PHOENIX —Despite a new report raising serious questions about the quality of care within the Phoenix VA Health Care System, a top official in the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs says significant progress has been made.
VA Undersecretary for Health David Shulkin addressed the VA Inspector General’s report while introducing a newly appointed director for the Phoenix system.
The report, which was released October 4, found Phoenix VA staff inappropriately canceled medical consults that possibly contributed to the death of one veteran who did not get a recommended stress test. Consults include appointments, lab tests, teleconferencing and other planned patient contacts.
“That is a situation we take very seriously,” Shulkin said.
Shulkin said the cancellations were not made by managers, but lower-level staff who were unclear about the proper way to cancel consults.
“That’s why we’ve invested in additional training, in additional auditing and additional clarification of our policies to make sure that everyone is clear on how to do this,” Shulkin said.
However, he said the report also showed how the Phoenix facilities have improved in the last two years such has more hiring, 70,000 square feet of additional space and “fast track” care for the emergency room.
