While he was patient in local hospital ICU, ex-sheriff’s toenails torn out: “Local authorities are requesting charges against a Three Rivers Healthcare contracted employee for allegedly pulling out the toenails of former Wayne County sheriff Nathan Hale while he was a patient in the intensive care unit.” —Daily American Republic [Missouri] via walker

Three Rivers Healthcare is owned by Tenet, along with HCA and Universal one of the gigantic, ruthless, impersonal for-profit hospital ownership corporations that represent the future of American healthcare (unless you boycott them in favor of either locally-managed community hospitals or nonprofit, often university-affiliated facilities). The alleged culprit in this case was a contract worker, a ‘temp’ in other words, and it is not much of a stretch to relate the likelihood of events like this to the low morale at corporate-owned hospitals, leading to poorer staff complements and staff retention, the hiring of less qualified employees at every level to shave costs, and poorer supervision. I work for a Universal hospital, and have previously written about its irresponsible admissions policies designed to fill all beds without concern for the clinical appropriateness of a given admission. I have also warned readers that if your loved one is admitted to a Universal facility, it is corporate policy that the hospital cannot honor any advanced directives (Do Not Resuscitate [DNR] wishes). I would not be surprised if a similar policy exists at Tenet and HCA hospitals as well.