The Veterans Affairs Department recently stated that it will offer relief to more than two dozen employees who experienced retaliation after filing whistleblower complaints concerning wrongdoing at VA hospital locations throughout the U.S. This is the next step after settlements that were reached last year with three Phoenix employees who reported widespread problems at that facility, including chronic delays and other serious issues. The public outcry over VA conditions and the handling of whistleblowers led to the replacement of former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and a complete overhaul of the agency, making it easier for senior officials to be terminated.
The VA’s latest actions offer relief to about 25 employees, including one doctor who was formally reprimanded and retired after reporting serious errors at the Maryland clinic and a nurse who was fired after refusing to falsify a performance evaluation for a subordinate. The nurse will keep her job while the investigation continues and the doctor will have the reprimand removed from his record.
Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner has applauded the efforts of the VA to protect its employees who generate whistleblower complaints. Lerner’s office, which is independent of any government agency, is currently investigating some 120 complaints of retaliation at the VA following whistleblower complaints that included understaffing, improper patient scheduling, prescription medication errors, and much more. The complaints are spread across 970 VA hospitals and clinics across the nation, including the Jackson, Mississippi VA.
The new VA secretary, Robert McDonald, vowed to uncover and eliminate retaliation by seeking to change the culture that discourages speaking out. He hopes that the agency will take action to encourage employees bringing complaints to the attention of management.
Secretary McDonald has stated that he takes whistleblowing very seriously and sees it as essential in improving veterans’ care. Sloan Gibson, the Deputy VA Secretary, has additionally publically stated that his department is committed to holding those who retaliate against whistleblowers accountable for their wrongful actions. Employees who report legitimate problems need to be protected, not punished, Gibson believes.
The G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, located in Jackson, MS has been at the heart of the whistleblowing action. Over the past few years, a number of whistleblower complaints arose out of this office concerning troubling aspects of the VA’s management practices and patient care. Concerns included the lack of proper sanitation of instruments, long wait times, errors in diagnosis, and much more.
Two doctors headed the whistleblower movement in this hospital and, after being ignored for years, their information finally brought about change. While the VA appears to be moving in the right direction concerning the recognition of whistleblower concerns, there is still much change that needs to be seen in order for whistleblowers to feel safe bringing their concerns to light.
Barrett Law PLLC: Representing Whistleblowers in Qui Tam Cases and Related Matters
The doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals that stepped forward throughout the VA system have been agents for change within this healthcare network. Veterans deserve the best of care after making sacrifices for our country, and it is thanks to the VA whistleblowers that action is now being taken to correct mistreatment and poor patient care. If you are an employee or former employee aware of fraud or wrongful actions taking place in your workplace, the Mississippi Whistleblower Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help. We will assist you in bringing your action and ensuring your information reaches the right channels. Call the experienced whistleblower attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free consultation.
