Michael Drobot Explained

Michael Drobot is a convicted felon who pleaded guilty to orchestrating the largest fraud in the history of California state.[1] Between 1978 and 2013, Drobot managed 28 hospitals along the East Coast, including the Mount Sinai Roosevelt in New York (formerly the Roosevelt Medical Center). He also owned eight hospitals, including Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, (now College Medical Center) and two health maintenance organizations.

Career

Early years in hospital administration

Drobot spent his early years in Detroit, Michigan, before joining the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. During his time in the Navy, Drobot managed the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. Upon his discharge from the Navy, Drobot pursued a career in hospital management by first obtaining an MBA in hospital administration from George Washington University.

Healthcare administration in California

Drobot's Concept Health Group, Inc. acquired the Healthcare Medical Center of Tustin in July 1990.[2] Drobot had been the executive director of Healthcare Medical Center from 1980 to 1984. Under Drobot, Concept Healthcare expanded the hospital’s services deeper into the Irvine area, and added new centers for oncology and sports medicine.

In the course of his 35 years career in healthcare, Drobot had the longest association with the Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, which he owned and managed from 1997 to 2013, when it was sold to Molina Healthcare and became College Medical Center.[3] [4] [5] Whilst CEO of Pacific Hospital, the hospital was nationally recognized for infection control measures.[6] [7] [8] The hospital’s focus on a germ free environment garnered a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in 2009.[9] [10] Pacific Hospital of Long Beach received an award from the Southern California Patient Safety First (SCPSF) for reducing sepsis mortality and hospital associated infection rates from 2010 to 2012.[11]

In 2013, Pacific Hospital of Long Beach was accredited by National Integrated Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations[12] [13] [14] for meeting its standards of patient care and quality management. In 2013, the hospital was also designated as ISO 9001:3008 compliant by DNV Healthcare,[15] an accreditor of US hospitals integrating ISO 9001 quality compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation.

Legal issues

During a criminal investigation, in February 2014, Drobot was charged by the FBI with orchestrating a wide-ranging conspiracy and paying illegal kickbacks.[16] [17] As part of the indictment, Drobot was charged with bribing Senator Ron Calderon to preserve California’s spinal pass through law.[18] [19] [20] [21] Senator Calderon was separately indicted by the FBI for accepting bribes and kickbacks from Drobot and others. Drobot signed a plea agreement agreeing to cooperate in the government’s ongoing investigation of Senator Calderon and his brother, Tom Calderon, and also into the healthcare fraud scheme known as Operation Spinal Cap.[22] [23] [24]

