U.S. SENATOR BILL NELSON (D-FL) CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION OF BAY PINES,

FLORIDA VA OPERATION -- MAY LEAD TO SYSTEM-WIDE

PROBE BY VA'S INSPECTOR GENERAL

Here is a story to WATCH!

Someone (employee? veteran?) is really angry about problems at the Bay Pines, Florida VA facility. 

This caught the attention of Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL).  Now, the Senate is getting involved...and this could go nationwide!

Story here... http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/983585851.html?MAC=61a745fd0bfac75de2d1db5aab280df7&did=983585851&FMT=
FT&FMTS=FT&date=Feb+8%2C+2006&author=PAUL+DE+LA+GARZA&pub=
St.+Petersburg+Times&printformat=&desc=Senator+requests+Bay+Pines+inquiry

Entire story below:

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Sen. Bill Nelson is asking for an inquiry into the beleaguered Bay Pines VA Medical Center amid an anonymous complaint that conditions have not improved and, in some cases, may have worsened.

In a letter Monday to VA Secretary Jim Nicholson, Nelson noted that only a year ago Bay Pines was the target of multiple federal inquiries into mismanagement and poor patient care.

This week, committees in the U.S. House and Senate are expected to delve into fresh allegations of continuing problems.

In an interview Tuesday night, Nelson spokesman Dan McLaughlin said the letter to Nicholson was prompted by an anonymous complaint charging deteriorating conditions at the hospital.

"The corruption and incompetence that exists in the management of the VA Medical Center in Bay Pines continues and has actually gotten worse," said the complaint, obtained by the St. Petersburg Times.

With the letter, McLaughlin said Nelson wanted to ensure Bay Pines becomes part of a request for a broader investigation of veterans' health care by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

McLaughlin said the committee is drafting a letter to the VA inspector general requesting an investigation as early as this week.

Nelson, a Democrat, is not a committee member but intends to sign the letter, he said.

In a statement Tuesday night, VA regional spokesman John Pickens characterized the allegations as baseless.

"The letter is filled with inaccuracies and distortions, and rather than respond to anonymous allegations, we will be happy to cooperate with any objective review to determine the facts," Pickens said.

In another sign that Congress is taking the latest allegations seriously, the House Veterans Affairs Committee planned to raise questions about the anonymous complaint during a budget hearing today.

The complaint says Bay Pines is suffering "a major budget crisis of over $20-million."

Across Florida and in Puerto Rico, VA hospitals have a $200- million deficit but management has been instructed to keep quiet, the complaint said.

"Patients are being put back on long waiting lists and (headquarters) is being told that there are no problems and so false information is being given to (C)ongress," according to the complaint.

The complaint said that because of budget deficits, VA officials across the country have diverted equipment and maintenance funds, which has hurt the quality of care for veterans.

On Tuesday, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee said it would ask the VA inspector general to look into the allegations about diversion of maintenance funds, and that Bay Pines likely would be a target.

In his letter to Nicholson, Nelson cited the problems Bay Pines suffered with implementation of a trial computer system known as the Core Financial and Logistics System, or CoreFLS.

Because of kinks with the CoreFLS system, which was installed at Bay Pines in October 2003, the hospital was unable to keep track of finances.

As a result, staff had trouble keeping medical supplies in stock and paying bills. In fall 2003 and spring 2004, the hospital was forced to cancel surgeries, prompting Congress and the inspector general to launch multiple investigations.

The VA had selected Bay Pines as the pilot for CoreFLS and planned to launch it nationwide.

But after spending nearly $400-million, then-VA Secretary Anthony Principi scrapped the system because it never worked.

The debacle cost several managers at Bay Pines and in Washington their jobs, and the Department of Veterans Affairs implemented a series of changes.

In his letter to Nicholson, Nelson said: "As you know, the Bay Pines St. Petersburg facility has struggled with logistical and financial management problems related to the deployment of the CoreFLS system. These problems affected the quality of care and contributed to dissatisfaction among the local veteran population.

"Unfortunately, I continue to receive information that the overall situation in Bay Pines has not improved. I would appreciate an update on the progress of efforts to implement management and systems improvements at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Fla."

Paul de la Garza can be reached at delagarza@sptimes.com  or (813) 226-3432.

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Larry Scott

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