The Provocateur: Dr. Mary Johnson on Dr. Chacko

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Dr. Mary Johnson on Dr. Chacko

Dr. Mary Johnson is herself a whistle blower in North Carolina and she's none too happy with Dr. Chacko wrapping the "whistle blower" flag around herself.

10 comments:

Dr Mary Johnson said...: Thanks for the link, Mike.

That one kinda flew out of my fingers this afternoon - after reading the newspaper story - and touching base with Eric.

In the wake of Obamacare, there's NO doubt we need better whistle-blower protection . . . not just for doctors in the VA/military/public service . . . but for ALL doctors.

Again, thanks.; August 4, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Anonymous said...: Mike-
After reading Dr. Johnson's blog: My suggestion to MJohnson- is to use Chacko and Van Boven as very strong advocates in concert with her and these people that she represents. Apparently, they have been able to mobilize some very powerful people.
-How does somebody convince a senator and congressperson from NC to do something for them when people in that state can't- Salesmanship, persistence and overwhelming evidence- Possibly they are able to craft their arguments in a appealing persuasive, clear and concise fashion in delivery to the key staffers. She should familiarize herself with their strategies and apply them.
Also- importantly, with both Chacko and Van Boven they were both "wronged" at the VA, and both the senator and congressman have investigated or oversee the VA.
I must admit Chacko's allegations against the VA are weak but her position is "strengthened" by the fact that she got fired and the OSC looks at the reason for firing not the overlying initial alleged complaints. ABI were used for Chacko and Van Boven- adding legitimacy to Miller's statement of the "emerging pattern of abuse" of Administrative Board Investigation to silence whistleblowers- a well known fact to VA insiders. Additionally, No ABI is convened without the players knowing where things are going- and the person investigated NEVER wins. The only possible way to win is to be "ready" for post ABI legalities and document everything- paper trails don't lie- only people can and do.
I hope the MJ is getting good legal advice about how to proceed with her case.
If the legalities have concluded- she should work with her senator and congressman toward changing the laws as they pertain to her case- Maybe she should work on revising the law for the NPDB or its structure and reporting.
In the cases cited on MJ blog, we get back to the power structure thing- somebody who is immature and insecure (and not too bright) feels threatened and they use what they have at their disposal to attack and destroy, right or wrong (usually wrong). Really the only way to ensure this doesn't happen is to modify criteria for reporting to the NPDB and allow the reported to sue the reporters.
Usually the one with the most power wins- but not always- see Bay Pines VAMC- the administrators are literally getting the s--t kicked out of them (good lawyers and judges-make the difference. Van Boven has a good case in reporting fraud and being a whistleblower. But he might not prevail in his appeal at the Merit Board Review- which is a tough circuit. Ultimately,nobody may get a reprimand- the fine print for use of the $6 mil, stated that funds may be diverted by the VA administrators- very cleaver.; August 4, 2010 at 6:46 PM
mike volpe said...: How many Chacko cronies are going to show up on my site today? Seriously.; August 4, 2010 at 7:14 PM
Dr Mary Johnson said...: Anon, like Mike, I have to suspect that you are either Anna Chacko or one of her cronies/lawyers. And forgive me, but I'm going to be very blunt here.

First of all, I've brought a case with both Federal and state jurisdiction to the authorities - with a charge that has NO statute-of-limitations. I should not have to be hiring a lawyer (to drain-me-dry) . . . or filing a lawsuit to get said authorities attention.

My case could have been PREVENTED with a couple of well-placed phone calls on the part of a Federal official/Congressional representative twelve years ago. It could be easily nipped-in-the-bud now in the same fashion. This hospital is a JCAHO-accreditied "non-profit" that lives off certificates-of-need and Federal money. It's just not that hard to make them own up and play fair. I've only ever asked that people do their jobs.

Moreover, the "legalities" here are WIDE OPEN.

As for lawyers, after getting SLAPP-sued for telling the government-I-served the TRUTH . . . and watching those who sued me RUN from their own despicable intimidation-tactic like little girls . . . and knowing that they lied their asses off in their own discovery responses to get out on the cheap . . . the lawyers just don't scare me anymore. Moreover, I'm not paying out another damned dime to a lawyer in the uber-corrupt North Carolina legal system when I am the victim of a crime.

In fact, a lawyer actually told me to "raise some hell". And guess what? He doesn't have to charge me for that.

Moving on along to "salesmanship" and "overwhelming evidence" (that the authorities and journalists and local bloggers have literally REFUSED to even look at), as a former public servant-done-way-beyond-dirty, I've spent over TWELVE years "auditioning" and "crafting" my message into sound bites and jumping though hoops of people who cannot seem to ask one objective question of those I accuse. And I am &^%$#@! DONE with that.

A LOT of people (including NC Congresman Brad Miller and NC Senator Richard Burr - currently bending over backwards and setting deadlines for out-of-state doctors, Chacko and Van Boven) KNOW that I'm in the blogosphere. My home address and my phone number and my e-mail have not changed in years.

My biggest message for those in oversight who might be embarrassed/disturbed by this government's apathy and gross negligence: LOOK THEM UP.

Because I've written all the letters I'm going to write to my "representatives" in the land-of-John-Edwards-and-Mike-Nifong. You see, what's been done to me has been ALL about who THEIR cronies are.

With regards to legislation, that goes for Mr. Devine too. I'm here. I've been here FOR YEARS. Would be happy to chat him up/testify. But I'm DONE begging.

