Will the Phoenix VA hospitals former director Sharon Helman be held accountable?

[bigjim]

Read it earlier, not surprised, just aggravated and somewhat disappointed.

[Cyberdave]

Somewhat? I am disgusted by the whole thing. Nothing will change because the responsible parties are too high up to be touched. The odd thing is, you could say it's a tradition in this country.

[skp51443]

As my recruiter told me in 1972, "Son if you think fighting the Viet Cong is tough just wait until you get home and start fighting the VA."

 

I got lucky and missed the Viet Cong but my battles with the VA (over a typo where they had the original hand written copy next to it on the microfiche) took five years and a final appeal to the Board of Veteran's Appeals to finally be resolved.

 

Talking to current wounded veterans today tells me that if anything things have gotten worse and not just in Phoenix.

[bigjim]

"Somewhat" because I have grown too used to it. The ultimate responsible parties in my view are the elected ones. Sorry, I was wrong, it is the voters who do the electing.

 

BTW keep in mind it is always the other political parties or president who is at fault. At least that is what they want us to think so we will be distracted. ( I think that is called tactics) So lets all just play along and call each other names and think the other guy doesn't ever have any valid points since we are all good soldiers. (Sarcasm-just in case some didn't catch it)

[Cyberdave]

"Somewhat" because I have grown too used to it. The ultimate responsible parties in my view are the elected ones. Sorry, I was wrong, it is the voters who do the electing.

 

BTW keep in mind it is always the other political parties or president who is at fault. At least that is what they want us to think so we will be distracted. ( I think that is called tactics) So lets all just play along and call each other names and think the other guy doesn't ever have any valid points since we are all good soldiers. (Sarcasm-just in case some didn't catch it)

 

Oh, I was agreeing with you.... just emphasizing the point I reckon. You are correct, it's always the other guy's fault. The VA has been broken for many years some say it was broken from the beginning.

[bigjim]

I did actually get what you meant when you quouted my "somewhat". Is that irony or whatever it is called? I just get kind of frustrated with it all sometimes and it takes a while to wear it away. I had something like that happen in a medical setting on Dec 17 and it wasn't even in a VA setting. I actually got good care it was some of the other patients that got my goat a little. OK alot. Oh course I was able to hold my tongue and not stir up a fuss, and if you believe that I have some swampland for sale.

[Cyberdave]

And Helman's web is slowly unraveling..

 

From an article on military dot com;

 

In October 2013, little more than eight months into her job as director of the veterans’ healthcare center in Phoenix, Sharon Helman went looking for a job with the health care giant Kaiser Permanent.

Media reports that would place Helman at the center of a scandal involving veterans being placed on secret wait lists were still six months away, but some lawmakers already were making inquiries.

In September 2013, a month before Helman interviewed for a job as chief operations officer for the Santa Clara Medical Center in California, Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, told the Veterans Affairs Department he wanted an inspector general investigation into veteran suicides and the “confusing and confidential nature” of the electronic waitlist at the Phoenix facility.

Helman’s job interview and the travel reimbursement she received for it are detailed in the Merit Systems Protection Board report that upheld her firing by the VA.

McCain’s call for an investigation was in response to a letter from Dr. Katherine Mitchell, who had been raising concerns about the hospital with Helman almost from the day she began as director. Within weeks of the senator’s request, Helman placed Mitchell on administrative leave over allegations Mitchell had “inappropriate access” to veterans charts.

 

You can read the rest of the article here http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/01/04/ex-phoenix-va-boss-sought-new-job-as-investigation-loomed.html?ESRC=airforce-a.nl

 

[skp51443]

An update to my previous post, it looks like there is some good news on the new members

 

Cleaning house, the troublemakers (not the criminals) must go!

 

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/investigations/2015/01/16/va-revamps-gulf-war-illness-advisory-committee/21904301/

 

 

Veterans' advocates were encouraged Friday by the addition of four new members to the Department of Veterans Affairs' Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses.

