Strange Tony,
First Senior Regional Executive Vice President Toad visited our hospice and gave a six month update on Kindred at Home's "Gather Your Own Straw" program.
FSREVP Toad offered, "I am proud to announce an innovation recently pioneered at your hospice. Branch Manager Asperger took the bold initiative and reduced headcount by combining disciplines."
Our only longtime employee left shook their head. They'd seen the cycle of staff reductions for corporate profits and knew the negative impact past moves had on patient care.
Toad noticed the nonverbal, made a mental note to find out that employee's name. He would suggest they be eliminated as soon as BM Asperger could make something up with the coaching of Kindred at Home's human abuse department.
"Moving on." Toad continued. "Your local leader not only combined disciplines, BM Asperger did it in a manner befitting the Pharaoh of the Bible. She gave the work to the lowest paid, least qualified people and did so with zero training. Sure, more qualified people were available but their hourly rates are far higher. Had the work been given to the higher paid, qualified staff then less straw would have to be gathered."
The longtime employee raised their hand. "Aren't we supposed to hire qualified people to do hospice?"
Toad replied, "We hire company people, those willing to utilize their background, skills and experience to achieve our objectives. It matters not if they have done hospice before."
The employee said, "OK, but the situation you are praising is one where we've lost ground, customer service wise."
Toad cut in, "Hospice can be trained and that is the point of BM Asperger's "Gather Your Own Straw" innovation. The lowest paid, least qualified people had to train themselves in their new discipline. They had to gather their own straw to learn their new responsibilities."
The longtime employee said, "At one point in my career leaders would've been embarrassed to state that we hire unqualified people and don't train them."
Toad smiled, knowing this employee would be the next to experience job consolidation. "This innovation saves the company money and gets me closer to my big payday, when Humana buys the rest of our company. That's all that matters. In the meantime I want to hear more straw stories from your hospice."
Branch Manager Asperger stood and applauded. She had another Bottega Veneta purse she wanted to buy.
How far has the managerial bar fallen? Precipitously in a mere 23 months.
Anonymous
23 months under Humana ownership ruined our once great hospice site.
ReplyDeleteReading Humana's report on employee well being is laughable.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/humana-annual-report-employee-well-170000598.html
Current Curo (hospice division) employee identifies several areas of straw gathering:
ReplyDeletePoor Communication and lack of support from Corporate, Lack of hands on Peer-to-Peer training, no back office support - sweat shop conditions, Horrible HCHB System that undermines workload/caseload, Unrealistic expectations across disciplines,
Advice to Management
Start with getting rid of HCHB, Teach Servant Leadership from Top Down, Only 1 Community Liaison to eliminate cost of and competition inherent in "Sales", care about your employees because compassion to families and patients starts with your staff!!
https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-CURO-Health-Services-RVW33315147.htm
Kindred Hospice used to be a great company to work for. That was before the Humana/ Curo take over. Management has no idea what they are doing and can care less the people they put in supervisory positions as long as a warm body fills the seat.
ReplyDelete(New warm bodies must gather their own straw)
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-Hospice/reviews?id=270998b651b7486c
They expect you to be available 24/7. I was told I would be working g 1 weekend a month and then was actually expected to be on call 24/7.
ReplyDeleteLook closely at this office's management. Why did they have so many nurses leave in less than 6 months? Could it be the way they were talked to and lied to? Might want to take a closer look. I was supposed to have an exit interview but it never happened. Wonder why???
https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Kindred-at-Home-RVW33336214.htm
Straw gathering would have an employee interview themselves as they exit the building. On call 24/7 is a great example of Humana/Curo's "gather your own straw" program.
Personally not a good experience with administration, I did not experience continued support, and was treated unfairly.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-At-Home/reviews?id=8b0cdce573532628
The management staff is very biased
ReplyDeletehttps://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Kindred-at-Home-RVW33385768.htm
"Once Curo entered the picture, everything changed. This company is now all about the money. They expect everyone to work around the clock with no help from management."
ReplyDeletehttps://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-Hospice/reviews/don-t-do-it?id=7964d4a5ebec85c8
"Work 50-60 hours/week as 0.8 employee."
ReplyDeletehttps://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Kindred-at-Home-RVW33479773.htm
Gathering straw turns a 32 hour week into 50-60 hours.
