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OUTPATIENT SURGERIES BEING PERFORMED AGAIN AT

MARION VA -- "The Marion VA Healthcare System staff has made

great strides in assuring a high quality surgery program."

Marion VA

For more about the problems at the Marion VA, use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.php?q=marion&op=and

Story here... http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2
008/05/12/breaking_news/doc48288e7f4381e953286968.txt

Story below:

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Out-patient surgeries being performed again at Marion VA

BY JOHN HOMAN
The Southern

MARION — Low-risk outpatient surgeries have resumed at the VA Medical Center in Marion.

Hospital communications director Rebecca Shinneman said Monday that some procedures were performed late last week.

Citing privacy issues, Shinneman could not identify the specific kinds of surgeries that have been permitted, but it was reported last month that procedures might include knee arthroscopies, prostate biopsies, vasectomies and hernia repairs, for example.

“The Marion VA Healthcare System staff has made great strides in assuring a high quality surgery program,” Shinneman said. “Some of the actions taken were reassessment of oversight policies and procedures and additional staff training. I want to thank the veterans and their families for their support and the dedicated VA staff for their commitment to veterans healthcare.”

The decision to reinstate minor surgeries followed a review earlier this year by Dr. Ralph G. DePalma, National Director for Surgery for the VA. He recommended that minor surgeries be permitted.

There is still no target date for restoring inpatient or more complex surgeries at the Marion hospital.

Those surgeries are being farmed out to other VA hospitals or community hospitals.

Surgical procedures were suspended last September following the VA’s discovery that there had been a higher death rate than expected following major procedures during the period from Oct.1, 2006 through March 31, 2007.

Subsequent reviews by the Office of the Inspector General with the VA and Chief Medical Inspector identified issues related to quality management, credentialing and privileging of surgeons, and facility leadership.

Acting Director Warren Hill said previously that critical care training has been provided to all medical professional staff at Marion and that surgical unit policies have been reviewed thoroughly for quality assurance.

“Not only are we providing additional training for staff, but we’re team building,” Hill said.

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posted by Larry Scott
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