I am writing this review neither as a disgusted patient, or a disgruntled employee. I was an employee who feels that this institution is a detriment to its patients.
Where to start; first off this ?hospital? is a FOR PROFIT institution operated by Oglethorpe Inc.
Oglethorpe?s main goal is to make a profit by lowering operational costs, and maximizing the use of what it has at its disposable. This means one thing, using the most ?cost effective? treatment, not the most effective treatment. The Woods at Parkside uses several different treatment modalities to ?help? its patients; group therapy, client lectures, peer support, and individual case management, not individual counseling! There are many clinical studies that show these methods to be the least effective in treating addiction, and instead, advocate motivational interviewing and client centered therapy (meeting the client where they are at) as being the most effective.
The clinical director of the Woods at Parkside, Dr. Bradford Price, was a one-time clinical director of Glenbeigh, which is part of the Cleveland Clinic. He was released for inappropriate behavior toward clients, and on several occasions, was heard belittling clients at the Woods at Parkside, and insulting them. I specifically remember him referring to one patient, who was a former student at the University of Akron, as ?zippy?, in front of the entire client population, in an insulting manner. This client later passed away from a heroin overdose.
The clinical staff is overloaded, often working 55 hours per week on a 40 hour salary. There is no mental health counseling at The Woods at Parkside; it is not licensed to do so. There is case management, which is ?telling? the client what they will do when they leave. These directives are mainly attend AA, NA, or whatever 12 step support group it may be, and stay away from bad people. This is not ?meeting a client where they are at?. What good is it to tell someone them do something, if they have no intention of doing so. This is the way the Woods at Parkside operates. It tells its patients what to do, no asking them what they are willing to do, and work from there.
I really could go on and on, about how horrible the facility is in terms of physical appearance. It is disgusting. Stained chairs with who knows what, moldy showers, holes in the walls, ants, floors coming apart, horrible smells, and on and on. It is a very unsanitary facility. I can remember one treatment assistant who was disciplined because he would sanitize door handles every hour, all because it was using up supplies ( mind you there are 42 patients who use the same door to exit and enter the common areas, a orgy of germs).
I really don?t feel like writing a book on why you should not send your loved one to Parkside, but I could. Everything from an unsanitary facility, a burnt out clinical director, low cost treatment modalities, and Medicare fraud, yes that?s right, FRAUD!! It?s called Medicare fishing. Oh, and did I mention that it costs 1000.00 just to be admitted no matter the insurance, and when you have no money, you?re out the door? If you love your addicted family member, send them somewhere else. It is a dysfunctional facility, and solely exists to make one family wealthy.
more