Supervisors on Veterans Affairs taught their staff to manipulate veterans wait times for VA medical facilities, to show the patients needed attention in a shorter period.

USA Today published an article in were reports made in VA facilities showed that the waiting time dates were manipulated. Back in 2014, a similar scandal emerged when a Phoenix medical care for veterans emitted a cover-up list.

VA_Medical_Center_wait-time
VA Medical Center, Uptown Division, Augusta, Georgia, United States. Credit: Wikipedia

The Facts

The article published by the USA today was based on 70VA  reports released by a freedom of information act requested by the website. The reports showed investigations of more than a year ago

The reports showed manipulations in veterans wait for time facilities in the states of Arkansas, California, Delaware, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Vermont.  The reports have shown this type of manipulation has been going on for a decade.

According to USA Today different employees at almost 30 VA medical centers in 19 states took down to zero the veterans wait times for medical care.

The article published assures that the reports show that VA supervisors taught and instructed employees to manipulate veterans times, giving the impression that the patients were meeting shorter wait times.

A manager of a VA facility in Florida, according to the article, sent emails to his staff demanding shorter period wait times in the system.  Another case in Gainesville Florida found that the staff kept lists of patients needing care, outside the scheduling system and that hid wait times.

The VA announced that a more wide investigation and discipline will be implemented into 29 people found linked to the list changes. It’s also updating the systems program to make appointment booking in a more simple and easier way.

The software program will allow veterans to book their own appointments.

David Shulkin undersecretary for health at the VA told USA TODAY that an initiative to offer same-day efforts for sooner care for over 100,000 veterans has been made.

Source: USA Today