The closely watched committee proposes and reviews research on veteran health issues associated with the first Gulf War. The committee's recommendations are expected to set the course for treatment and compensation for as many as 250,000 troops who served in the war in Kuwait and Iraq in 1990 and 1991.

The new appointees: Stephen L. Hauser, chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco; Ronnie D. Horner, professor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina; Frances E. Perez-Wilhite, a former Army officer who served during the Gulf War; and Scott S. Young, a former Navy flight surgeon who served during the war and now heads Kaiser Permanente's Care Management Institute.

 

 

Phoenix Gulf War veteran and former Navy corpsman Matthew Key, 46, said he was particularly pleased that the VA has now put Gulf War vets on the panel.

"That's fantastic having brothers on our side who know, because I know what happened and what we were exposed to," he said.

The new members will bring a fresh perspective to the committee, McDonald said. "We will continue to invest in research to understand and treat Gulf War Veterans' illnesses," he said in a written statement.

The VA also announced that it will begin to examine brain cancer among Gulf War veterans because of concerns that troops were exposed to chemical nerve agents during the war.

[Pieere]

Thanks for the update Stan! There has been so much corruption going on for so long it will most likely take a "clean sweep" and start anew! Very saddening indeed!

[skp51443]

It looks like some of the folks that were punished for exposing the crimes being committed are being given some compensation:

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/investigations/2015/01/21/va-settle-complaints-whistleblowers/22108555/

 

 

 

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs said Tuesday it is offering relief to more than two dozen employees who faced retaliation after filing whistle-blower complaints about wrongdoing at VA hospitals and clinics nationwide.

The actions follow settlements reached last year with three employees who reported widespread problems at the Phoenix VA hospital, including chronic delays for veterans seeking care and falsified waiting lists covering up the delays. The resulting uproar forced the ouster of former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and led to a new law overhauling the agency and making it easier to fire senior officials.

The latest actions offer relief to about 25 VA employees, including a doctor who was reprimanded and retired after reporting significant errors at a Maryland clinic, and a nurse manager in Washington state who was fired after refusing to alter a performance evaluation for a subordinate.

 

More at the link.

[skp51443]

We are making progress, over a week since the last big Phoenix VA scandal. Today the Phoenix VA brings us this story:

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/investigations/2015/01/29/inspector-general-rips-phoenix-va-urology-care/22532777/

 

Snips, read the whole thing at the link above:

 

 

Care for urology patients at the Phoenix VA medical center remains so flawed that veterans' lives are endangered, according to a stopgap report issued Wednesday by the Office of Inspector General to the Veterans Health Administration.

John Daigh, assistant inspector general, says in a memo that investigators visited the Phoenix VA hospital two weeks ago and discovered conditions that "could potentially be putting patients at risk." He told VA administrators the findings "require your immediate attention."

The OIG's interim report says the handling of clinical tests is so mismanaged that VA employees are six weeks behind in processing urgent, or STAT, requests. In addition, inspectors discovered the VA does not even have test results for more than a quarter of the patients getting urology care.

 

and

 

 

Inspectors found that the Urology Department is severely understaffed, that patient referrals to private care are delayed by bureaucratic confusion, and reviews of clinical test results are so far behind that the information "may remain unseen (thus unassessed) for several months."

Shortcomings in the Urology Department were among the most serious issues spotlighted by whistle-blowers nine months ago when the health-care crisis for veterans was first exposed at the Phoenix VA medical center. During much of 2014, the department had just one physician, and patients with potentially fatal conditions waited months for diagnoses and treatments.

 

Nine months after the whistle-blowers came forward and vets are still at risk of dying from lack of medical care.

[skp51443]

Some good news about an awful situation, good that is if it doesn't turn out to be just more eye-wash:

 

 

About 22 U.S. veterans commit suicide each day, according to VA data. That's roughly 100,000 since the 9/11 terrorist attacks — more than 14 times the total of American troops killed in action during the same period in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The devastating numbers prompted Congress to recently pass the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. It calls for the VA to issue annual reports and hire more psychiatrists in veterans hospitals. The bill was signed into law Thursday by President Barack Obama.

