Veterans Affairs Fails To Sterilize Surgical Equipment Properly, Again
FAYETTEVILLE – A routine inspection at Fayetteville VA revealed VA failed to follow manufacturer standards when it did not properly sterilize surgical equipment.
The medical center, called Veterans Health System of the Ozarks, failed to update its standards for eye instrumentation sterilization for surgeries on cataracts. The danger in using improperly cleaned eye surgical instruments is the risk of infection in the eye or elsewhere that can lead to blindness or worse.
Any failure to sterilize surgical equipment properly can have life-threatening consequences.
Not surprisingly, VA consistently struggles nationwide to ensure it follows proper sterilization and cleaning procedures for equipment used on veterans. Such failures have resulted in serious injury and death.
In 2011, the Government Accountability Office issued a scathing report that VA failed to sterilize surgical equipment properly that potentially exposed 2,609 veterans to infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis.
RELATED: Dirty Surgical Equipment At Ann Arbor VA
For example, at Ann Arbor VA, the agency was forced to shut down its surgical department when micro-particles were found on surgical equipment. Minneapolis VA shut down it surgical department when an “unidentified substance” was found on its surgical equipment. Manchester VA had rusty or bloody surgical equipment that was believed sterile prior to an investigation. The list goes on and on.
RELATED: Insider Tip Why Minneapolis VA Canceled Schedule Surgeries
“At this point, the main impact to patients is that some appointments had to be canceled and rescheduled,” a VA spokesperson said in a statement. The error was found September 25, 2017, and VA spent the past two weeks sorting out what happened.
“On September 25, 2017, a routine program inspection found that eye instrumentation had not been processed following the manufacturers correct instructions for use,” the statement said. “Immediately, the facility implemented a pause in operations to implement standard operating procedures and rescheduled future appointments in accordance with manufacturer instructions.”
Veterans injured as a result of failures to sterilize surgical equipment may have grounds to file a malpractice claim against the agency and I encourage you to do so.
Over 54,000 veterans are served by the facility and its six community clinics located in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Fayetteville is also the home of a newly constructed VA, which goes to show taxpayers that no matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, you still have a pig.
“At this point, the main impact to patients is that some appointments had to be canceled and rescheduled,”
So they’ve been exposing Veterans to infections like Hep B and C and HIV and the only thing they’re doing is rescheduling appointments? How about assuming responsibility and testing ALL Veterans who’ve had surgery to see whether they were infected?
Report: Online trolls targeting US troops, veterans
WASHINGTON — Online trolls appear to be targeting U.S. veterans and military members on social media in an effort to confuse and unsettle the community, according to a new Oxford University study released this week.
“https://www.armytimes.com/veterans/2017/10/10/report-online-trolls-targeting-us-troops-veterans/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Army%20DNR%2010-10-17&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Army%20-%20Daily%20News%20Roundup”
Very interesting Oldmarine.
Here is a link to the study that was done and reported on in the article you cited.
“https://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/politicalbots/wp-content/uploads/sites/89/2017/10/Junk-News-on-Military-Affairs-and-National-Security-1.pdf”
I have also noted a group of individuals that have been trolling this site. They have several things in common. One they created their back stories and personas back in February, they all have done hard time for, or are currently facing, serious charges relating to pedophilia and they currently involved with different sham organizations that are partially funded by grants.
Additionally they also claim to be retired military but the periods of time they claim they served in the military. Well lets just say they were serving time but it was in the military.
Isn’t that right Mark Swagerty and Dustin Davis?
“https://www.postregister.com/articles/news-todays-headlines/2017/01/13/blackfoot-man-charged-sexually-abusing-minor”
“https://ca.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20110912_0006610.CA.htm/qx”
You have to read in between the lines on That first link..LOL
{Next to the Russia-Focus group is an International
Conspiracy Theory and Issue-Specific group. This group
includes clusters such as Russia Today and WikiLeaks
(users who follow and tweet links from both RT.com, a
Russian news site, and WikiLeaks); Anti-NWO
(conspiracy theorists who oppose an international “New
World Order”); Pro-Palestine, and US Libertarian
accounts. The unifying theme of this group is international
with a conspiracy theory focus. For example, accounts in
this group oppose big government, and spread
conspiratorial messages about the Rothschild family}
So your a conspiracy theorists if you oppose the NWO…NOOOO It throws the constitution out the window that’s the problem.
And big government they already steal enough…One big pedophile club..
This guy is always interesting X-cia and was a marine………
“https://seed02.bitchute.com/7823/CWNrtdWjr4iK.mp4”
VA directive IBstupid101. Insert into cavity don’t forget to sign it, take out check then reinsert all the way till it clicks in their tiny brain.
WoW much good news. I read comments below and sounds like you are being made a mockery. Lem WTF is welcome too aides mary about? Think you should move to Facebook so can track This has attracted the worst of VA or prior.
This is very basic as many here have said. In 2013 in Fayetteville AR, a dental assistant dropped the tray of tools in my room while getting a root canal, they picked them up and proceeded to try and use them on me. I flipped out, and because they had “no spares” spent 30 days with a half completed root canal before they rescheduled me. This is not surprising at this VA.
