More VA appointment data manipulated
The folks at Concerned Veterans for America send us a heads up that other whistle blowers are coming forward to report that appointment data at the Veterans Affairs Department has been manipulated in places other than Phoenix, Arizona. For example, the Austin, Texas Statesman reports;
A Department of Veterans Affairs scheduling clerk has accused VA officials in Austin and San Antonio of manipulating medical appointment data in an attempt to hide long wait times to see doctors and psychiatrists, the American-Statesman has learned.
In communications with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, a federal investigative body that protects government whistleblowers, the 40-year-old VA employee said he and others were “verbally directed by lead clerks, supervisors, and during training” to ensure that wait times at the Austin VA Outpatient Clinic and the North Central Federal Clinic in San Antonio were “as close to zero days as possible.”
The USTODAY reports the same in Fort Collins, Colorado;
Clerks at the Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Fort Collins were instructed last year how to falsify appointment records so it appeared the small staff of doctors was seeing patients within the agency’s goal of 14 days, according to the investigation.
A copy of the findings by the VA’s Office of Medical Inspector was provided to USA TODAY.
Many of the 6,300 veterans treated at the outpatient clinic waited months to be seen. If the clerical staff allowed records to reflect that veterans waited longer than 14 days, they were punished by being placed on a “bad boy list,” the report shows.
This kind of tells me that it was accepted practice throughout the agency and in order to fix the problem, we need changes in leadership all through the ranks to the very tip-top. It’s obviously a “command climate” that makes this an acceptable solution to bureaucratic failures that can’t treat veterans in a reasonable amount of time.
Category: Veterans' Affairs Department
Something tells me this is only the beginning of the tip of the iceberg we are yet to see.
No surprise here.
It is one hell of a cover up involving both VBA and VHA regional and area directors to include their regional legal counsel.
The tip of the iceberg…..
Speaking of VA. I’ve been told it is in my best interest to use a VSO to apply for my disability rating. Since I belong to the AL was going to use them. Thoughts? Suggestions?
It’s less about the VSO and more about your particular VSR. I used DAV and although my case was pretty cut and dried (still took two years), I got the results I wanted, and I did not have to appeal. The DAV was with me every step of the way and I think they made the difference.
Side note: I live in Metro DC. The only way I would ever go to the Washington DC VA hospital is on a rescue op.
I went through the local DAV office since they deal with disabilities.
I had about 170 pages of documentation and medical stuff. Had 2 or 3 appointments….got initially rated at 10% (of course 🙁 ) but then after some more bitching, got it to 30% and left it alone at that point. I could get 10% more for hearing loss but I didn’t meet the minimum threshold at this time. They said it will get worse with age so maybe 40% as I age…they said to check back as I get older…
ALSO be ready to wait anywhere from 18 to 24 months.
I added my daughter a year ago and finally talked to someone on the phone at VA and they said about a two year back up just to update your status.
(Time varies by geographical VA office location)
Thanks all. My question also exends to how to know what to file a claim for. There’s the obvious ( 2x shoulder surgeries and 1x knee surgery). Not in any way trying to game the system but I want to make sure to file a complete claim now at retirement rather than years down the road.
Hate to say it, but most VSO’s are useless at local levels.
One of the best bosses I ever had put it best: “You get what you measure.”
If you as the boss choose your measurement (call it X) poorly, then you’re screwed. Because if the boss wants to see X, subordinates will show the boss good scores on X.
Sometimes they’ll game the system to look good. And other times, they’ll simply lie.
Dunno if that’s the case here, or if multiple bosses at the VA just didn’t give a damn. Could be either.
And in either case, it needs to be fixed posthaste.
Agree. Not to promote a conspiracy theory, but to have the same “end run” being practiced by multiple facilities perhaps there was some cross talk between facility directors on how to make their numbers look good.
At this point, it wouldn’t surprise me if the directive came directly from Shinseki himself.
You could well be right, LebbenB. But while plausible, given what I’ve seen of human behavior in hierarchical organizations I don’t there would necessarily have to be a directive. All he’d have to do would make it well-known that it was an item of “extreme senior leadership interest” and that he’d “grade” people accordingly. People would give him the results he wanted – one way or another.
For an example, remember the famous words of Henry II of England over 840 years ago: “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?” – and what later happened to Thomas Becket.
Jesus freaking wept……
Willie Clark.
Western (Arizona, Colorado and others) Area VBA Regional Director (should be a publicly available number but they always never seem to list it)
Call him and tell him what you think.
Willie Clark: 602-627-2746
VA, the Lying Agency…