Vets’ health care in bad shape

Kim Smith

Wednesday, July 21, 1999 | 11:12 a.m.

An inspector general's investigation into Southern Nevada's veterans health care system found potentially life-threatening problems, a report released Tuesday said.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., in March had asked the Department of Veterans Affairs inspector general's office to look into the type of service veterans were receiving in Southern Nevada after receiving hundreds of complaints. Reid also requested an investigation of auditing practices.

The investigation found that 21 of the health care system's speciality clinics made new patients wait more than 30 days to get in and seven had waiting times of greater than 90 days.

Reid said he was distressed when he learned of the excessively long waiting periods "especially when you realize the waits were for things like biopsies on prostate glands. If it takes months, it can mean the difference between life and death."

The investigation also found an ambulatory surgical suite and electroencephalograph (EEG) machines that weren't being used and excessive inventories of supplies.

The inspector general's office visited the A.D. Guy Ambulatory Care Center, located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Vegas Drive, the Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital, the VA's psychiatric day treatment center and an outreach center for homeless veterans.

The report said the inspector general's office will make follow-up visits in the future to ensure corrective measures have been taken.

Reid said the investigation confirmed what veterans have been telling him, but it also made him aware just how bad the problems are.

"There are problems at other (VA facilities) but nothing like this," Reid said.

Ramon Reevey, medical center director, declined to comment on the investigation, stating he had yet to receive a copy of the report.

The investigation revealed that while the VA's Southern Nevada health care system has funding for 546 positions, only 474 were on staff, Reid said.

Part of the staff shortfalls can be attributed to rapid growth, Reid said.

According to the inspector general's report, there was an 82.6 percent increase in outpatient visits between 1994 and 1998. More than 198,000 patients visited the clinic on an outpatient basis in 1998, while almost 109,000 visited it in 1994.

"They (clinic officials) said they had tried, but hadn't been able to get anyone, but with managed care I know there are a lot of doctors looking for work across the country," Reid said.

The inspector general's office has since gone over the clinic's hiring practices, and Reid said he is confident the problem will be rectified.

According to the inspector general's report, the ambulatory surgery suite was not being used because of problems with its air conditioning system, but those problems should be repaired by November.

As for the EEG, the report indicates the VA is now considering sharing the machine with a community hospital to reduce operating costs.

New bookkeeping practices also are being implemented, Reid said.

"Because of the inspector general's visit there things are going to improve and things are already being put into place," Reid said. "The inspector general has a great deal of power and will be keeping on eye on this situation, as will I."