So it wasn’t only Phoenix where Obama’s #VAscandal actually let veterans die. It was South Carolina too! Of course the classless Obama regime referred to those who died in South Carolina waiting for GI care as ‘expired.’ Below is an excerpt from the report posted at Gateway Pundit:
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| Obama OMB Officials knew about veteran deaths in South Carolina #VAScandal |
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Report No. 12-04631-313
Healthcare Inspection
Gastroenterology Consult Delays
William Jennings Bryan Dorn
VA Medical Center
Columbia, South Carolina
September 6, 2013Executive Summary
The VA Office of Inspector General Office of Healthcare Inspections conducted a review to evaluate policies and practices related to gastroenterology (GI) consult and resource management at the William Jennings Bryan (WJB) Dorn VA Medical Center (the facility) in Columbia, SC. The purpose of the review was to determine whether deficient practices contributed to or caused delays in care, and whether facility leaders appropriately addressed clinical managers’ concerns.
We substantiated the allegations and found additional factors that contributed to the events. Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) and facility leaders became aware of the GI consult backlog in July 2011 involving 2,500 delayed consults, 700 of them “critical.” A funding request was made at that time and the VISN awarded the facility $1.02M for fee colonoscopies in September 2011. However, facility leaders did not assure that a structure for tracking and accountability was in place and by December, the backlog stood at 3,800 delayed GI consults. The facility developed an action plan in January 2012 but had difficulty making progress in reducing the backlog. An adverse event in May 2012 prompted facility leaders to re-evaluate the GI situation, and facility, VISN, and Veterans Health Administration leaders aggressively pursued elimination of the backlog. This was essentially accomplished by late October 2012. However, during the review “look-back” period, 280 patients were diagnosed with GI malignancies, 52 of which had been associated with a delay in diagnosis and treatment. The facility completed 19 institutional disclosures and 3 second-level reviews are still pending. As of May 2013, nine patients and/or their families had filed lawsuits.
A confluence of factors contributed to the GI delays and hampered efforts to improve the condition. Specifically, the facility’s Planning Council did not have a supportive structure; Nursing Service did not hire GI nurses timely; the availability of Fee Basis care had been reduced; low-risk patients were being referred for screening colonoscopies, thus increasing demand; staff members did not consistently and correctly use the consult management reporting and tracking systems; critical VISN and facility leadership positions were filled by a series of managers who often had collateral duties and differing priorities; and Quality Management was not included in discussions about the GI backlogs.
The GI consult backlog has been the subject of multiple reviews and recommendations, and overall, the conditions have improved and the GI backlog has resolved. However, continued vigilance is needed to ensure that the conditions do not recur. We recommended that the VISN, in accordance with the Administrative Investigative Board conclusions and recommendations, take appropriate action in relationship to facility leadership deficits contributing to the GI consult backlog.
The VISN Director concurred with our recommendation and provided an acceptable action plan. (See Appendixes A, pages 15–17 for the Director’s comments.) We will follow up on the planned actions until they are completed.
JOHN D. DAIGH, JR., M.D.
Assistant Inspector General for Healthcare Inspections