The Virginian-Pilot
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Sen. Jim Webb is asking the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to examine the quality of health care services being provided veterans at the Hampton VA Medical Center.
In a letter Monday to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, Webb wrote that since January 2007, his staff has received 149 complaints about the Hampton center from patients or their spouses. The allegations range from abusive patient treatment to wrongful death.
The Virginia Democrat also cited two critical reviews of the center over the past year by the VA inspector general and several news reports that raised concerns about the level of care provided there.
One inspector general's report, issued in September 2008, found the Hampton facility out of compliance with a number of VA policies and guidelines. Among the areas of deficiency were suicide-risk hazards in the locked mental health unit and improperly maintained "clean rooms" where sterile intravenous medications are prepared.
Another inspector general's report, issued last month, found the center at fault after a doctor there failed to diagnose a patient's stroke, leaving him permanently disabled. The investigation also found that the vet's medical record contained lab results from another patient and that the medical center staff turned a deaf ear to his repeated complaints in the weeks afterward.
"I am aware that the vast majority of the staff at the center is dedicated, hardworking and committed to veterans' healthcare," Webb wrote. Nevertheless, he wrote, the complaints, media accounts and critical reports "are a source of great concern."
The Hampton center serves a population of more than 200,000 veterans in eastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. A new director, Deanne Seekins, took over in July.
In a statement Wednesday, Seekins said she and her staff "take the concerns of all our veterans very seriously and will continue to do all we can to ensure we provide the best quality care possible."
With an average of more than 400,000 outpatient visits per year, Seekins said, "it would be unrealistic to be complaint free."
She said the center has made great strides in the past few years, now ranking fifth in quality of health care among the 34 Level 2 VA medical centers across the country.
She also said her staff tracks and measures all complaints, and the center's customer satisfaction scores continue to climb.
Bill Sizemore, (757) 446-2276, bill.sizemore@pilotonline.com
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Solutions and results are needed not excuses.
Currently at the Hampton VA Medical Center there exists poor customer service, insufficient staff to handle the case load of patients and inflexibility of hours. If senior leadership took the initiative to correct what is wrong instead of deflection that would be a start. Instead the director is pointing to their successes and not taking responsibility for what is actually wrong. If there is money to hire providers (per President Obama’s directive) then why is this center understaffed? Maybe adjust the hours and have the providers work four, ten hour days. This would allow patients greater access to appointments (i.e. extra 2 hours each day). Perhaps the new Director, who took over in July, should spend more time in the Lobby talking with Veterans and watching what is actually happening. Or maybe ask her providers on the fronts lines what are some possible solutions.
Isolated instance?
Maybe the Pilot is all you read but if expand your research paremeters maybe you will see there is nothing isolated about government run health care.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/04/AR2007030401394.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/health/21radiation.html
http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/va-hospital-problems-to-be-examined-4222/#
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003750311_pugetsoundva16m.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-21-va-review_N.htm
This is just a small sample of exposes on the dire care, treatment, sanitary and saftey issues to be found at VA hospitals across the country.
Isolated instance? Really? This is what you want for your loved ones? Really?
I hope this investigation results in meaningful changes,
and is not just more grandstanding by Jim (If I don't get my way, I'll quit) Webb. I've had bad experiences at that hospital and an attitude of "We're entrenched in these jobs and you can't do anything about it" seems to permeate many (not all) of the employees. The upper echelons either don't see it or choose not to make waves. When a VIP walks in the door, all is sparkling clean, shiny, and cheerful. At most other times ... not so much. How many Secretaries of Veterans Affairs have come and gone and nothing's changed? Some kind of unannounced "undercover" or "secret shopper" look would reveal what REALLY goes on over there on a day-to-day basis.
hope this investigation results in meaningful changes,
I say "Amen" to that...I agree 100%.
JMM
Why investigate?
We will all have this type of care soon when the democrats you morons elected vote in ObamaCare. Ya thinking with your Dipstick again Jimmy!!
It's about time . . .
It's about time the Hampton VA hospital was investigated. I've heard case after case of problems over there - and nothing being done to solve them. Our retired and disabled military personnel definitely deserve better care than what they have been getting from that facility.
It's about time . . .
Mark, you are correct...And that's why I kept fighting! No vet should ever experience this type of medical care! If it wasn't for the writer of this story, (Bill Sizemore) I would never have got my story out.
J. Morgan
Good grief! Read the article before you start slinging mud.
People who comment here would find some way to blame President Obama for a pothole on Battlefield Blvd.
This problem at VA Hampton sounds serious and should be fixed at once. But the other comments make it clear that this is in all likelihood an isolated problem. Even Senator Webb noted that the vast majority of people working at VA Hampton are doing good work.
Decades of starvation funding made the VA the poster child for dysfunction. Dedicated vets, legislators and public servants like Max Cleland changed that. Now it's one of the best run (not to mention largest) and most cost-efficient health systems in the nation. (Among other things, the VA negotiated the lowest prescription costs of any health system in the country, something George Bush prohibited Medicare from doing. Maybe next time you see him you can ask why he gave that multi-billion dollar gift to the pharmaceutical industry.)
Say what?
"People who comment here would find some way to blame President Obama for a pothole on Battlefield Blvd."
"People who comment here would find some way to blame President Bush for a pothole on Battlefield Blvd."
Pointless statements, don't you agree? Neither of them can fix the pothole. Yet most of the people fall into one of those two thoughts. The remainder fall into simple apathy, as in, "who cares, I do not drive Battlefield Blvd, so why care about their pothole problems?"
How bout we stop looking for something to blame, and start fixing the many "potholes" in this country. The first pothole to be fixed is our attitude toward our Country, and each other. Our Country is the greatest in the world, and we should embrace that thought. We work on things with this attitude: My Country First and foremost. Aint hard, been doing it my whole adult life.
Here's hope....I hope this isn't just vote pandering.
God bless him for doing something for our Vets; however,if he actually cares and this is not just vote pandering.....why would he want this kind of health care for all of us?