Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Pursuit Of Top Quality Ratings, Are VA Hospitals Leaving Sick, Needy Veterans Without Care?
The New York Times: At Veterans Hospital In Oregon, A Push For Better Ratings Puts Patients At Risk, Doctors Say
An 81-year-old veteran hobbled into the emergency room at the rural Veterans Affairs hospital here in December, malnourished and dehydrated, his skin flecked with ulcers and his ribs broken from a fall at home. A doctor examining the veteran — a 20-year Air Force mechanic named Walter Savage who had been living alone — decided he was in no shape to care for himself and should be admitted to the hospital. A second doctor running the inpatient ward agreed. But the hospital administration said no. (Philipps, 1/1)
In other VA news —
Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati VA Hospital Case: Is Doctor Or Hospital On Trial?
A federal trial starting Jan. 2 will present to a jury much of the turmoil afflicting the Cincinnati VA Medical Center for the past four years. The jury will be asked to decide a curious question: Did Dr. Barbara Temeck, a career VA surgeon and administrator, wrongfully prescribe painkillers to a friend? Or is the government retaliating against a whistleblower on two of the region's largest medical facilities? (Saker, 1/1)
