Washington, DC – Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) this week called on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to examine the quality of healthcare services being provided patients at the Hampton Veteran Medical Center (VMC) in Hampton, Virginia.  Senator Webb cited the 149 complaints his office had received since 2007 from Virginians, critical media reports on the Hampton facility and two VA Inspector General investigations revealing that the medical center had failed to comply with a number of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies and guidelines.

“I am aware that the vast majority of the staff at the center is dedicated, hardworking and committed to veterans’ healthcare,” Webb wrote in a letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki. “Nevertheless, the allegations, news stories and GAO reports, when taken collectively, are a source of great concern.”

Senator Webb’s letter to Secretary Shinseki, calling for a review, follows.

October 19, 2009

The Honorable Eric Shinseki

Secretary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

810 Vermont Ave, N.W.

Washington, DC 20420

Dear Secretary Shinseki:

I am writing to convey my continued concern about the quality of healthcare services being provided patients at the Hampton Veteran Medical Center (VMC) in Hampton, Virginia. 

Since January 2007, my staff has received 149 complaints about the Hampton VMC from patients or their spouses.  The allegations range from abusive patient treatment to wrongful death. In addition, a number of news reports have raised serious concerns with the level of care provided at the Hampton VMC.

According to a Combined Assessment Program (CAP) Review of the Hampton VMC conducted by the VA’s Inspector General last year (Report Number 08-00916-204, 9/15/2008), this medical center failed to comply with a number of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies and guidelines. 

This IG report also detailed unsatisfactory results of the Hampton VMC Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP) that captures patient perceptions of care in 12 service areas: “The medical center’s inpatient and outpatient overall SHEP scores for FY 2007 and the 1^st quarter of FY 2008 did not meet established targets and were lower than national and VISN scores.”

Another IG investigation of the Hampton VMC conducted last month (Report Number 09-02307-220, 9/18/2009) confirmed a patient’s accusation of a serious misdiagnosis by an attending doctor in the medical center’s Emergency Department (ED): “We substantiated the allegation that the treating physician did not conduct an adequate work-up of the patient’s stroke symptoms..” The report added that, “..the ED physician improperly copied and pasted laboratory results from a patient he’d seen earlier in the ED into the medical record of the complainant.”

I am aware that the vast majority of the staff at the center is dedicated, hardworking and committed to veterans’ healthcare. Nevertheless, the allegations, news stories and GAO reports, when taken collectively, are a source of great concern.

Therefore, I request a thorough examination of the Hampton VMC be conducted; that any deficiencies subsequently detected be corrected so as not to recur; and that I be informed of the results.

Sincerely, 

Jim Webb

United States Senator

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