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Indian Valley Record
Wednesday,
Dec. 14, 2011 3A
Dan McDonald the complaints won't even
Staff Writer come to court."
dmcdonald@plu masnews.com Consumer Affairs
spokesman Glenn Mason said
The owner of a Quincy autohis office conducted an under-
repair shop is facing possible cover operation at Corey's
discipline from the state's De- business in response to the
partment of Consumer Af- consumer complaints.
fairs. "Every complaint we get is
The Bureau of Automotive investigated," Mason said. "If
• Repair has accused Corey's we get a number of complaints,
Automotive & Smog owner we send in an undercover unit."
Jim Corey of 25 violationsAccording to the report,
stemming from four customer BAR sent an undercover 1994
complaints dating back to Sep- Ford Explorer to Corey's shop
tember 2009. Sept. 29, 2010. The report stat-
Many of the violations re-ed the violations identified
portedly occurred during an during that operation account-
undercover operation by the ed for 13 of the 25 "causes for
bureau, discipline" identified in the
Corey is scheduled to have a state's accusations.
hearing before an administra- "The reason we (go under-
tire law judge May 23 - 24, cover) is that anybody can
2012, in Sacramento. complain about a repairman if
According to a 23-page docu- they feel they aren't treated
ment by the Bureau of Auto- well. We know that," Mason
motive Repair (BAR), datedsaid. "That's why we investi-
Aug. 31, Corey is accused of gatedthis ourselves."
"dishonesty, fraud or deceit" Mason said the undercover
and other violations associat- operations are "very thor-
ed with repair work performed ough." He said vehicles used
at his East Quincy shop. are thoroughly checked out at
During a Wednesday, Dec. 7, the BAR lab and documented.
interview at his business,Photos are taken of all the
Corey insisted he is innocent parts that might be examined
of the accusations. But he said by a mechanic.
the charges alone would put "We know exactly what is
him out of business, wrong with a car when we
"Even though I haven't corn- take it in," Mason said.
mitted a crime, it's the seri-
ousness of the charges that The sting
people will pay attention to," According to the Bureau of
Corey said. "And people are Auto Repair report, the work
going to say to me, 'Well, if that needed to be done on the
you didn't do it, why are they undercover Ford Explorer
going after you? You must was replacement of the fol-
have done something or they lowing components: the left
wouldn't be going after you.' front brake rotor, the right
"But it's all hearsay," herear brake drum, one marker
said. "The people that made lamp bulb and the high-beam
indicator bulb. found the following:
On Sept. 29, 2010, a bureau --The high-beam indicator
employee took the Explorer to lamp had not been replaced,
Corey's and requested a rendering the vehicle unable
brake, lamp and smog inspec- to pass the lamp inspection.
tion. --Corey failed to replace the
A verbal estimate from oversized right rear brake
Corey of $260 was agreed upon drum, rendering the vehicle
for the inspection, unable to pass the brake in-
The agent later was told the spection.
Explorer didn't pass the in- --Corey unnecessarily re-
spection because both front placed both front brake
rotors and brake pads needed calipers and brake pads, the
to be replaced and the anti- right front rotor and both
lock brake system (ABS) had a front wheel seals, and unnec-
problem that required further essarily inspected the ABS
diagnosis, system.
The report also stated the--Corey failed to pressure
vehicle failed the lamp inspec- bleed the braking system as
tion because the high-beam in- invoiced. In addition, the re-
dicator and right front marker pair was not necessary, ac-
lamp were not working. Thecording to the report.
vehicle passed the smog in-
spection: The fallout
On Oct. 11, the undercoverAccording to the Depart-
agent reportedly contactedment of Consumer Affairs
Corey's and requested an esti- spokesman Russ Heimerich,
mate to repair the Explorer. Corey could have his automo-
Corey's repair estimate was tive repair license suspended
reportedly $869.90, which or revoked if he is found to be
would cover replacement ofguilty.
the front brake pads and two The judge's decision can be
rotors, and supply two bottles accepted, modified or rejected
of brake fluid and three cans by the director of Consumer
of brake cleaner. Affairs, according to
The report states ~orey also Heimerich.
told the agent that the vehicle Mason said in some cases a
needed a further diagnostic settlement hearing could take
check for an additional $80, place before the scheduled
and that the cost to repair the hearing with the judge.
lights would be $40 plus parts. "There could be a settle-
When the agent retrieved ment," Mason said. "There
the Explorer, the total cost of could be a number of things
the repairs was $1,109.91. The that could happen. He could
agent also received the brake be fined or suspended for a
and lamp certificates and a dayor two."
copy of the invoice. He could also have his repair
According to the report, license placed on probation and
a bureau representative beordered topayfor thecostof
inspected the Explorer andthe undercover operation.
