VA settlement $2.75 Million Malpractice

[Berta]

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2021/05/21/pittsburgh-va-settlement-botched-surgery/

Pittsburgh VA Hospital To Pay $2.75 Million To Veteran Whose Surgery Was Botched

My bill on VA malpractice has passed the Senate and the H VAC has sent it to a sub committee on health.

S 221- it is an attempt to save lives, forcing the VA to honor the NPDB mandate, and identify malpracticing doctors who must be disciplined.( or canned)

 

[broncovet]

BUT OF COURSE.  This begs the question:

Quote

Why doesnt VA already do this voluntarily?  (That is, discipline or fire doctors who harm Vets)

    Its just "unthinkable" that VA would permit doctors or other medical personel  to continue harming more Vets after they have already harmed ONE.  

This coverup is a great example of the corruption at VA.  Its done "not just" with doctors, but with pretty much most executive employees.  Instead of firing them, they send bad employees to another facility.  It results in widespread sub par medical care for Vets.  

     It shows me that VA corporate just thinks "Vets are disposable" like an empty beer can.  Of course, there are also great doctors working at VA..who give Vets great care.  I have met several.  My knee surgeon who replaced my knee (TKR) did a terrific job, and I got a great result, for example.  

      But the bad apples need pruned,  not promoted or transferred.   

       Often, what the VA is saying:

       If you are a great doc, make great money in private practice.  But, if you are not, go to work for VA and we will lower our standards and protect you from being fired.  

Edited May 23, 2021 by broncovet

[Berta]

It is unthinkable but it is a fact- and for my settlement I also proved a cover up of the initial malpractice had occurred, and I also provesd a motive ( which one does not need, to file FTCA against the VA.)

I thought my wrongful death claim would change the VA.

But a few years after I settled I learned that my case had not been reported to NPDB,, and therefore no NY disciplined doctors web site ( every state has one) identified the multiple malpracticeing doctors in 2 NT VAMCs.

I started collecting data and after 20 years of doing that, I was able t make a strong case to the VA

Accountability Office and then S 221 was created.It will give me more work when the House passes the bill- It means for any public settlement  VA has made ,like in the link, I have to see if the NDPB was honored , and that might take time if the public info is not complete.

Also I could directly ask the claimant to check the NPDB mandate, in their case.but it all takes time and maybe some vets or survivors who had settled under FTCA,will not be willing to follow through on that.

Proper NPDB reporting of malpractice is only one issue I am trying to resolve.

Significant 1151 awards should also be reported.

I have already stated in another thread how the VA has kept 1151 issues and payouts from Congress and the Public.

1151 awards at the BVA become part of the General SC Comp award total, and I had that verified by the BVA.

So that means there is absolutely no accounting for medical personnel at VAMCs who have caused significant and proven malpractice to veterans.

My husband's malpractice was carefully hidden in parts of his  VA med recs, but one of the first records I read,when I got his med rec file, was dynamite. Once I understood every medical word in it and the acronyms, I knew I had a strong malpractice case.

The 'hidden' entries , became obvious at that point.

No veteran should ever become a VA malpractice victim. Like me and my husband we did not know ,in his lifetime ,just how lousy his VA care had been.But he felt something was wrong and filed 1151 himself and he never knew how Right he was on that claim.

Dead at age 47- a highly decorated Vietnam Combat veteran.

 

 

 

 

[Buck52]

Man oh man

this sure makes me think about using the VA for my healthcare...I may ask to be source out and find a private Dr.

I need some major surgery done here in the upcoming future    so all this makes me think twice who I let do surgery on me.

[Vync]

@Berta  If your bill passes, perhaps a similar bill is necessary involving accountability of C&P examiners...

@Buck52 After winning SC for heart attack secondary to side effects of migraine meds, I agree with you to a great extent. It will be interesting to see if I will win my FTCA.  I rely on VA services only to a certain extent. However, I can do that because I have other private health insurance and can go to experienced non-VA docs who have treated me for years. For veterans lucky enough to be granted community care treatment referrals, it is a decent alternative but it bogged down with procedural red tape.

[broncovet]

I agree with the above.  Its tragic Berta had to lose her husband to inept doctors, its worse for them to cover it up, and let that doctor do that to others.  Its like being a serial killer with an MD, and having VA HELP the murderer to find additional victims.  

 

[Buck52]

Well I need to wait for my surgery until my spouse heals up a bit from hers  she pretty sore and be in a neck back cast for couple months  then she wears a neck brace that she can put on and take off   OR I Will..

My surgery is complicated  urology says its general surgery and they won't be doing it?  I don't understand why  but the Dr said its not a urology problem?  they did a ENHANCE  MRI and also a sonogram  and they said it looks like I have a lower abdomen  hernia  and its protrude into my scrotum and fat growth  they need to take the fat out..And Also cut out my prostate. while they got the knifes sharp.  eh!!!

.Sounds to me like that is a urology problem? IDK?  

Anyway I am going to ask for the outside care...my VA PCP needs to refer me to the surgery clinics and I go see them and find out when they can do it  if its months I will sure ask to be outsourced ...We'll see but right now the next couple months  I need to care for my spouse medical needs.

BTW anyone know if I can add my mother-in-law to my VA Dependent? she has went totally blind  and at 84 lives by herself  my spouse ask her to come live with us...so she will have a bedroom and Bath across the hall....I'm not so sure how all this will work out because my spouse is not able to care for her mom  so that leaves me??  not sure how that will work out  were going to do our best...this is a Reason my spouse is trying for the A&A with the VA..WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES TOO.