|
VA Watchdog Stuff...
cups, hats, shirts...
click on item to order
and support the site.
Be sure to get all four
VA Watchdog dot Org
RSS feeds --
Daily VA
News Flashes
House CVA
Veterans' News
Senate CVA
Veterans' News
VA Press
Releases
Download your
free copy of the
2008 VA benefits
handbook here...
|
Printer-Friendly Version
UPDATE: DALLAS VA PRAISED FOR SWIFT UPGRADES
AFTER SUICIDES -- Secretary Peake: "The lessons
learned
here will be translated throughout the VA
system."
Dallas VA
For background on the Dallas VA suicides (with
backlinks), click here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/n
fMAY08/nf052108-5.htm
Story here...
http://www.dallasnews.com/share
dcontent/dws/news/healthscience/stories/082608
dnmetvahospital.3c0845d.html
Story below:
NOTE: If you wish to post a comment,
go to the end of the story and use our new "Comment"
feature.
-------------------------
Dallas VA Medical Center praised for
swift upgrades after suicides
By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News
sfarwell@dallasnews.com
The U.S. secretary of Veterans Affairs and Sen. John Cornyn on Monday
praised administrators at the Dallas VA Medical Center for what they
called an "aggressive response" to four suicides by mentally ill patients
earlier this year.
Hospital administrators closed the psychiatric ward for 45 days, solicited
input from two panels of experts and retrofitted the 68-year-old wing to
increase patient safety.
"The most important thing is what you do when you realize you have a
problem," said Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake. "The lessons
learned here will be translated throughout the [Veterans Affairs] system."
 The
VA Office of Medical Inspector and a team from the VA Office of Mental
Health Services evaluated the psychiatric unit less than a month after it
was closed in April. Their reports included a recommendation to remove
some suicide risks – such as metal trash cans, linen hampers and geriatric
chairs in the showers – but did not criticize the care veterans received.
Veterans Chris Demopolis and Pat Ahrens committed suicide in January, days
after being released from the government hospital on Lancaster Road in
southeast Oak Cliff. A few months later, two other patients hanged
themselves in the 51-bed unit.
Within days, administrators stopped accepting new patients, transferring
veterans to government and private hospitals in Dallas.
Doctors' quick response and candor earned kudos from Mr. Cornyn, R-Texas,
a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"It is a testimony to the responsiveness of the VA that they have taken
this seriously and they have been open with the press and public," said
Mr. Cornyn, who added, "The staff at the Dallas VA has demonstrated they
are committed to making significant improvements to the facility and the
level of care provided. I was pleased to see progress under way and will
continue to closely monitor these enhancements."
-------------------------
TIPS FOR POSTING:
Comments should be about the story on this page. Respect others who
have posted. If you have a question for VA Watchdog...
go here...
-------------------------
posted by Larry
Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
Don't forget to read all of today's VA
News Flashes (click here)
Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage
email Larry
(go
back to VA Watchdog dot Org Home Page) |
Military
Medical Malpractice
Legal
Network
VA Watchdog Stuff...
cups, hats, shirts...
click on item to order
and support the site.
|
