Vaoig: Sterilization Of Reusable Medical Equipment An Issue At Fargo Va

[pacmanx1]

VAOIG: STERILIZATION OF REUSABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AN ISSUE AT FARGO VA

Annual competencies for the colonoscope, the bronchoscope, the cystoscope, and the orthopedic instruments had not been completed.

by Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org

On September 20, 2010, the VA's Office of Inspector General (VAOIG) released the following report:

Combined Assessment Program Review of the Fargo VA Medical Center, Fargo, North Dakota -- Report Number 09-03745-250, 9/20/2010 | Summary | [url=http://www4.va.gov/oig/CAP/VAOIG-09-03745-250.pdf]Report

The Executive Summary is posted below.

Executive Summary: Combined Assessment Program Review of the Fargo VA Medical Center, Fargo, North Dakota

Review Purpose:

The purpose was to evaluate selected activities, focusing on patient care administration and quality management. We conducted the review the week of June 28, 2010.

Review Results:

The review covered eight activities. We made no recommendations in the following activities:

Coordination of Care

Physician Credentialing and Privileging]

Quality Management

Suicide Prevention Safety Plans

The facility's reported accomplishment was the community living center "Wishes on Wings" program where a veteran on hospice status can request to have a wish granted.

Recommendations:

We made recommendations in the following four activities:

Reusable Medical Equipment: Annual competency assessments and training need to be completed and documented for applicable staff, and all standard operating procedures for reusable medical equipment need to reflect current practice.

Environment of Care: Weekly rounds data needs to be consistently tracked, trended, and reported to the oversight committee quarterly. Annual respirator fit testing, training, and medical evaluation need to be completed for all identified staff. The local hand hygiene policy needs to be updated, and clinical staff need to receive feedback. All staff who work on the locked mental health unit and members of the Multidisciplinary Safety Inspection Team need to receive training on environmental hazards that pose a risk to suicidal patients.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Safety: The local magnetic resonance imaging safety policy needs to include emergency procedures unique to the area, and staff need to be aware of how to respond to those emergencies.

Medication Management: Community living center clinicians need to document all required influenza vaccine elements. A consistent process for documenting the retrospective review of medication orders placed when the onsite pharmacy is closed needs to be implemented.

Comments

The Acting Veterans Integrated Service Network and Facility Directors agreed with the Combined Assessment Program review findings and recommendations and provided acceptable improvement plans. We will follow up on the planned actions until they are completed.

(original signed by:)

JOHN D. DAIGH, JR., M.D. Assistant Inspector General for Healthcare Inspections

[john999]

People at the VA who allow dirty equipment to be used should go to jail. This would light a fire under their sorry asses to do the right thing. I would never go for any colonoscopy at my VAMC. I even worry about them taking blood or doing dental work.

[justrluk]

Same here. I ended up going through a procedure at a VAMC with questionable equipment sterilization. Worst weeks of my life - waiting on blood test results checking for the rumored infections. NEVER AGAIN. Thank God I have private insurance.