Mona Hill recent patient financial sys- he'd met with medical staff to
Staff Writer tems (billing department) au- identify and rank priorities
mhill@plumasnews.com dit. She added that the hospital for specialists and other med-
If a new broom sweeps is actively recruiting a perma- ical staff. He said the hospital-
nent head for the department, ists showed clear consensus
clean, Plumas District Hospi- In addition, under a screw- on which specialties were
tal's chief executive officer ball intergovernmental trans- needed immediately and
and the systems conversion to fer program, PDH has quail- which could wait.
electronic medical records fled for a 58 percent "match," Lafferty said the meeting
(EMR) are haying the desired slightly less than $61,000, and was part of strategic plan de-
effect. Many"0fthe hospital's is approved for a $245,000 velopment and cited pedi-
longstanding policies, prac- match in 2012. attics as an example. In a ma-
tices and documentation are The program requires the jority of cases, a good primary
under scrutiny, according to hospital pay $105,000 to the care physician could meet in-
staff reports to the board at its federal government. The gov- patient pediatric needs, espe-
Dec. 2 meeting.
As employees and adminis- ernment will return the cially since the hospital has
$105,000, plus the $61,000 some- such a l'ow incidence of those
trators work through develop- time this month.
cases.
ment of digital documentation To receive the $245,000, PDH Dr. Mark Satterfield agreed,
of services provided from the will need to send the feds a adding that while the hospital
time a patient walks through check for $298,000. If approved, wouldn't specifically pursue a
the door until the bill is paid, the government returns the
they find areas for improve- $298,000 with an additional pediatrician, it would consid-
ment. From physician orders $245,000. er adding one, especially if
to the master list of charges for there were an additional spe-
services to final payment, the CEO report cialty. '
EMR software requires sys-Chief Executive Officer Lafferty also said he met
tematic analysis for consisten- Doug Lafferty told directors with Renown Regional Med-
cy and workflow uniformity, that Project Eagle i, the code ical Center regarding a visit-
In her report to the hospital name for the conversion pro- ing cancer or chemotherapy
district's directors Dec. 2, ject, is on schedule and lauded specialist in Quincy. He said
Chief Nursing Officer Linda staff for their hard work and talks would continue over the
Jameson. said creating nuts- extra effort, next year. He felt that was a
ing and admission order sets He also told directors that critical need in the area, with
---checklists of nursing notes, the timeline for the financial many patients traveling to
physician orders, tests, med-
component needed to be Reno or Chico for treatment.
ications and paperwork to be moved forward. He said the The CEO announced the up-
completed whenever a patient current software was problem- coming employees' benefits
is admitted to the hospital -- atic and inadequate, fair. He said that beginning
was a detailed and exhaustive With the licensing contract Jan. 1, 2012, plan provisions
process, due to expire in August 2012, would be enforced. He cited
Every patient care depart- Lafferty thought it made sense co-pays and referrals as areas
ment will repeat that process to start that part of the project where coverage provisions
to ensure uniform records: earlier than originally sched- haven't been enforced.
lab, X-ray, emergency and uled. Lafferty updated the board on
more. Eventually it will ex- Lafferty also reported that clinic reorganization, saying
tend to include the clinics and
result in more efficient deliv-
ery of higher quality health
care services.
Richard IC Stockton, You'll feel the difference.
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WE LIVE WHERE YOU LIVE
Finance
Gains outweighed losses in
October; Finance Director
Cindy Crosslin told board
members that net income be-
fore general obligation bonds
was $305,937 for the month, re-
sulting in a profit of $154,911
on the fiscal year.
Despite a 1.5 percent de-
crease in October's gross rev-
enue, decreased revenue de-
ductions (contractual agree-
ments with third party pay-
ers) and operating expenses,
combined with increased net
patient revenue, put PDH in
the black and ahead of budget
projections.
Accounts receivable aging
increased to 91 days in Octo-
ber, a trend Crosslin said was
slightly worrisome. She also
reported that Medicare has an-
nounced an inpatient claims
suspension pending an audit.
Crosslin said PDH has con-
tracted Fred Binczewski of
Jacobus Consulting to address
issues raised in the firm's
i!iii!ili{iii[iZ¸ ii~i!iiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiii~iiiiiiiiii( ZiT~ •
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Corey said he feels like hea lawyer he contacted wanted
has already lost the case, even $2,500 just to take the case.
though he said he could pro- "Do you know what I made
duce evidence to prove he did last year, gross, out of this
nothing wrong, place? ... $11,750," Corey said.
"You expect that if you are"So you think I can afford to
going to go to a trial, that you hire an attorney?
will have 12 jurors that you "I have so many tax liens ...
are going to submit your in- liens everywhere. I have a lien
formation to and you have afrom (Feather Publishing). i
chance," Corey said. "But I'm just don't make any money
going in front of hanging anymore. Everything I own,
judge Roy Bean. That's whatI've sold, just to be able to
I'm up against. I will never keep my 'open' sign on .... If
win." you print (this story), you are
Corey said he considered going to kill me. I will be out
hiring an attorney, but he said of business."
I Affordable, Q
the health clinic had eliminat-
ed some job duplication with
one office manager and prac-
tice nurse for both clinics.
The dental clinic is undergo-
ing a 90-day trial program to
increase productivity. Recent-
ly the clinic has been operat-
ing at 50 percent of capacity.
Here at home.*
From yearly vision and eye exams,
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Call us today.
New patients welcome.
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