Kindred Hospice used to be a great company to work for. That was before the Humana/ Curo take over. Management has no idea what they are doing and can care less the people they put in supervisory positions as long as a warm body fills the seat.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-Hospice/reviews/managament-is-an-ever-revolving-door?id=270998b651b7486c
"The work balance was awful. Expectations was not fair. One day they would treat you good then the next day it would be opposite. Just not a good job!!"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-At-Home/reviews/not-good?id=e506a61bffbdd33b
Curo leadership is behind the "Gather Your Own Straw" program for hospice and that includes HR. Here's what one Curo HR person wrote on Indeed:
ReplyDelete"Corporate HR culture is toxic with open disagreements and about what you can give them. No respect of employees, no annual reviews, performance feedback, or goals to meet. Do as you are told and you will not be publicly reprimanded."
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Curo-Health-Services/reviews/toxic-environment?id=46177e13ad3a70d4
Toad would be proud of this one.
ReplyDelete"In the 6 months I've been with Kindred, I've received no formal training from anyone on how to actually do my job correctly, which is distressing, given that it's heavily regulated by Medicare, and mistakes can affect reimbursement. The two ladies who'd been piecing my job together before I was hired showed me how they'd been doing things (also without formal training), and everything I was taught turned out to be incorrect. Apparently, this company just wants you to make mistakes, get in trouble, then figure things out on your own.
Additionally, in the last 6 months, we've had 5 RNs and our executive director quit. If that isn't a huge red flag, I don't know what is. Because we are so short-staffed, more and more work is being delegated to me without any talk of increased compensation - again, work that I've never had any training on how to complete and some of which I firmly believe is outside my legal scope of practice. I feel as though I'm being punished for being responsible because every time I'm handed more work, I'm told, "You're so organized and reliable, it's great!"
Lastly, getting my benefits sorted took almost the full 6 months I've been employed. I was bounced from phone line to phone line, told to send emails, then told they don't accept documentation through email. It was a nightmare and made me feel like they just didn't want me to actually sign up for benefits.
The only "pro" to working here is that sometimes I get to actually help patients receive services. Most of the time, I'm charting, doing data entry, or sitting on endless, irrelevant webinars."
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-Hospice/reviews/not-worth-the-pay?id=34d2d6c2959657a2
Is Branch Manager Asperger in Pullman, WA?
DeleteI'm definitely starting to wonder that myself, anonymous Pullman friend.
DeleteMe? My heart is with every hospice under greedy management. I know how KAH's human abuse department targets good people for elimination. How many are left for them to go after?
DeleteMoney Hungry Humana Run Company
ReplyDelete"Work for ANY other hospice company. Pay is great. Management and philosophy is terrible. In a few years the company will be fully owned by humana and that's the only patients you will see. Until then - its about cutting costs and the care has absolutely dropped."
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-Hospice/reviews/money-hungry-humana-run-company?id=8e8ae5d494817c10
"Clinical Managers are arrogant, condescending and completely unhelpful to nursing staff that is really bullying. Multiple complaints to upper management were gone unheeded. Physical/Occupational/SpeechTherapist are held to a different standard than nursing staff.. Nursing is beat down and held to a different standard."
ReplyDeletehttps://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-At-Home/reviews/worst-experience-ever?id=b6be90d159eb3415
Straw can be seen in this comment "The more you go above and beyond, the more thats heaped on you."
ReplyDeleteThe patients do not come first. Everything is about the dollar!
Very minimal support from management.
No feeling of a family unit.
The environment is highly stressful.
The more you go above and beyond, the more thats heaped on you. No appreciation from management. Everyone is quick to point out downfalls but praise is rarely given.
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-At-Home/reviews/beware?id=b80475825c20483c
Toad would be extremely proud of this review: "Your best is never good enough." Toad as he changes the bar, "No, it is not."
ReplyDeletePoor work/life balance
While many of the clinicians I work with are top notch - caring, skilled, and dedicated, there has been tremendous overturn in direct and middle management and an alarming decline in morale amongst our branch. The company’s focus now is on numbers, not patient care. This was a good company - it’s disappointing to see this shift. I love patient care, but I’m thinking of retiring instead of staying here.
Pros
Skilled/compassionate clinicians, free CEUs, decent benefits and pay.
Cons
Unsafe/unrealistic productivity expectation, ‘your best is never good enough’, management untrustworthy
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-At-Home/reviews/poor-work-life-balance?id=6166e266b23bcc36
Worst money hungry company I ever worked for:
ReplyDeleteI worked at Kindred at Home full-time for more than 8 years
Pros
I can’t think of anything positive to say.
Cons
Expect you to do the work of 4 people in 40 hours. Overtime isn’t an option so if you want to get your job done you better work for free or you’ll get replaced. Constant turnover.
Advice to Management
Learn how to treat your employees
https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Kindred-at-Home-RVW34345782.htm
Medical Records employee said:
ReplyDeleteEverything that you are required to do, don't feel as we are compensated enough in regards of the job duties and tasks. So much turnover in Management in the office and higher up in the company. Has been horrible since we merged with Curo Healthcare. Feel like its hard to get information from anyone in regards of any problems that may arise with office equipment. office supplies, etc. Wish there was more open communication in the office and higher up.
