Veterans Affairs Watchdog: Health-Care Scheduling Delays Not Fatal
Inspector General Finds Widespread Scheduling Problems at Phoenix VA But Can't Tie to Deaths
By Ben Kesling, WSJ
Aug. 26, 2014 2:24 p.m. ET
The Department of Veterans Affairs' independent watchdog said no patient deaths at the Phoenix VA Health Care System were directly caused by long wait times, in a final report that nevertheless detailed widespread scheduling problems there.
The Office of the Inspector General for the department released the report Tuesday, following months of turmoil at the agency, multiple investigations and a number of resignations, including by Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. Much of the attention on the agency was triggered by claims that patients died because of long wait times that department employees didn't properly track.
"While the case reviews in this report document poor quality of care, we are unable to conclusively assert that the absence of timely quality care caused the death of these veterans," the inspector-general report said. The document, however, noted that 28 patients had "clinically significant" delays in care due to scheduling problems or poor access to care.
The report was issued as the White House was focused Tuesday on veterans. President Barack Obama spoke at the national convention of the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans service organization, which has been a vocal critic of VA problems.
(More here.)
By Ben Kesling, WSJ
Aug. 26, 2014 2:24 p.m. ET
The Department of Veterans Affairs' independent watchdog said no patient deaths at the Phoenix VA Health Care System were directly caused by long wait times, in a final report that nevertheless detailed widespread scheduling problems there.
The Office of the Inspector General for the department released the report Tuesday, following months of turmoil at the agency, multiple investigations and a number of resignations, including by Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. Much of the attention on the agency was triggered by claims that patients died because of long wait times that department employees didn't properly track.
"While the case reviews in this report document poor quality of care, we are unable to conclusively assert that the absence of timely quality care caused the death of these veterans," the inspector-general report said. The document, however, noted that 28 patients had "clinically significant" delays in care due to scheduling problems or poor access to care.
The report was issued as the White House was focused Tuesday on veterans. President Barack Obama spoke at the national convention of the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans service organization, which has been a vocal critic of VA problems.
(More here.)
Powered by Blogger
1 Comments:
On an unrelated note, did you see 99.7% of the information provided to insurance exchanges by the IRS to determine eligibility for subsidies was accurate (according to a glowing audit released Aug. 5 by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.)
Funny, I haven't seen any tweets or press releases from Erik Paulsen or John Kline acknowledging that their complaints of vast incompetence by DHS has not been proven.
Post a Comment
<< Home