Ward, Antonovich Criticize Each Other on Olive View

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich and his political opponent, Baxter Ward, criticized each other’s handling of Olive View Medical Center during an Encino debate Tuesday.

Antonovich accused Ward of allowing the damaged medical center in Sylmar to remain an “empty hulk of rusted steel” during his 8 years as supervisor, from 1972 to 1980. The medical center, destroyed by an earthquake in 1971, was reopened after much fanfare last year.

“We got Olive View Hospital rebuilt--open--so today it is an integral part of UCLA’s school of medicine, teaching doctors to be better physicians, to serve . . . children, seniors and others,” Antonovich said.

Ward did not respond to Antonovich’s allegation. Instead, he criticized Antonovich for not interceding when an employee at Olive View was permanently laid off Monday after complaining to superiors about questionable practices involving X-ray equipment use at county clinics.

“I think if a whistle-blower brings you information you should respond to it,” Ward told members of the Encino Chamber of Commerce. “You cannot allow the county to be defrauded or outrages to go on, or taxpayers bilked without doing something about it.”

The employee, Reuven Zach, a medical radiation physicist, informed Antonovich in a letter Sept. 23 that public health clinics have been using expired film in X-ray machines because the new film had disappeared. He also told county health officials that hundreds of patients were being overradiated.

Health officials said Zach, a 4-year employee, was laid off to save money. He was the second whistle-blower within the Health Department to be let go in less than a week.

Antonovich did not answer Ward’s allegation. An Antonovich spokesman Monday said his office is investigating Zach’s claims.

At the debate, however, Antonovich took credit for the existence of the county’s hot line set up to field calls from county employees who suspect graft or corruption.

But Ward contended that Zach’s case illustrates that the system does not work.

“He made the mistake of accepting Mr. Antonovich’s invitation,” Ward said of Zach. “He didn’t just call. He wrote a letter dated Sept. 23 of this year complaining to Mr. Antonovich.”