Cancellations of more than 250K VA imaging exams put veterans’ lives at risk
The U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) inspector general is auditing mass cancellations at eight VA medical centers to determine if the VA processed radiology requests in a timely manner and if more than 250,000 cancelled requests—some of which may have been necessary—were managed appropriately.
The hospitals in question are in Tampa and Bay Pines, Florida; Salisbury, North Carolina; Cleveland; Dallas; Denver; Las Vegas; and Los Angeles.
Hospitals were previously told to contact patients multiple times before cancellations. In 2017, cancellations required review by the radiologist or ordering physician. If tests were still needed, patients were called to schedule the exams.
The VA told USA Today many of the orders were outdated or duplicative. However, Laurence Meyer, MD, the chief physician overseeing specialty care for the national VA, acknowledged he received word that “a few places haven’t been following the directive as intended.”
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As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.