Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viral Photos Of Overflowing Trash Cans, Dirty Exam Room At VA Clinic Spark Apology And Investigation
The Washington Post: Viral Photos Of Utah VA Clinic Leads To Apology And Investigation
When American soldiers bathe in Iraq, where a grimy film coats every surface, they are reminded by bathroom signs not to ingest anything that comes from the tap. So when Christopher Wilson left the Army after two tours in Iraq and sought medical care for his service-related injury at the Department of Veterans Affairs, he expected a cleaner environment than what he encountered April 5 at a VA clinic in Salt Lake City. Wilson was shocked by what he found inside a clinic room during his appointment, he told local media: an overflowing trash can, medical instruments strewn about on the counter and a filthy sink. He snapped photos of what he saw. (Horton, 4/30)
The Associated Press: VA Hospital Investigating After Tweets Of ‘Unsanitary’ Room
A Veterans Affairs clinic in Salt Lake City is investigating why an Army veteran was put in a room with an overflowing trash can and medical supplies strewn about after the man’s father tweeted images of the unclean space. Stephen Wilson, the father of Christopher Wilson who spent six years in the Army and was deployed to Iraq twice, posted the photos to Twitter on Friday, calling the sight “very unprofessional, unsanitary and disrespectful,” the Deseret News reported. (5/1)
In other VA news —
The Associated Press: Father Of Army Vet Shot At Oregon VA Clinic Feels Betrayed
The father of a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder who was shot at a government clinic in Oregon blames Veterans Affairs for letting down his son. Gilbert "Matt" Negrete, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is in jail in the former timber town of Medford, charged with attempted assault and other crimes after he allegedly displayed a knife during a confrontation at the VA clinic in nearby White City on Jan. 25. A VA guard shot him in the chest. (Selsky, 4/30)
