The GAO has found that the VA is not properly reporting potentially dangerous medical providers, exposing veterans and others to malpractice.
The burdens of war can leave veterans emotionally and physically scarred for life. The Veteran Affairs department is supposed to ensure that veterans are properly cared for once their service is complete. Among the major duties of the VA is providing healthcare services to those who were injured during their service. The realities of war mean that many are indeed injured.
The VA has been found to be covering up for substandard healthcare practitioners. Rather than reporting doctors for practice short-comings, the VA has turned a blind eye.
Even after extensive efforts to overhaul the VA in the wake of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the government agency continues to struggle to meet its obligations to America’s veterans. Both the Bush and Obama administrations have strived to overhaul the VA. While some conditions have improved, problems remain.
Now, the VA has been found to be covering up for substandard healthcare practitioners. Rather than reporting doctors for practice shortcomings, the VA has turned a blind eye. As a result, patients within and outside of the VA have been exposed to shoddy care. The substandard care has resulted in unnecessary amputations, unneeded surgeries, and other serious issues.
Doctors make mistakes. However, some doctors make more mistakes than others. After mistakes are made, reviews are supposed to be conducted. If negligence is observed, medical boards may choose to revoke a license or take other measures to ensure patient health.
However, the VA’s failure to escalate and report problematic medical practitioners has allowed many potentially dangerous healthcare providers to continue treating patients unchecked. The GAO has found that as many as 90% of potentially dangerous doctors went unreported.
The GAO’s report was based on a sampling of five hospitals since 2014. “Only” 9 healthcare workers were found to have been potentially dangerous. However, with the VA running over 150 healthcare facilities, this means that dozens or even hundreds of substandard healthcare practitioners may have slipped through the cracks.
USA Today First Broke Story of VA Misdeeds
The most recent scandal-level crisis broke in October when USA Today released a huge investigative story suggesting that the VA failed to report potentially dangerous medical providers. In fact, USA Today alleged that the VA was actually complicit in covering up “shoddy care and health workers’ mistakes.”
“The VA — the nation’s largest employer of healthcare workers — has for years concealed mistakes and misdeeds by staff members entrusted with the care of veterans.” -USA Today
USA Today found that one doctor, Thomas Franchini, botched as many as 88 cases. His failure to deliver proper care caused harm to countless veterans. Yet rather than reporting Franchini to proper medical boards that could review his license, the VA let Franchini quietly retire to private practice.
With both the Bush and Obama administrations having failed to overhaul the VA, it’s up to the Trump administration. President Trump has promised to take care of veterans. However, the ongoing chaos in Washington will make reform hard to come by.
