Report Reveals Poor Conditions at Local VA Hospital

An investigation by a Washington, D.C. news team revealed widespread and serious problems at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in D.C., mostly stemming from an inefficient and failing cooling system. There have been numerous complaints from patients throughout the summer about hot, stifling temperatures in the hospital, and the cooling malfunctions have also created many other problems in the hospital, from flooding to stored blood and vaccines going bad.

The Veteran Affairs medical administration nationwide has long been a target for criticism, as its long wait-times and a lack of funding has become notorious in national news. The D.C. medical center is also no stranger to controversy and malfunction. A 2017 inspection, which led to to some changes in leadership, pointed to “failed leadership at multiple levels” as the source of a whole range of shortcomings that put patients at risk at the hospital.

The Investigation

The local News4 investigation team uncovered information about recent 2018 failures at the D.C. medical center through a series of records requests using the Freedom of Information Act. The records document breakdowns in the air and cooling systems in the hospital and the expensive consequences and repairs required for the hospital.

A cooling pipe burst in May, flooding various levels of the facility and causing a number of delays and transfers in care for patients. In March, the FDA found that blood was being stored in substandard and potentially unsanitary conditions. In October of 2017, warm temperatures and a refrigeration failure forced staff to throw away more than 22,000 doses of flu vaccine, estimated at a cost to taxpayers of $282,160.

Veterans Affairs

This new series of revelations about mismanagement, substandard care and wasted funds under Veterans Affairs may contribute to increased criticism of the VA and calls for reform. For many who have no choice but to depend on the VA for continuing care, however, this report may only seem like more of the same.

“Many veterans, especially disabled veterans or veterans suffering from trauma, depend entirely on the VA, not just for medical care but for their livelihood,” says Rose Burberry-Martin, marketing director of Chisholm, Chisholm, and Kilpatrick. “And as with any vulnerable population, it’s easy for them to be taken advantage of and they often don’t have a voice.”

U.S. veterans returning from military service are eligible for a wide range of benefits, although sometimes going through the bureaucratic hoops to prove eligibility and receive the benefits can be difficult. Depending on each veterans specific status, their access to some services may vary, but every veteran should be able to access comprehensive medical benefits through the VA, including preventive care and mental health care for psychological trauma received while on active duty.