Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Whistleblowers Accuse VA Of 'Whitewashing' Veteran Neglect After Agency Clears Itself Of Wrongdoing At Manchester Center
Boston Globe: VA Report Rejects Whistle-Blower Claims Of Poor Care At Manchester Hospital
The Veterans Affairs Administration has cleared itself of wrongdoing and neglect related to the care of veterans at the Manchester VA Medical Center, rejecting whistle-blower complaints of medical neglect, dirty surgical instruments, and flies in an operating room. A 50-page report from the VA’s Office of Medical Inspector found flies are still present but that the operating room isn’t used, and the instruments weren’t dirty, but simply discolored by the New Hampshire city’s water supply. (Estes, 9/22)
New Hampshire Union Leader: Draft Report Finding Little Wrongdoing At Manchester VA Met With Skepticism
Like three previous draft reports from the VA's Office of the Medical Inspector (OMI), the latest report includes few findings of wrongdoing and largely exonerates the hospital's previous administrators, who were reassigned after a group of doctors came forward to The Boston Globe with concerns last July. "I'm just astounded and disgusted. I can't even believe - they made this thing look like some sort of farce that had no basis in reality," said Dr. Ted Daly, who stepped down as chief of radiology out of frustration with the hospital's administration. He still works at the Manchester VA. "It's almost like the people who wrote this investigation didn't even care what any of us had to say and had pre-ordained thoughts about what the outcome was going to be."(Feathers, 9/23)
In other veterans health care news —
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Combat Simulator Helps Veterans Relive Trauma, But In Safe Environment
Tomah VA mental health therapists are treating veterans with PTSD, depression and anxiety in a state-of-the-art combat simulator at nearby Fort McCoy. The multimillion-dollar simulator features full size Humvees and weapons surrounded by a 360-degree video and audio system. (Jones, 9/21)
WBUR: Veterans Struggling After Sexual Assault Increasingly Turn To Service Dogs
Service dog providers are seeing an influx of applications from veterans like Michel who have experienced sexual trauma while in the military. But the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides veterinary benefits for service dogs assigned to people with physical disabilities, does not currently recognize psychiatric service dogs as a proven therapy for mental illness. (Lancianese, 9/22)
