Further investigation into the allegations of Department of Veterans Affairs administrators manipulating waiting lists at its Phoenix medical center show that 1,700 patients never received care, according to The New York Times.
The average waiting time for initial primary care appointments at the Phoenix VA medical center - 115 days - was nearly five times as long as what the hospital's administrators had reported. Irregularities in how the 1,700 veterans were handled mean that "these veterans may never obtain a requested or required clinical appointment," according to the acting inspector general's report.
The inspector general also reported that the falsified data may have led to more favorable performance reviews for hospital personnel and that some instances of potentially manipulated data had been turned over to the Justice Department.
Similar kinds of manipulation to hide long and possibly growing waiting times are "systemic throughout" the VA health care system's 150 medical centers serving 8 million veterans each year. The inspector general's office is reviewing practices at 42 VA medical facilities. Read the full article here:
Severe Report Finds V.A. Hid Waiting Lists at Hospitals
Something every politician who clamors for more "Tort Reform" and more caps on damages for malpractice suits. Now that the general public knows what malpractice lawyers have known for decades - that the VA malpractices and treats our veterans poorly on a regular basis - how do you feel that Federal Caps on damages will further harm the veterans who have viable and real medical malpractice claims?
If you or a family member believe you have a medical malpractice case, including a delay in diagnosis or treatment, contact Crandall & Pera Law today for a free case evaluation. Crandall & Pera Law is available to help answer your questions and guide you in determining your next steps.