 

 

And now more bad news as more folks seek whistleblower status so they can safely come forward.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/investigations/2015/02/12/whistle-blowers-va-still-endangering-suicidal-vets/23336759/

 

Snip:

 

 

During the past eight months, roughly 1,000 military veterans with mental-health problems have shown up in the emergency room at Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix, sometimes intoxicated and potentially suicidal.

They were seeking treatment after closing time at the VA mental-health clinic and, according to hospital officials, most of them received suicide evaluations.

How those after-hours patients are handled has emerged as a new controversy at the scandal-plagued hospital. Two whistle-blowers claim patients and staff are being endangered. VA administrators insist they are doing what they can to ensure safety and security.

There is no dispute that, while awaiting care, some of the at-risk veterans simply decide to leave the ER and are able to walk out without evaluation or treatment.

 

still risky to talk about the issues but folks are stepping up.

 

 

Jacobson recently confirmed that the Suicide Prevention Team went at least eight months without a coordinator, in part because two candidates for the job bailed after being selected. He said an acting boss has been installed, but the VA is struggling to fill other mental-health positions.

In a Jan. 2 complaint, Coleman said troubled veterans are not getting timely evaluations or proper monitoring. The problem is most glaring with substance abusers who are in denial, he said. Such patients are referred to a non-VA program miles away, and offered a ride without monitoring.

"Unfortunately, when a vet presents (in the ER) under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and they deny being possibly homicidal or suicidal, they are for the most part on their own," Coleman said. "Substance abuse and being under the influence are huge risk factors to a vet committing suicide or accidentally hurting themselves by walking into traffic or leaving to be raped, robbed or murdered."

Coleman said after he became a whistle-blower he was placed on leave and notified of allegations that he had threatened another employee. He denied threatening anyone and said the suspension violates VA policies protecting employees who speak out against unsafe conditions.

McCain, in his letter to McDonald, referred to that issue. "I have heard from an increasing number of current and former VA employees who have shared similar fears of retaliation," he wrote. "Those facts suggest that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to face a systemic problem in its handling of whistle-blower complaints, as well as a culture that breeds retaliation and reprisal."

 

A long and disturbing article but it is worth reading.

 

The local paper is not going to give up on this story and deserves a lot of credit for what they have done so far so visit the link and read the full story so they know people are aware of their efforts.

 

More articles on the VA mess here: http://www.azcentral.com/politics/vahealthsystem/

[skp51443]

And now a reset as they find one of the investigators has a conflict of interest.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/investigations/2015/02/16/snafu-forces-va-reset-probe-top-phoenix-managers/23479453/

 

 

The Department of Veterans Affairs, which for months delayed an investigation of Phoenix VA hospital officials to ensure the probe was carried out properly, has seen its inquiry disrupted because national leaders appointed a key investigator who had a conflict of interest.

The Arizona Republic has confirmed that a snafu forced the VA to suspend its so-called Administrative Investigation Board, convened to review multiple misconduct allegations involving executives in the Phoenix VA Health Care System.

The Veterans Health Administration declined to explain what went wrong or who was to blame. In an e-mail, agency spokeswoman Jessica Jacobsen said the inquiry "continues and has not been terminated ... (but) we cannot comment on the ongoing investigation at this time."

 

A sad situation with the paper shufflers and scammers doing all they can to evade justice.

 

 

--------------

 

In a related note the reporter doing the articles I keep posting got some recognition for his rentless probing of all the smoke and mirrors the VA has deployed.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/investigations/2015/02/16/phoenix-va-coverage-polk-award-republic-wagner/23479671/

 

 

Arizona Republic reporter Dennis Wagner is a 2014 recipient of the Polk Award, one of the most prestigious in journalism, for his work exposing how Department of Veterans Affairs officials falsified appointment wait-time data for veterans, some of whom died awaiting care.

The Polk Awards honor special achievement in journalism. They "place a premium on investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results."

Fourteen were given this year, Wagner's for military reporting.

