Department of Veterans Affairs: Difference between revisions

In May 2014, critics of the VA system reported problems with scheduling timely access to medical care. In May 2014, a retired doctor said that veterans died because of delays in getting care at the Phoenix, Arizona, Veterans Health Administration facilities.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bronstein |first1=Scott |last2=Griffin |first2=Drew |title=A fatal wait: Veterans languish and die on a VA hospital's secret list |url=http://www.cnn.net/2014/04/23/health/veterans-dying-health-care-delays/ |work=CNN|access-date=May 31, 2014 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Obama vows action on any VA 'misconduct' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-27508745 |work=BBC News |access-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref> An investigation of delays in treatment in the Veterans Health Administration system conducted by the Veterans Affairs Inspector General of 3,409 veteran patients found that there were 28 instances of clinically significant delays in care associated with access or scheduling. Of these 28 patients, six were deceased.<ref name="VAOIG-14-02603-267">{{cite report |date=August 26, 2014 |title=Review of Alleged Patient Deaths, Patient Wait Times, and Scheduling Practices at the Phoenix VA Health Care System |url=https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-14-02603-267.pdf |publisher=VA Office of Inspector General |page=1 |docket=14-02603-267 |access-date=May 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213013857/https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-14-02603-267.pdf |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |quote=OIG examined the Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and other information for the 3,409 veteran patients and identified 28 instances of clinically significant delays in care associated with access or scheduling. Of these 28 patients, 6 were deceased. In addition, we identified 17 cases of care deficiencies that were unrelated to access or scheduling. We also found problems with access to care for patients requiring Urology Services. As a result, Urology Services at PVAHCS will be the subject of a subsequent report. The 45 cases discussed in this report reflect unacceptable and troubling lapses in followup, coordination, quality, and continuity of care. The VA OIG Office of Investigations opened investigations at 93 sites of care in response to allegations of wait time manipulations. While most are still ongoing, these investigations confirmed wait time manipulations were prevalent throughout VHA.}}</ref> The same OIG report stated that the Office of Investigations had opened investigations at 93 sites of care in response to allegations of wait time manipulations, and found that wait time manipulations were prevalent throughout the VHA. On May 30, 2014, [[Secretary of Veterans Affairs]] [[Eric Shinseki]] resigned from office due to the fallout from the scandal,<ref>{{cite news |title=Veterans Secretary Eric Shinseki resigns after report |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-27640375 |work=BBC News |access-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref> saying he could not explain the lack of integrity among some leaders in VA healthcare facilities. "That breach of integrity is irresponsible, it is indefensible, and unacceptable to me. I said when this situation began weeks to months ago that I thought the problem was limited and isolated because I believed that. I no longer believe it. It is systemic. I was too trusting of some and I accepted as accurate reports that I now know to have been misleading with regard to patient wait-times," Shinseki said in a statement.<ref name="ShinsekiStatement">{{cite news |title=US president accepts with 'regret' Veterans Affairs chief's resignation |url=http://www.chicagochronicle.com/index.php/sid/222467197/scat/b8de8e630faf3631/ht/US-president-accepts-with-regret-Veterans-Affairs-chiefs-resignation |access-date=May 31, 2014 |newspaper=Chicago Chronicle |archive-date=May 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531144235/http://www.chicagochronicle.com/index.php/sid/222467197/scat/b8de8e630faf3631/ht/US-president-accepts-with-regret-Veterans-Affairs-chiefs-resignation |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Paloaltoveteransaffairshospital.jpg|thumb|VA Medical Center in [[Palo Alto, California]]]]