How to Get Bad VA Employees Exposed And Out of the VA

[InfantryAndIntel]

Hello

I know some of you have already dealt with this.  I have dealt with some extremely bad VA employees from nurses, to doctors, to counter workers, to psychologists.  Just wanted to pick everyone's brains on what's the best method to expose and get bad employees out of the VA.  We all know, it's been well documented, the VA protects bad employees.  We also know that the VA does not have the proper funding to attract good people.  Does anyone have any concrete ways to get bad VA employees out?  You know the ones I'm talking about, no concern for Veterans, but love that paycheck!  Bad attitudes, ignoring problems, protecting VA corruption, etc.  Patient advocate won't work, that's the fox guarding the hen house, because they are VA employees.  I just caught one defending the VA against a nurse who let me know some truth.  I find Congress to be spotty as I had one Rep. completely on a warpath with the VA.  Her successor won't even get back to me or acknowledge VA problems, though she claims, "Veterans first!"  Yeah right.  Any ideas that have worked for you?  I would like to get a VA with good people and I want my fellow Veterans to be getting the BEST customer service and care.

Thanks

[Berta]

Many of us here can relate to this-

But the main problem vets have on this site is getting an accurate decision on their VA claims from VARO employes.

And of course there is the VA malpractice issue as well.

I named many VA doctors in my FTCA case. The final VACO review stated that 

"multiple deviations from a usual standard of care occurred and "all" of these deviations hastened the veteran's death."

I proved one of the two VAMCs involved tried to cover up the malpractice from the other VAMC. I settled with VA for wrongful death, thinking that since the malpractice had been so extensive, from muliple VA doctors, that things would change here at the local VAMC but I was wrong. Anothe patient, a friend of my husband's also within a few months of my filing SF 95  for FTCA, I discovered he  had been malpracticed on also at the same VAMC, and I prepared a 1151 claim for him. Within a few months they awarded him 100% P & T for the malpractice.

A few years after my husband died, the internet grew and I learned of the mandate VA has had with the National Practitioners Data Bank- the VA was supposed to report who caused any of their FTCA settlements so that these doctors or other medical entities could be put on every states Disciplined doctor's data bank so anyone could look them up to see if they had caused malpractice before.

The local doctors I named were moved to other VAMCs and none of them ever were reported to the NPDB. The malpractice happened from 1988 to 1994.

When I questioned the VA OGC about this lack of NPDB reporting,of my husband's case that fell completely into the mandate reporting requirements,  they gave me a ridiculous excuse.

I researched this problem for years finding confirmation from GAO that the practice was still prevalent and VA was still failing to honor the NPDB mandate.

I griped to the White House Hot Line 1-855-948-2311 a few years ago and was referred to the Office of Accountability and sent them some of the decades of evidence I had collected.

LONG story but this garnered a Bill in the Senate (S 221) that passed unanimously and is still in a medical committee with the House . It will support the need for more oversight if the VA still refuses to honor the NPDB mandate. If the VA starts to honor the mandate in every single applicable case, the bill will save lives as those malpracticing doctors will have to  go.

But that also means the VA can replace them with federal contractors, who are excempt from the FTCA. Tully's case might well change that I am sure, but still the sad part is that VA saves lives everyday- there are plenty of very well qualified dedicated doctors and nurses etc at every VAMC- but they work side by side with incompetent ones.

That also describes the same cause of the problems veterans and their survivors have with the Regional Offices, trying to get their claims resolved properly.

 

There are a few other bills too pending because the VA has been filling their VAMCs with Federal contractors who diagnose and treat veterans and are Except from the NPDB mandate because they are not considered VA employees- Brain Tully's case here at hadit and googleable is a good case of what I mean.His bill was passed  as far as I know, to let VA patients know if their doctor works for the VA or is not conidered a VA employee.

You can complain to the WH Hot line, or to the VA0IG, or to the Accountability office but you will need documented proof positive that any specifically named VA employee is failing to properly care for and respect veterans.

And you will need witnesses I am sure, as well to verify your charges.

I saw the Office of Accountability in action here at a local VAMC a few years ago,because of an unusual situation I cannot reveal. The employee quit before they could get fired.

The VA handbook changed significantly after the former President opened the Office of Accountability- as, before that, it was VERY difficult to fire anyone employed by the VA.

The former employee I mentioned called me to tell me what he was going through and he said he never received the new Employees Handbook.

He however was one of a few others I knew who worked for VA , and he had been in trouble before,  and I sent them all a link to it but I know they all got it anyhow from the VA.

We here have probably all been victimized by careless VA employees at every level of the VA. But often VA employees themselves will file complaints against thir co workers, and even patients at VAMCs. have done that as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by Berta
added more.

[pwrslm]

I went to the Advocates office before. I laid out a very detailed and documented case of malpractice. In the end, they swept it under the rug. The head of the local VAMC was complicit and my trust in these issues is very limited. Even the IG limits the investigations, because they did not look where they were told the problem was, but only made a superficial check and took the word of the same folks who did the cover up to begin with.

But I do think that the squeaky wheel gets the grease still. IG complains are monitored, and the more they get on the same subject matter, the more likely it is that they will open up the can of worms and expose the problem. This was the case in Phoenix with all the Vets complaints there.

One or two of us howling at the moon will not make enough noise for them to do something, but a hundred complains in a year would have an impact.

[pwrslm]

Taking into consideration medical professionals, the best way to go after them is to report the issues to the licensing board. The VA can hire a licensed professional in one State, and that license then becomes good for the entire nation. Any other professional is required to get licensure in every state they practice in.

The complaints made to the boards are taken seriously and they do their own independent investigations. All complaints are entered into the professionals permanent record. That mark is left on record for life. We cannot sue the VA employee's, so they are protected, but we can let the rest of the world know about malpractice and the VA can do nothing to stop that.

[Berta]

YES!!! That is the Solution!!!!!!! More veterans need to complain!

I sure remember the Pheonix situation, and the Fayetteville situation doctor is in jail.

I followed that situation very closely. There is no doubt in my mind that one of our former members was a victim of his malpractice .

I contacted a lawyer who was at one of the Town Hall hearings on the Fayetteville malpractice, and heard she contacted him as well but she would not file a SF 95. I am sure many did however.

VA Doctor sentenced for 20 years for malpractice - VA Disability Compensation Benefits Claims Research Forum - VA Disability Compensation Benefits Forums - HadIt.com Veterans

Lots here on Phoenix too

Americal Legion Pr On Phoenix - VA Disability Compensation Benefits Claims Research Forum - VA Disability Compensation Benefits Forums - HadIt.com Veterans