EXPERIMENTATION IS GOOD …
By FITSNEWS || We’re not yet sure whether the panic over Ebola is justified. We know the politicization of the deadly virus isn’t justified … but the jury is still out on the threat posed by the actual disease itself.
We’ve written several stories about Ebola, prompting responses from two of our columnists indicating a belief that the issue has been overblown … and that FITS may be unnecessarily feeding fear (see HERE and HERE).
But with a second nurse at the Dallas, Texas hospital which received the first U.S. case of Ebola contracting the disease, it’s safe to say the government’s vows to “stop (Ebola) in its tracks” may have been a bit premature.
Ebola is a virological taxon first discovered in 1976. Last December, an outbreak of the virus began in West Africa which has since infected 9,000 victims (killing 4,500 of them). Most of the deaths have occurred in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea – but there are now three confirmed cases in the United States (including one death).
Ebola is spread through bodily fluids. After an incubation period ranging from two days to three weeks, Ebola victims begin experiencing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Eventually their kidneys and livers begin to shut down, a process accompanied by mass internal hemorrhaging. There is no treatment and no cure for the virus. Also, Ebola has a fifty percent mortality rate – meaning one out of every two people who contract the disease die from it.
In fact the mortality rate during the current outbreak could be even higher … 70 percent, according to the latest projections from the World Health Organization (WHO).
One experimental drug – Zmapp – has shown some promise in fighting Ebola, but its development has been delayed by government.
In South Carolina, officials led by Catherine Templeton of the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) have been preparing for the disease. In fact we wrote a story last week outlining those efforts.
But Templeton decided to take it to another level this week …
On Sunday evening, Templeton – posing as a flu victim – entered the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) hospital in Charleston, S.C. complaining of early Ebola-like symptoms. She later did the same thing at Roper St. Francis hospital in Charleston – as reported exclusively by Lauren Sausser of The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier.
The experiment was designed to test “entry points” at these facilities – part of an effort to determine whether medical personnel would ask the right questions (and then take the proper precautions based on the responses).
And Templeton … who is usually dressed to the nines … masterfully sold the undercover:
According to sources at MUSC at the time of the experiment, Templeton entered the facility through an ambulance transport elevator that’s not used by the public. She then presented herself at the hospital’s chest pain clinic.
At Roper, she entered the facility through the emergency room.
What do we make of Templeton’s “experiment?”
It’s brilliant … on several levels.
Not only did it get all sorts of statewide press, the ink was all good for Templeton.
For example, our founding editor’s wife – who never almost never brings news stories to her husband’s attention – commented favorably on Templeton’s experiment on Monday evening after it appeared as an item on her Facebook feed.
Meanwhile one of our most trusted friends also expressed her approval – along with some surprise that we hadn’t written about it sooner.
“She did it herself,” our friend remarked. “Which I think is interesting. A very smart way to get yourself a headline while doing something that probably needed to be done.”
As we noted in our story on Templeton last week, the “Ebola stakes” are especially high for her agency … and for her personally.
“Democrats attacked (SCDHEC) last year over the alleged mishandling of a Tuberculosis case, even though it became abundantly clear the fault for that outbreak rested with the local government-run school district – not the agency,” we wrote.
In other words Templeton needed to get ahead of the Ebola issue … which she’s now done.
Some critics have argued Templeton’s experiment was a “publicity stunt.” There’s even been some grumbling coming out of S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley‘s office – which is incredibly sensitive to any positive press Templeton receives.
Templeton’s allies at SCDHEC are quick to defend their boss, though. Specifically, they say she’s been doing loads of unsung grunt work in helping the state get ready for Ebola.
“She’s spent the last 72 hours on the phone making sure our first contact health alert notification system is ready to handle a potential public health emergency,” one employee told us. “She didn’t staff it out, she did it herself.”
Seems to be a recurring theme with this ex-labor lawyer turned touted political prospect …
72 comments
I have gained a whole new respect for this woman. Seriously. She understands the need to be prepared for Ebola unlike the CDC director.
Yeah. She is going to understand the iron fist of the law. And soon. The woman violated more federal medical related laws than you have fingers. You do not do this kind of shit when in a position like she was given by Haley. This woman is a real dumbass.
(thinks there is a “federal medical law” regarding reporting symptoms to doctors)
( thinks he knows everything when he doesn’t)
(desperately googled “federal medical laws,” found nothing)
(failed the real bar exam)
( since his sex change, always complaining to Nikki about his sore vagina )
I believe that DHEC is allowed to inspect medical facilities for compliance with policy and procedures set by DHEC and other agencies. As the director I’m sure she is allowed to conduct inspections though she doesn’t likely do it often.
You don’t know what the law says, do you.
(federal medical law expert)
( black man who has an afro comb)
(fucktard with anal pains)
Fucktard is so 2005.
