VA hospital deaths (in N.C.) spark call for review

[stonebone]

U.S. Rep. Mel Watt called Friday for a review of "suspicious deaths" at the Charlotte area's main veterans' hospital after learning of a federal report that concluded some surgical care was "marginal at best."

Two other N.C. members of Congress said they were disturbed by the report and will talk with House colleagues about how to proceed.

The 2005 report, obtained this week by the Observer, found doctors and nurses at the Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury were poorly trained, cut corners on treatment, manipulated records and didn't talk enough with patients and families.

.......

The report details the results of an on-site, four-day inspection by the Office of the Medical Inspector, prompted by an anonymous tip about 12 "suspicious deaths."

The report focused on the plight of two patients: Carrol Edward Minish of Conover, who died after having a toe surgically removed, and Robert Edward Lashmit of Lexington, who died of liver failure that had gone undetected. The report doesn't account for the other 10 reported deaths.



http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/46418.html

[Monkeyman]

1. Its getting worse

[Supersedeas]

4. or its just getting attention -- the support the troops lie is being exposed

[supernova]

2. The VAs have been in decline

for a long time now. Decades really. And you know who only cares about them? The veterans that's who. My dad who passed away in 1995 was WWII vet and belonged to the DAV. The magazine that came every month was really nothing but a magazine-long commercial about how to improve services and quality of care at the VAs.

It's sad really. But I hope that now the general population is getting a good eyeful that these medical centers will be better staffed and the QoC will improve.

[pecwae]

3. You are exactly right.

I've on both sides of the system, as a patient and an employee for 12 years. The care is substandard, period. It's worse for those vets who cannot or are afraid to speak up for themselves.

[undergroundrailroad]

6. Very well said. Many Viet Nam vets are still being inadequately cared for.

:hi: SN

[ncrainbowgrrl]

5. kick

looks like walter reed's just the tip of the iceberg,eh?