Lawmakers demand answers for ER care at VA hospitals after death in Gainesville facility

Lawmakers are demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs about emergency room care at some of its largest hospitals after an investigation found that Malcom Randall VA Medical Center Emergency Department in Gainesville was negligent in its care of a patient who died.

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Rick Scott and U.S. Representative Kat Cammack, all Republicans, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, saying they were "appalled" at the findings of an Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation into the June 2020 incident.

The report says the VA failed to provide emergency care to a veteran at the Malcom Randall's emergency department, which resulted in the veteran’s death. The VA has not released the veteran's name.

The OIG report said that nurses and other hospital staff failed to provide care to an unidentified veteran in the summer of 2020 after an ambulance crew brought him to the emergency department in a coma.

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The report said staff at the hospital allowed the man to go untreated as they tried to determine if he was a veteran. The ambulance took him to UF Health Shands, where he did receive care but later died.

The report also criticized the VA center leaders’ “inadequate response” to the incident. That included disregarding recommendations to remove some nurses from emergency care and instead issuing written warnings.

Melanie L. Thomas, the acting public affairs officer for the hospital, said the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System "values the recommendations of the Inspector General."

"We embrace high reliability and are committed to zero harm for our patients," she said in a recent email. "As outlined in the response, action plans have been completed or are currently under implementation. We remain dedicated to honoring our nation’s veterans by ensuring a safe environment and delivering exceptional health care through continuously improving our standards."

Lawmakers demand more details of Malcom Randall's 'inadequate' response

In the letter, the lawmakers said they want answers.

The lawmakers' letter said the OIG report noted what appears to be “differing accounts of professionalism among EMS and VA staff.”

They asked in the letter how many violations took place at the facility during that time span and how many resulted in injury or death of a patient, as well as if any staff received disciplinary or dismissal actions and demanded answers by June 30.

Not only did the Malcom Randall emergency department nurses fail to provide emergency care access to the patient, the lawmakers said, but when they conducted their own assessment, they "failed to recognize the criticality of the patient."

“The report and its conclusions should concern anyone seeking emergency treatment at Malcom Randall, or is brought to the facility in a condition in which they could not articulate their medical care needs," the lawmakers' letter states.

They also point out that the OIG report also notes that Malcom Randall medical providers and administrative staff have repeatedly violated the Veterans Health Administration’s Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act policy, which requires an emergency department to provide a medical screening examination and treatment to stabilize patients with emergency medical conditions.

The report included a chart that showed at least seven labor act-related incidents involving delays or denials of care from 2018 to 2021 at the Malcom Randall center.

Their letter also states that there have been nine additional patient safety reports related to delays or denial of care due to labor act-related or patient registration issues.

The lawmakers expressed concern with a decision made by the previous Malcom Randall director to reverse recommended disciplinary actions against some staff members.

“Our nation’s veterans have served their country honorably," they wrote in the letter. "They should not have to worry about gross incompetence and negligence when they seek care, especially in emergency situations where timely, efficient, and effective care is vital."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: GOP lawmakers ask VA to investigate emergency room care after vet death