Recently, the Office of Special Counsel honored three physicians for coming forward to reveal gross wrongdoing occurring at the Veterans Affairs Department. The Office of Special Counsel recognizes that the revelations of these three physicians brought the nation’s attention to the problems currently surrounding the Veterans Affairs Department and pushed the agency towards reform.
The three whistleblowers named by the Office of Special Counsel as Public Servants of the Year include:
- Dr. Katherine Mitchell: Dr. Mitchell tried for years to alert VA officials to the mistreatment of patients occurring at the Phoenix VA Medical Center.
- Dr. Phyllis Hollenbeck: Dr. Hollenbeck, along with her colleague Dr. Sherwood, reported major wrongdoing occurring in the Jackson, Mississippi VA, which included corruption, fraud, and chronic understaffing.
- Dr. Charles Sherwood: Dr. Sherwood, along with Dr. Hollenbeck, was instrumental in revealing the fraud and patient mistreatment occurring in the Jackson, Mississippi VA Hospital.
The ceremony honoring these three Public Servant of the Year recipients took place in Washington, D.C. Before receiving their awards, the three recipients shared their stories of frustration, mounted after years of attempting to alert officials to the wrongdoing they saw occurring within the VA system.
Dr. Sherwood credited the Office of Special Counsel with receiving and responding to his reports, after the VA willfully ignored such concerns for 15 years prior. Dr. Hollenbeck, who considers Dr Sherwood a role model, did not want to become a whistleblower, but when she was asked to violate laws, she had to do something.
The VA is now encouraging whistleblowers to come forward. It has created several new initiatives, including an “idea house,” which is designed as a forum for employees to suggest ways to improve the hospital. The VA still has a ways to go and what it will look like once the transformation is complete is not clear.
The three whistleblowers have applauded the efforts of the VA thus far and recognize that the organization has done much to fix the wrongdoings these three identified. Dr. Mitchell cautions that she feels there needs to be more done to protect whistleblowers and to ensure whistleblowers do not become the subject of retaliation. She states that far too many employees do not come forward because they fear losing their jobs. The only way to ensure the long term success of the VA and progress moving forward is to address the anti-whistleblowing culture that exists within it.
For now, Dr. Hollenbeck continues to work in her position at the VA, though she is sure some in her department would rather see her go. The story of these three whistleblowers demonstrates the undeniable importance of whistleblowers everywhere. Had these brave individuals not stepped forward, the wrongdoing occurring throughout the VA system may have continued on for years to come.
Barrett Law PLLC: Mississippi Qui Tam Attorneys Assisting Brave Whistleblowers
Without whistleblowers like the physicians honored by the Office of Special Counsel, serious fraud and wrongdoing would likely continue uninterrupted for years. The role of the whistleblower is a vital one; protecting the U.S. government and our citizens. The Mississippi physicians who revealed the VA’s serious wrongdoing stand to be acknowledged for their brave contribution, as the Special Counsel now has. If you have knowledge of wrongdoing and are considering blowing the whistle, the Mississippi Whistleblower Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help. We understand the complexities involved in qui tam and other whistleblower actions and will guide you each step of the way. For exceptional representation with your whistleblower case, call Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free consultation.