Rohan: VA covering up mistakes, malpracticies 'unconscionable'
USA TODAY has released a story
on its investigation revealing that for years the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs concealed mistakes and misdeeds by staff members
entrusted with caring for veterans.
In
some cases, agency managers do not report troubled practitioners to the
National Practitioner Data Bank, making it easier for them to keep
working with patients elsewhere. The agency also failed to ensure VA
hospitals reported disciplined providers to state licensing boards.
American
Legion National Commander Denise Rohan issued the following statement
in response to the issues raised in USA Today’s story:
“It
is unconscionable that VA staff would cover up mistakes or malpractice
by VA clinicians. This is exactly why The American Legion pressed
Congress to provide the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs
increased authorities to protect whistleblowers and hold medical
providers and staff accountable for their performance. We are very
concerned about the lack of transparency in these cases and the reports
that poorly performing medical providers were not reported to the
National Practitioner Data Bank. We are encouraged that Secretary
Shulkin ordered all future settlement deals with employees involving
payments over $5,000 be approved by top department level officials, and
call on the VA to review and enforce their policy of reporting providers
to the National Practitioner Data Bank.”