And as for teaming up with Anna Chacko. No thank you. She is claiming to be something she is NOT. It would be a slap in the face to anyone who has actually bled real blood for the sin of blowing a real whistle.; August 5, 2010 at 6:41 AM
mike volpe said...: SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, and it's a litigation strategy designed to overwhelm whistleblowers. I've featured it in pieces about Gerard Beloin.; August 5, 2010 at 6:48 AM
Anonymous said...: MJ and Mike-
I am not Anna Chacko or one of her cronies- but somebody who can read between the lines and somebody who knows the VA and their games intimately- I work at a university associated with the VA- we hear about their "unethical games" all the time and I think AC fit well into the mold required of her collegues there.
MJ- Reading your message you state
"and knowing that they lied their asses off in their own discovery responses to get out on the cheap."

So what you are saying that people lied against you- this is the MO for people in the VA too. THere must be a way that you can "correct' what happened to you- and the only concievable way is to impact their funding or stucture- if not through courts then legislation.; August 5, 2010 at 9:38 AM
Dr Mary Johnson said...: Thanks for clarifying that Mike.

P.S. As an EMPLOYEE of a NON-PROFIT in a "Right-to-Work" state, I got ZERO due process before I was fired. The rubber-stamping Board of Directors would not even talk to me.

Unlike Anna Chacko.

My hospital privileges were NEVER affected (BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CAUSE) . . . but the hospital's lawyers managed to keep me in a box/kill & absorb my practice over a period of six months:

http://drjshousecalls.blogspot.com/2009/08/physician-shortages-up-close-personal.html

My hosptial privileges were not affected until a year later . . . when the hosptial "accepted" a staff resignation I HAD WITHDRAWN (without notifying me they were going to do it) . . . this conveniently/immediately after I filed my lawsuit against their "controlled affiliate".

Long story short. I was NEVER peer-reviewed OR reported to the NPDB (National Practitioner's Data Bank).

AGAIN, THERE WAS NO CAUSE.

So my issues are not with the NPDB (although, yes, the whole peer-review/reporting system is corrupt and riddled with bad-faith and needs to be re-vamped).

They are with a government program which (courtesy of ObamaCare) just got a crap-load of new funding approved . . . even though it cannot/will not enforce its own agreements or protect its own.

I am sorry for the personal deviations, Mike. But this post is about my "take" on Chacko - and this whole situation REALLY pisses me off.

The North Carolina politicians who are singing her song (and their forebearers), have methodically, deliberately blown me off.; August 5, 2010 at 9:57 AM
Dr Mary Johnson said...: Anon (responding to you 9:38 AM comment) I am saying that two non-profit executives LIED REPEATEDLY UNDER OATH about financial matters relevant to a civil damages claim - in this case withholding public documents (claiming that they were "highly confidential").

The lawyers involved (including mine) were all corrupt or just plain stupid.

It's called perjury. No statute of limitations. And I've got ALL of them in the black and white of sworn documents. Their lies cost me hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in compensatory and punitve damages that might have been put back into rebuilding the practice I NEVER should have had to rebuild in the first place.

If this were prosecuted (it has not even been investigated), North Carolina law allows for victims of crime to be compensated as a condition of a plea.

Now, if this had not happened in my own hometown, I might have rolled over and left these liars and thieves behind in the dust - despite the difficulties.

But it was my HOME. This happened in full/horrified view of my parents. My Father is dead - he did not live to see justice done for his daughter.

Ergo I will NOT rest now until these jerks answer for what they did - and the government I served HONORABLY AND WELL does something to make sure it doesn't happen to someone else.

There actually IS a way for this to be corrected. And that would be for state & Federal law enforcement AND these politicians to do their damned jobs . . .

. . . to prove that they care what they say they care about.; August 5, 2010 at 10:44 AM
Anonymous said...: mj, looks like you got a bad and bitter taste of politics in NC. Having said that, your pissed off behavior at NC politicians tells me that you need to learn diplomacy before shooting your mouth off. Good luck but you may need to look at the mirror to see why things got out of control in your case. The key is in your hands or if I may say in your pen and mouth!!! Have you seen a shrink lately!!

Now let us get back to the main show i.e Chacko which is what attracts all of us to this blog; August 5, 2010 at 5:19 PM
Dr Mary Johnson said...: LOL!!! And you're telling me you're not Anna Chacko? From everything I've heard about her, you've got the MO down now.

A reminder: This POST is about my take (as a REAL whistle-blower) on Anna Chacko. And yes, I'm just a little "pissed off" because those grandstanding North Carolina politicians are singing her "weak", pathetic song instead of mine.

OBTW, I did "diplomacy". For a VERY long time. I was as nice as I could be. But without a lot of money . . . or the "right" name . . . or power . . . it matters about as much as the lives of those ripped-off soldiers-with-brain-injuries.

So I've decided to SHAME these political posers - at EVERY opportunity.

Wanna talk about pathology? In the course of just a few comments, you've regressed to all of the classice tactics that "bloggers"-who've-had-all-their-arguments-shot-full-of-holes use.

You turn hostile - on a dime no less. You call your target names. You imply they're crazy.

All whilst not signing your own name. It's CLASSIC. Get your own shrink.

I happen to believe there are a LOT of angry ordinary citizens out there these days who are tired of the snow-job these NC politicos are trying to pass off as "representation". If they'd been doing their jobs in the first place maybe Dr. Van Boven and I wouldn't have sad stories to tell in newspapers and on blogs.

I happen to have been in line long before most of them, so you'll forgive me if I'm not mincing words anymore. And I'm for sure NOT standing in line behind Anna Chacko.

Congressman and Senators like Burr and Miller either CARE about the truth - and helping doctors/patients really burned in/by their crappy system - or they don't.

One more shot-of-the-mouth before I go: I think the people who read this blog don't do it just to read about the FAKE trials and tribulations of Anna Chacko.; August 5, 2010 at 7:39 PM