as quickly as possible and that was a big part of her job.

There were so many complaints about nurses not answering patient call lights, that the hospital hired people with no medical training to answer the calls. These untrained people went to the patient's room and said: "The nurse will be right with you." That was their job. The hospital didn't use water basins to wash the patients. They used handi-wipes instead of sponge baths. My sister had never seen this at a hospital. There were a multitude of staff complaints, so many she said, that they had to call special meetings to address the concerns of staff -- mostly complaints related to being short staffed. She found holding these meeting unusual for a hospital.

Three times during her stint at Columbia University Hospital, this tall, charming guy would arrive -- Rick Scott -- and give the staff a pep-talk. He would talk about how they were all part of a team. She always thought he was personable but she knew in her heart this hospital and Rick Scott were all about money, the bottom line ruled. BTW, she hated the job, she said Hospice work was less depressing and less stressful.

I found this tidbit on Scott: The $1.7 billion man
Rick Scott: Multimillionaire, Mastermind of Town Hall Riots (written by Steve Tarlow - 8/6/2009)

If you’re wondering who is primarily responsible for organizing the barbaric efforts to sabotage the Democratic town halls across the nation, wonder no longer. The man’s name is Rick Scott, and he is in charge of the Web site Conservatives For Patients Rights. He is a multimillionaire ex-hospital CEO whose company was charged with the largest case of financial fraud committed against the government in United States history.

Yes, the former CEO of the Columbia/HCA hospital system was at the helm during a span of 10 years when his company defrauded Medicare for $1.7 billion dollars. They were found guilty and that amount has been repaid – yet the conservative GOP pick Rick Scott to lead them into battle for responsible medical spending?