Pros
Free breakfast/lunch sometimes
Cons
Salary is Lower, no raises, on call 24/7
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-Hospice/reviews/turnover-a-lot-in-management-needs-a-better-direction?id=387c0f026c07ff34
A different Medical Records employee stated:
ReplyDeleteThe a manager was the worst micro-manager I have ever experienced! You were expected to know what she wanted before she knew, there was absolutely no way for you to be wrong or right. Never given an opportunity to succeed or fail. The worst experience I have had. Love the coworkers but the Administrator was the worst, I was terminated after a 30 day review right before went on vacation to come back to say I had improved nothing when I was given two days before gone for a week. Whole place is a joke if that’s how corporate allows them to treat employees
A Kindred Home Health Nurse gave this feedback:
ReplyDeleteI have worked in the health care field for over 20 years and have always enjoyed my work. Unfortunately this is not the case with Kindred. Management was horrible, I felt stressed all of the time. Work culture was hostile and micromanaged. Administration was quick to fire anyone and everyone with no to little justification. I am so glad to be far away from this company and feel sorry for any nurse that decides to give Kindred at Home a try.
Pros
Pay better than many.
Cons
Horrible Management, High Stress, Quick to let staff go
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-At-Home/reviews/worst-place-i-have-ever-worked?id=09545f8de401ada9
A Texas home health nurse said:
ReplyDeleteThis corporate company is more concerned about money than the patients they care for or their own employees. There is no work life balance at all. If you want to work 7 days a week then this is the job for you, but you won’t be paid accordingly. You could die today and they wouldn’t blink. The office I worked in lost 6 employees in less than 6 weeks time but no one seemed to care. Just find someone that will admit anything, do anything, document anything so we can make the money. Documentation never ends, and there is lots of multiple documentation. The communication is nil between office and field staff but yet you are supposed to magically know orders were faxed over and if you didn’t you were held responsible for it. Management has obvious favorites that can do no wrong no matter how many times issues are brought up there is a big excuse for it. Sad to see how bad this company has gotten.
Pros
The patients are awesome
Cons
No work/life balance
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-At-Home/reviews/making-money-off-of-people-is-more-important-than-taking-care-of-people?id=e5d34a9c372eec0b
Iowa RN said:
ReplyDeleteAvoid at all costs if you can. I started this position during the covid pandemic. Because of this, I felt cheated out of an actual orientation process. We weren’t even allowed to ride together in the same cars to talk about how to do the job. I was left by myself after a few short days of watching some visits. Every-time I had a question, I would get the same answer “I don’t know, ask so and so.” I would have thought since you’re my manager - you would know, right? I also feel as though they make the job look much more attractive and almost lie about what the job entails. No one mentioned I would be driving 2 hours one way just to see one patient. They expect you to put aside your personal life and put every ounce of your time into their work. The clinician manager or direction would never be caught dead actually doing a visit. Not to mention, the director felt the need to go to people we know mutually and discuss the details of my departure from the company. Very unprofessional! Stay away, there has to be better places out there for you!
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-Hospice/reviews/rn?id=1bbb3c2e45c3054f
"Managers play favorites" from cash reimbursement specialist
ReplyDeleteManagers are rarely around and threaten to fire you if "numbers aren't met". Very toxic work environment. Training on team is not equal. Very disorganized. During orientation, person
leading was more eager to flirt than explain anything
Pros
Pay is decent
Cons
I never get time off requested and the stress is unbearable
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kindred-At-Home/reviews/managers-play-favorites-favorites-don-t-train-in-fear-you-will-outshine-them?id=3c9ef7f00000a60e
Unbearable stress, Toad would be proud.
Manager are incompetent and hired based on favoritism of executive director not on skill set. Poor pay for all the work expected of you and hardly any raises offered. Poor and costly benefits offered.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Kindred-at-Home-RVW35028285.htm
The VP that laid waste to our hospice is finally leaving. She fooled some other hospice company into hiring her. She is arrogant and mean enough to be promoted by today's corporate world, widely infected by greed.
ReplyDeleteWhile she may experience the riches of this earth she will eventually have to face her maker. Those riches will not go with her to the next life.
She gave her 30 day notice but I doubt the company lets her work through it. Trade secrets are closely guarded. The sooner she is gone the sooner our hospice can start to recover from the trauma she imposed. Humana/Curo is still causing lots of customer service failures, but we won't have to listen to our VP's vacuous remarks.