"His work inspired a VA physician to bring him evidence that administrators were under-reporting the wait time for care and pocketing bonuses based on the false data — a charade with deadly consequences since as many as 40 patients had died awaiting VA care in Phoenix," Long Island University, which gives the awards, said in its announcement Sunday.

It was Wagner's local story published April 10 that broke the national code of silence on internal corruption at the VA, exposing deceit so widespread that more than 90 separate VA facilities subsequently were investigated. Ensuing coverage forced the resignation of then-VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and inspired national legislation to expand veterans' access to timely treatment.

 

I think he deserves the award and the thanks of every service person or family member harmed by the VA in this latest round of corruption and coverup.

 

[bigjim]

Can we clone him for the rest of the VA's in this country.

[skp51443]

Another investigation and more problems.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/02/26/probe-finds-scheduling-issues-phoenix-va-center/24100561/

 

 

An internal Veterans Affairs investigation identified widespread deficiencies within the radiology department at the Phoenix VA hospital, according to a report issued Thursday.

The inquiry is the latest in a string of investigations at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center, which was the epicenter of a national scandal that enveloped the federal agency last year.

The latest investigation, which was handled by the VA Office of Inspector General, documented issues involving appointment scheduling, staffing and records storage at the 280-bed facility in central Phoenix.

The problems affected both inpatient and outpatient services, and cut a wide swath across imaging operations, including X-ray, magnetic resonance image or MRI, ultrasound and mammography services.

Investigators documented that:

-- Employees used a Microsoft Outlook calendar program for scheduling, a practice that breached VA security requirements.

-- Radiology clerks were locked out of the scheduling system, which caused radiology appointments to go missing from patients' appointment reminder lists.

-- Employees stored imaging files improperly, making them difficult to retrieve.

-- Administrators mismanaged clerical staffing, leaving gaps in coverage.

The report did not link the failures to any deaths or adverse health effects.

[skp51443]

The Phoenix problems never seem to end.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/investigations/2015/04/01/va-treatment-plan-closed-leader-blows-whistle/70792044/

 

 

Local VA officials shut down a specialized treatment program for veterans just days after its director went public with concerns that suicidal patients are being endangered by inappropriate care at the Phoenix hospital.

Medical center leaders insist the move was not retaliatory. They recently told The Arizona Republic that Brandon Coleman, a substance-abuse specialist placed on leave after airing his concerns, will be returning to work soon.

[Cyberdave]

Figures...

[skp51443]

This seems to sum up the situation quite well...

 

"Everything is great!" VA paper pushers.

 

"Not so good." Everybody else.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/investigations/2015/04/10/one-year-later-va-scandal/25596795/

 

 

How have things changed for veterans since the scandal blew up?

The answer is muddled by questionable data and interpretations.

Nationwide, the VA says 97 percent of veterans' appointments in February were completed within 30 days, and during the latter part of 2014 wait times for first-time patients were reduced 18 percent. According to the department's statistics, it authorized 2 million private-care appointments — a 45 percent increase — from June through January. It added 8,371 employees during that period.

In Phoenix, more than 476,000 appointments were completed in that eight-month span — a 19 percent surge, according to VA records. Today, the department says 94 percent of Arizona veterans' appointments are completed within 30 days. A year ago, some patients were delayed more than 12 months, and others couldn't even get on wait lists.

By contrast, the Associated Press recently analyzed VA appointment data and concluded that "the number of patients facing long waits at VA facilities has not dropped at all."

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/04/11/then-now-reactions-va-crisis/25612101/

 

 

Dan Caldwell

Arizonan and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who is national legislative and political director for Concerned Veterans for America.

Then: "I know there's a lot of anger. There are a lot of people upset at how they've been treated at the VA ... This is a symptom of a disease down there. And the disease is a lack of accountability."

MORE: A year later, VA struggles to improve care nationwide

Now: "I think the changes made are superficial ... problems remain. You can't say veterans' access has substantially improved." The future looks more promising "because of what you see happening in Congress and with the media ... They have shown a willingness to stay on this story for a long time ... they're not taking their foot off the pedal."

