The way I see it, the beleaguered MPTF under the direction of Jeff Katzenberg and the assorted showbiz elite that litter the seats of the MPTF board meetings have recently been under the gun when it comes to dealing with various government health entities, families and residents themselves.
Run-on sentences aside, the scattered and unfocused route to healthcare oblivion has necessitated detouring around various fires that threaten to immolate the future of motion picture and television healthcare.
Jeff has been very busy of late. Religious persecution, storm-trooper security and feigned ignorance of basic healthcare regulations have taken a backseat to Jeff’s own frenzied salvation of his reputation. Shtupping the elderly will have to wait while Jeff and his peeps wade through the mire that comes with the territory of tyrants and absolutists who must finally deal with those they oppress.
While Jeff’s attentions are diverted to best-sellers about his life and business, and various Internet articles that seek to malign him in the same niggling way that pedophile priests threaten to break the Pope’s ecumenical authority and ruin his breakfast – there are those of us who enjoy holding Jeff’s feet to the fire, and know exactly the best way to do it.
It’s the Internet love, the bane of Jeff Katzenberg’s existence and the virtual Howitzer where we can volley our verbal truths over into enemy territory as we seek to liberate the elderly. Had Shakespeare been alive today, he might characterize the Internet as "duteous to thine own vices as badness would desire," and he would be right. But as seamy as the Internet can be, it is a great way to get the word out when something goes terribly wrong.
Had the old bard been alive today, you might find him working for Jeff at DreamWorks SKG, being misused and miscast as that "goy who’s great at punching up scripts."
It’s not hard to imagine because Jeff has done that so well at the Motion Picture Home, and to its detriment. The seating of the former CEO of Panavision as the new guy in charge of the Motion Picture Home is a great example. The detrimental effects of using the talents of a man of Shakespeare’s caliber to, let’s say, improve the narrative of "Kung Fu Panda" may result in fewer clichés that translate to an improved box office and glowing reviews.
However, the detrimental effects of having those in charge of caregivers who have been elevated to their management level of incompetence can cost lives.
The recent complaints that have been fielded by the Health Facilities Inspection Division of the County of Los Angeles’ Public Health Agency go to the core of ineptitude. The sting of a citation issued just a few months ago is still smarting, yet the same incident that caused that complaint and nearly killed an elderly Motion Picture Home resident was played out in front of me just this weekend.
The MPTF was found in violation of the prescribed use of a Hoyer lift. This mechanical lift requires two people to operate it. The MPTF was cited for failing to identify the correct procedures required to operate this lift, which led to serious injury of an 87-year-old resident.
One cannot fault the individual caregivers who bathe and nurture our residents — but you can find fault with those in charge who run afoul of regulations put in place to protect patients. Why two people to operate the lift? Because it’s the safe and diligent way to do it. Two words that should be better heeded by those running the Motion Picture Home.
They didn’t have Hoyer lifts back in Shakespeare’s time. They also didn’t have the Internet. Had Shakespeare been a blogger, he might warn that "something wicked this way comes" when motion picture and television healthcare is written of via his cyber-quill.
"To thine own self be true," Jeff: Let’s put the MPTF in the hands of those who know best how to run a health facility, and we can all go back to doing … whatever it is that we do best.