(booger picker with finger in ass)
I wonder who paid for the time she wasted of the doctors and nurses?
Why did she go to Charleston hospitals? I thought she worked in Columbia.The real test would have been to go to rural clinics.
She lives in Charleston. Remember how mad Fits was that she was living in Charleston and telecommuting to columbia?
I knew that. I was just attempting to act I didn’t to point out some of her hypocrisy.
Can the press get state parking info the way they did on Mark Hammond?
She fucked up royally.
Exactly.Being praised for perpetrating a fraud is a real Fits treat this morning.
(thinks testing whether hospitals are prepared to treat ebola patients is a waste of time for doctors and nurses)
(thinks sex with animals is a constitutional right)
(he typed, believing himself a clever fellow)
A farmer asked a friend to recommend an attorney to defend him against a charge of bestiality. “I know a great trial lawyer, “the fellow said, “but he’s expensive and doesn’t know how to pick a good jury. I know another lawyer,” he
continued, “who’s not a great trial lawyer, but he’s cheap and really knows how to pick a jury.”
The farmer settled on the cheap attorney, but immediately had second thoughts when the key witness, a neighbor, began his testimony. “I saw Jed mount his goat from behind,” he said, “and when he was finished, I saw the goat turn around and lick Jed’s pecker.”
The accused farmer was devastated and had all but given up hope of acquittal when a juror in overalls whispered to the fellow next to him, “You know, a good goat will do that.”
The next time I’m on a plane I should tell everyone I have a bomb…you know, just to test out our homeland security.
(thinks the TSA doesn’t try to sneak fake bombs onto planes to test security protocols)
(thinks wasting doctors, nurses, and hospitals admins time for a cheap political stunt is an OK thing to do)
(thinks ensuring hospitals are ready to handle a deadly and highly contagious disease is a political stunt)
Ensuring is a trully valid point.
However, anything this woman does is a “political stunt”.
If her political stunt makes doctors in SC realize they need to be looking for ebola and/or evaluate their ebola treatment protocols, then I don’t care what it’s called.
I bet they had no idea they needed to do that otherwise.
The Presbyterian Hospital staff in Dallas knew to do otherwise too.
I put more faith in the medical profession than I do a politician.
-Thomas Duncan, 1972-2014
I wonder if the trial lawyer agency head fraudulently used her state health benefits to pay for the visits and who the hell will reimburse the state for a medically unnecessary evaluations?
Not to mention that she was taking their time away from treating people who were having actual medical emergencies in the ER.
Treatment is supportive therapy and the experimental drug. To say there is no treatment is incorrect. There is no cure, however.
Unless we implement some quarantines and restrictions against people in the countries from which this disease originated, will can not stop this disease. Our open borders, our lax passport and visa control, and the Obama administration’s lack of being able to handle any crisis will put us in a vulnerable situation.
Publicity Stunt …. *Yawns* … more boring news.
And yet she, still allows infectious hospital waste be spread on farm fields where your food is grown.
Templeton does know about SC’s sludge problem, and even in face of potential massive disease outbreak risks, she does nothing.
How brilliant is that?
And lets not forget the PCB sluidge problem, sucking the Edisto dry, the pelion septage problem, the lee county landfill, the certificate of need defund/disolvement of deperatment – which broke state law by the way. The TB fiasco where she fired a nurse that warned the department was an amazing “deflection” move. Templeton even went so far as to try to transfer rural headwater protection money to a city waste treatment plant…..just wow.
So, I would be very careful in praising a snake.
To quote a popular movie: ” Once upon a time, a woman was picking up firewood. She came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took the snake home and nursed it back to health. One day the snake bit her on the cheek. As she lay dying, she asked the snake, “Why have you done this to me?” And the snake answered, “Look, bitch, you knew I was a snake.””
Ms Templeton is the black mamba of sc politics – you heard it here first Folks.
I think you’re bitter. I approve of her work, even though I have it all under control and there’s nothing to worry about.
“those 500 permits left in expired status under her watch”
I’ll bet no one was more surprised than her to hear of them. Do you really think her managers had let her know before the FOI?
key words “her managers”.
She was in charge a full 7 months prior to this being exposed, and second – “her managers” reported to whom?
Templeton had plenty of time to get the lay of the land – instead, she played politics.
It was much more important to her to be “remote” in Charleston than to actually visit with “her managers” in Columbia. Perhaps if she hadn’t been missing in action at Bull St, maybe she would have figured out before the public did that certain parts of this agency were a fraud.
Then to add insult to injury, Ms. Templeton has *MUCH* more ready access to data and information than the public will ever have.
The excuse of blaming the ole Earl doesnt fly.
“certain parts of this agency were a fraud”
Can’t disagree there. But do you think she hired THEM?
Nope, they were there all along.
No – and she is well within her right to fire them.
But she didn’t.