 

Several more viewpoints follow his including some politicians.

[skp51443]

So it seems to be all our fault for getting older and having health issues...

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/04/24/va-secretary-aging-vets-straining-system/26311365/

[Cyberdave]

I'll give this guy credit for calling out the real enemy.

 

But he warned that congressional efforts to stave off a proposed increase in the VA budget — reducing it by $1.4 billion — could undermine progress. He said it would mean 70,000 fewer veterans receive care, and major construction projects would be stopped.

"I don't create the demand," McDonald said. "I don't pass the laws to decide what benefits to give veterans. All I do is execute the laws, so I'm caught in this conundrum ... One of them has to change. You either have to give the whole budget, or you have to cut the benefits"

That's bottom line isn't it?

[StarDreamers.us]

Stan, Thanks so much for all of your follow-up on this mess. Now help me understand why this mess can not be cleaned up?

 

Safe Travels!

[skp51443]

Same reasons as always, the politicians are happy to send troops to get shot up, gassed and poisoned** but not so happy to pay for their care once they come home. The VA is run by career paper pushers and they get promotions, raises and bonuses for things other than care of the vets.

 

There are a lot of caring and hard working folks in the VA system but as you have seen in this mess they don't dare raise their voice to get a problem fixed upon pain of banishment to a dead-end assignment or even getting fired. Even when they do the reaction is a bunch of smoke and mirrors with a bit of shuffling of bodies but very little change to the actual care given.

 

It won't get fixed this time either, the talking heads have moved on, the politicians are chasing new sources of publicity and most of the senior VA people that are the problem are still there and still busy feathering their own nests. Maybe a tiny bit more cautiously since the big stink but their top priority is still themselves.

 

The change allowing vets to go outside the VA is good in a lot of cases but so many vet medical issues are unique to vets and unique to the conflict they served in that they really need a doctor who has at least heard of their problem and if possible has even observed a similar issue or maybe even treated someone with one. My doctor is pretty sharp but he doesn't know diddly about treating stuff like Agent Orange exposure older vets are often dealing with or any of the awful stuff the new kids are being exposed to.

 

 

** Most of the poisoned issues seem to be our fault, not due to our enemies.

[bigjim]

Remember that the troops now are all volunteer so I guess it is their fault. SARCASM folks not what I believe. And according to some one I used to respect when I went to the church he was head pastor of , maybe no one should join until after the current President is gone because he doesn't care about them. Oh yeah I forgot he is a likely presidential candidate so its OK. I am not happy with whats going on now or what went on before. I wish I could believe it will get better but it sure seems the majority just want to create more injured vets to show how tough they are. As upset as I am with the bad employees and management I put the ulitimate blame on the politicians up to now and we'll see about the ones that are supposed to see it gets fixed.

 

It is ironic how many ex-GI' work at the VA. Most I have dealt with were great but some of them were the worst. Go figure.

[StarDreamers.us]

Sometimes you just need to clean house! Many years ago I had just bought an older company. I was meeting with all of the employees one on one. To each one I gave them a big raise - then explained to them it was up to them to keep it. If not the following year I would be reducing their salary. Some told me that they could not work under that kind of pressure and they resigned. Many became much better at what they did and were happy. All I wanted was for each to do the job for which they were hired. Become the best at what you do! Life is interesting. I would like to believe in my heart that a fellow VET would care for other VETS!

 

Safe Travels!

[RV_]

X2 Star,

My last assignment was to takeover a "failed" unit and found that civil service personnel sometimes aren't, just like any group. I met great people and some not so great in my 27 years. If any of the not so great gravitated to the VA, and stayed through this kind of failed regime, they may have been part of the problem too.

 

I agree a good housecleaning is in order. I am very glad it is not my responsibility to carry this one out. Mine is just to write and contact my reps in the legislative branch as well as writing the executive branch up the chain through the VA and above. The culture is well entrenched as evidenced by the silence, and drawn out failure to take any real action. Bandaids haven't worked, and won't appear to be working short term. But long term it will be apparent if it was all swept under the rug or not.