Purging Vet's VA records

[opsspec1991]

To destroy records of veterans waiting for care? That's as bad as it gets." - Pete Hegseth, CEO of Concerned Veterans for America

Link Removed

 

[Rhino]

They didn't destroy the medical records. They destroyed the examination requests. That's still very bad, but nowhere near as bad as destroying someone's medical records. Who is The Daily Caller? They're the ones with the headline saying medical records were destroyed, when the text of their article clearly states it was only the exam requests that were destroyed.

 

[Jay]

...but....but destroying ALL the records sounds so much more sensational... ????

Besides, the VA has been destroying paper records for years, in the transition to being paperless, and having all records in digital format.

 

[telpinaro]

Just saw this VA post on Facebook (they didn't provide a link, so I can't link to it, sorry):

"You may have seen recent news coverage alleging the mishandling of patient records by a VA medical facility in 2008. Some media reports on this issue have been inaccurate – VA did not destroy patients’ personal medical records in VA’s electronic health record system, which has been in place since the 1990s.

Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert Petzel addressed questions from members of the House of Representatives today on this saying, 'There was no attempt to eliminate records' and that several hundred records were properly closed, not destroyed, only after a thorough administrative review.

VA policy states that if patients don’t show for their appointments or respond to scheduling attempts, imaging request orders, like the ones mentioned in media reports, are discontinued after 12 months. VA’s clinical services chiefs agree that any study older than 12 months would no longer be clinically valid and patients would need to be reevaluated by their health care providers. Based on this guidance, and after an extensive review, VA’s Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System performed a very carefully-planned project to administratively clear imaging requests that were older than 12 months, unless the request was a follow-up for a future date."

 

[vernsimpson]

Shows just how much our gubment really cares for us vets and our people in uniform. The go-fer in the Senator's office is more valuable than anyone in our Armed Forces! Sad!