The rank and file that purported this fraud still have jobs at dhec – 99.9999% of them doing the same job as before.
Templeton can and should fire them….but she didnt and probably wont.
Your argument again goes up as smoke.
You show why your type can’t win. You can’t find the right target. Target the long-standing fraud, not the come-lately director.
Understand that the buck stops at the top. Employment is controlled by Templeton. She could fix the problem from her office. Too, she sets the policy for the agency. Policy interprets the regulations. And regulations interpret the law. Everything points back to Templeton.
But nice – attack the person, not the problem =) In other countries the people stand together against tyranny. Not so in your case…..
Your attack on the person shows you are part of the american tradition of standing apart and ridiculing those who defend themselves against the tyrants.
We continue on the path we are on in sc and the air will be too polluted to breathe and water to toxic to drink. I pray you dont have children that will inherit the world your type creates.
So, please do continue your nonsense and attack those who see the this government for what they are: thugs controlled by corporations. I hope your remaining days are filled with the same environmental conditions found in china.
“attack the person, not the problem”
TOO funny. That is exactly what you do with her . . . and apparently with me.
You and your congeners will continue to fail, fail to change anything no matter how plainly needed, fail because you somehow can not aim at the most critical targets.
Polluters love your type: make a lot of noise and feel good, but lose. SC needs better. Better agency personnel . . . and better environmental activists.
But we have you! Not bad aim, not bad firepower, but poor selection of target. Play to win.
Seems like the name Catherine Templeton would have registered with some lucid, tuned in healthcare professional. She’s only the director of the agency charged with monitoring these healthcare providers. It’s a bit like Julia Pierson trying to slip through security at the White House, before her resignation of course.
But she did wear clothes from Walmart.
I don’t know…….those morons keep falling for James O’Keeffe sting videos.
I’m Eric Holder, I came to vote but I forgot my picture ID. That’s ok, just sign here.
Jimmy Hoffa still votes in about 23 states.
And I am QUITE sure she made All the media aware of this op.
Wonder if they performed a blood-alcohol test?
A director for a State Agency engaging in this when a lower lesser paid DHEC entity out of the Charleston Office could have done the same exact thing. Let me guess … She also drove in a state car from Columbia to spend the weekend there – or drove her own car and claims the same as an official expense ….. Lies to health care workers … fills out forms mandated by law and commits perjury on the same.
.
Sting operation or not. The woman outright and willfully lied. The hospitals can do there own testing for readiness. The woman BROKE the law. She did it for a political stunt. She better resign before the wolves come out to rip her to shreds.
.
What a dumbass idiot she is.
And, and . . . she came in the wrong door!!
What a loon.
The only reason Will is calling this stunt brilliant is because he’d like to take Mrs. Templeton to pound town.
You think he is flapping the flounder thinking about her?
It’s clown on clown violence!
Rumor floating around Charleston that a faint smell of alcohol was detected on her breath at the first hospital she visited.
Smart move. This lady has it all over Naughty Nikki. Bet she’s pissed.
She better be glad she didn’t describe those symptoms to me. She would have got a breast exam and a PAP smear.
A concerned young lady complains to her gynecologist, “Whenever I take off my clothes my nipples get real hard, and so sensitive they’re almost painful.”
“That’s a little unusual,” he said. “Get undressed and I’ll check you out.”
The doctor began to examine her breasts and nipples. After a considerable time touching and observing, the doctor still looked puzzled. “Well, I don’t know what you have,” he finally said, “but it’s contagious!”
If you get the last comment,do you win?
No
Brilliant? Go to a hospital in SC complaining of flu-like symptoms and they are supposed to think Ebola and not the flu? Was she wearing her I love Africa shirt and complaining of the long flight from Liberia to Charleston?
I’ll take what is a political stunt for $1,000 Alex.
Very disappointed in you here, Will. Her “move” was a cheap artifice. So you remember how you failed to see the danger in the coming weeks.
She’s a stupid person acting like a Democrat just to get attention. This is a worst move for anyone to do to this city and State. She needs to be fired NOW and change this ignorant move NOW!!! What a Obama Fan. She as dummy as they come. FIRE HER AND PUT SOMEONE IN HER PLACE THAT CAN PROTECT US!!!! GARY
This is a ignorant move. This is what all Democrats do politic moves. This stupid B–ch is putting all SC people in grave danger just for the attention for herself. She needs to be fired NOW before it too late. And get some one in her place that can protect SC from this dam decease, Gary
What gives her the right to endanger all of us here in the SC just so she can be recognized more,, from her past record, she has no right to do us this way. She needs to be fired now and some one put in her place that will protect us from this horrible disease. Gary
The real test will be when the first case gets to SC and it will. I guarantee she won’t be anywhere near any hospital. She’ll be holed up in her ocean side $1.3 million house letting her faithful employees take care of it. she’s the biggest fraud ever!