Columbia, SC Veterans Face Unreasonable Delays At Dorn

It has come to light that a report detailing problems at Dorn VA in Columbia, SC and released last September, allegedly contributed to the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki last Friday.

The Dorn VA report was the first to nationally highlight the problem of delays in treatment and patient backlogs faced by Veterans Affairs across the country. The most recent report, in which a secret waitlist at the Phoenix VA was uncovered and then verified by an investigation, is only one in a long list of problems associated with the nation’s VA hospitals.

At many VA hospitals across the country, veterans waited weeks, sometimes months, to receive treatment for severe and life threatening illnesses and injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder and cancer. In Nashville, TN, a new patient waits an average of two months before finally seeing a doctor; in Atlanta, GA, Gainesville, FL, and Portland, OR, the wait-time for veterans is 50 days on average. For disabled veterans, there may be no other option.

VA Backlog

The Veterans Affairs target range is a wait of no longer than 14 days, but only 19 of the 140 VA hospitals in the United States reported successfully hitting that target. Some hospitals – including the Dorn VA in Columbia – admitted that fewer than 20% of their new patients saw a doctor within the 14-day window.

The Dorn VA report showed that 6 patients had died while facing long delays. Investigators found as many as 4,000 patients were in a backlog, especially for gastroenterology consultations, between 2011 and 2012.

While officials at the Dorn VA blame problems such as staffing and funding, the inspector general’s report, released alongside Shinseki’s resignation on Friday, noted that only about $200,000 of a designated $1 million in funding specifically to reduce the new patient backlog went directly to solving the problem. Since 2012, the Dorn VA has increased staffing to help solve the problem, according to current Dorn VA officials.

Veterans Affairs officials confirmed that 42 facilities are under investigation for having falsified their waitlist records.

“We identified an additional 1,700 veterans who were waiting for a primary care appointment but were not on the [electronic wait list,]” the report from the VA inspector general said. “Most importantly, these veterans were and continue to be at risk of being forgotten or lost in Phoenix [healthcare system’s] convoluted scheduling process. As a result, these veterans may never obtain a requested or required clinical appointment.”

“Our reviews have identified multiple types of scheduling practices that are not in compliance with VHA policy,” the report said. “Since the multiple lists we found were something other than the official EWL, these additional lists may be the basis for allegations of creating ‘secret’ wait lists.”

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with VA Wrongful Death and Delayed Treatment Cases

The Veterans Benefit Lawyers at the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. work with veterans to file claims for a variety of disabilities and can assist you in filing your claims with the Veterans Administration. Veterans Disability can be complex.  Not understanding the basics and not having counsel may leave you in a bind.  We understand that you and your family need your benefits.  We will put our years of experience to work for you to ensure that you have the representation necessary to actively pursue your claim. Call the Veterans Benefits Attorneys at the Strom Law Firm today to discuss your case. We will be glad to discuss any questions you may have during our free, confidential discussion. Call the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm at (803) 252-4800.