In October 2014, Drobot, along with his business partners, was sued for using counterfeit screws and hardware in spinal surgeries[25] performed at Pacific Hospital and other area hospitals. At a court hearing on February 20, 2015, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elihu M. Berle rejected the claims against the group accused of using counterfeit surgical screws as in 29 out of 32 cases the plaintiffs were never treated at Pacific Hospital.[26] Drobot filed a $50 million defamation suit in October 2014 against attorneys Brian Kabateck and Robert Hutchinson and the law firms of Kabateck Brown Kellner, Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy, and Knox Ricksen.[27] In April 2015, Drobot and his company Healthsmart Pacific, Inc. filed a lawsuit against 30 individuals and their attorneys for falsely and maliciously claiming that Drobot and Healthsmart’s former hospital, Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, harmed them via a non-existent "counterfeit screw" conspiracy. Drobot has agreed to cooperate fully with prosecutors in a case that U.S. attorney’s office spokesman, Thom Mrozek, has said "remains active and ongoing."[28]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Long Beach Pacific Hospital fraud called largest in California history. 2014-02-21.
  2. Web site: Woodyard. Chris. Tustin Hospital Acquired by Washington Company. Los Angeles Times. July 7, 1990. April 15, 2015.
  3. Web site: Pacific Hospital of Long Beach. Pacific Hospital of Long Beach. April 1, 2015.
  4. Web site: Maio. Pat. Health chain buys Pacific Hospital of Long Beach. The Orange County Register. October 8, 2013. April 13, 2015.
  5. Web site: Woodyard. Chris. Tustin Hospital Acquired by Washington Company. Los Angeles Times. July 7, 1990. April 15, 2015.
  6. Preventing Hospital-Acquired Infections . The California Report. KQED Public Radio . Sarah Varney. March 17, 2011. April 14, 2015 .
  7. Web site: Varney. Sarah. Hospitals Face New Pressure To Cut Infection Rates . NPR. March 28, 2011. April 15, 2015.
  8. Web site: Welcome to Molina Healthcare of California.
  9. Web site: Pacific Hospital Receives Congressional Award for During International Infection Prevention Week. Pacific Hospital of Long Beach. April 23, 2013. April 1, 2015.
  10. . WELCOME TO THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PATIENT SAFETY FIRST (SCPSF) COLLABORATIVE RESOURCE PAGE!. Hospital Association of Southern California . . April 14, 2015.
  11. Web site: Floressantos. Francisco. Pacific Hospital Long Beach – Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infections Across the Board . California HealthCare News. April 30, 2015.
  12. Web site: Pizzi. Richard. Medicare approves new hospital accreditation organization . Healthcare Financial. September 29, 2008. April 13, 2015.
  13. . DNV Healthcare Inc's Accreditation Program for Hospitals Approved by CMS . . April 29, 2009 . April 30, 2015.
  14. Web site: Floressantos. Francisco. Pacific Hospital Long Beach – Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infections Across the Board . California HealthCare News. April 30, 2015.
  15. Web site: Kenney. Lynn. HOSPITAL ACCREDITING ORGANIZATIONS OFFER DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THE SURVEY PROCESS. American Hospital Association. 2013. April 30, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150429134348/http://www.ashe.org/resources/ashenews/2013/hosp_ao_article_131011.html#.VUQh2CmFufR/. April 29, 2015.
  16. . Former Owner of Long Beach Hospital Charged in Health Care Fraud Scheme That Paid Tens of Millions of Dollars in Kickbacks for Referrals for Spinal Surgeries Billed to Workers' Comp Programs . Central District of California . . February 21, 2014 . April 14, 2015.
  17. Web site: Edwards. Andrew. Former Pacific Hospital owner Michael Drobot pleads guilty in fraud case. Press-Telegram. April 24, 2014. April 15, 2015.
  18. . California State Senator Ronald Calderon Charged with Taking Bribes in Exchange for Official Acts on Behalf of Hospital Owner and Independent Film Studio That was Actually an FBI Front. Central District of California . . February 21, 2014 .
  19. Web site: Aguilera. Elizabeth. A Calderon connection: Ex-hospital chief Michael Drobot admits to bribery, conspiracy. 89.3KPCC. February 21, 2014. April 25, 2015.
  20. Web site: Aaronson. Trevor . FBI: California state senator aided alleged multimillion-dollar fraud . Aljazeera America. October 30, 2013. April 20, 2015.
  21. Web site: Rosenhall. Laurel. California lawmakers tussled over payments for spinal implants . The Sacramento Bee. June 14, 2013. April 20, 2015.
  22. Book: Thompson, Authur. Crafting and Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage. 2001. McGraw-Hill/Irvin . 9780072319804. registration.
  23. Web site: Coker. Mike. Michael D. Drobot Signs Plea Deal to Testify Against Slimed Legislator Ron Calderon . OCWeekly. February 25, 2014. April 15, 2015.
  24. . Operation "Spinal Cap" - Former Long Beach Hospital Owner Charged in $500 Million Scheme. California Statewide Law Enforcement Association for Lodge #77. . February 25, 2014 .
  25. Web site: Foshay. Karen. Spinal surgery patients file lawsuits alleging counterfeit hardware was implanted in their spines. 89.3KPCC. October 17, 2014. April 15, 2015.
  26. Web site: Coker. Mike. Michael D. Drobot and His Former Pacific Hospital of Long Beach Win a Round in Court. OCWeekly. March 6, 2015. April 15, 2015.
  27. Web site: Coker. Mike. Michael D. Drobot of Pacific Hospital Fame Files $50 mil Defamation Suit Against Lawyers. OCWeekly. October 28, 2014. April 15, 2015.
  28. Web site: Ex-hospital executive in kickback scheme looks to spread the blame. 13 April 2015.

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