Some of these fools trying to make fools out of some. Fuck VA directives contacting politicians as n any policy that was discarded from yo big azz.
That is totally fuked up below nic. Sounds like your doing a double take trying to cover as for peice of shit remark. VA EMPLOYEES stealing drugs supplying communities. Among all else they commit. Their is nothing at all to say of any good about va Sure they keep a percentage satisfied so they get bragging points from azz kissers who only care about what do me get. What a total disaster. Just stop all medical care and put money somewhere else. Or give it back to taxpayers, start a draft for US protection starting with the VA medical staff. Then u can be 24/7 for real. LOL And then let’s see what happens from there. Is there anything VA can’t fuk up. Yeah systematic looking for those who speak up and at.
If we outsourced the sterilization of these instruments to Hostess, who clearly has sterilized trillions of individual human safe items, then they could process and return them in convenient to open wrappers.
These could then be installed into the widely scattered and standard vending units at every VA surgical center. Then, worst case scenario would be instead of being operated on with a dirty scalpel, they might make incision with Twinkee. No worries as the cream filling is sanitary.
“Little Debbie Has A Snack (or something) For You”. Do *NOT* piss-off Little Debbie. Why should I mention it? The VA will charge for Hostess quality while replacing them with Little Debbie Snacks and even then the engorged purple teams will use patient breathing tubes to suck all the cream out of those. I like the analogy and plastic wrappers, in a Pavlov’s Dog or lab-tech assistant way but do not think Dr. Pavlov messed with vile sewer rats of the AFGE type. This could be a job for “Pinky and The Brain”.
With the long, pathetic history the VA has of exposing veterans to nasty crap while claiming to provide medical care, I can’t understand why they have done nothing to improve their sterilization procedures and insuring proper standards are followed.
Perhaps these assholes need to be required to have a family member get treatment in their clinic so they think a little about the harm they cause by being lazy at their job.
So we should be reassured that a routine inspection caught the fact they weren’t following procedure. Well whoopty feckin do. How many were exposed before this “routine” inspection finally caught their sloppy practice? How many “routine” inspections failed to catch this?
Given the VAs pathetic history on exposing vets to unsterilized equipment, why not institute a positive method of insuring proper SOP is followed? If a clinic chief is sent a new SOP, they should be required to acknowledge receipt. If they fail once to acknowledge, they are suspended. If they fail twice, they are fired and the Chief of Staff is suspended.
This bullshit of making excuses about SOP and training after the fact has got to stop. Why not introduce some accountability? They have simple email and other secure systems. It can’t be that hard to track. The problem is these hacks are too lazy to do so,and just don’t give a shit how a veteran is harmed.
Please, quick, I am filling out a whistleblower complaint form, can someone tell me the rule that va doctors have to help you fill out paperwork?
Nic Mach to be sure Veteran Counselor .
Whom what kind?
Ben brought this up before awhile ago. I can’t find the info.
Nic Call Senators or Representative the same what you asking.
They suck, big time! Worthless. Seriously, I am not exaggerating, if I were an illegal immigrant from Iran trying to get into the country to get a job, i would get more help from both of them. Welcome to the great State of Oregon.
I called the VA Patient Advocate, its VHA Directive 1134.
As a 100% T&P disabled veteran who’s been diagnosed with “high pressure” in my eyes, “possible glaucoma” in my eyes and having had a few conversations with my “VA optometrist” over having “cataract surgery”. Not only does this article gives me great concern, it scares the crap out of me.
Here’s why.
1.) I’ve never been diagnosed with cataracts. So why would this optometrist want me to have surgery for something I’ve yet to be diagnosed with?
2.) With the MANY times we’ve been informed about how VA employees aren’t sterilizing medical equipment correctly, why would I or any veteran want to have any surgery at any VHA?
3.) When it’s being [correctly] reported VA employees are committing egregious and illegal acts against vets, why haven’t these reprobates been fired and/or arrested?
I’m getting really tired of the bullshit from Washington D.C.’s (elected and appointed officials), NOT having any of the government agencies held accountable for, and responsible for, their MANY illegal activities against the American Citizen!
It’s time for action by these idiots. All they do is sit on their asses and do nothing more than collect a paycheck!
It’s time for them to either do their fucking jobs, or get the fuck out of this “Republic!” Maybe it’s time for these reprobates to go to war and fight their own fucking battles!
Rant out for NOW!
I’ll try on #1: When the VA Optometrist Hack is wanting to make that eye of newt soup just like his momma made in the grass shack, if newts just won’t do, then how about some humanary stew?
Sorry, feeling a bit like early Halloween today.
You’ve gone and done it now! Messing with my Aunt Morticia and Uncle Fester’s soup recipes.
Is NOTHING sacred in the Unhinged Sanity Asylum (USA) anymore?
Uncle Fester still can heat the soup cauldron by laying on his back with the light bulb facing up directly below.
Rise and Shine Veterans call your Senators and Representative Contact Veteran Affairs Committee passed a New Disabled Benefit Law who is Disabled Veterans who is collected 100 percent service connected definitely need to have G4implants because their is not one works for a Veteran Medical Center plus their isn’t not one has a contract with Veteran Affairs Admistratation but they have a Private Clinics know how to put in G4implants unfortunately they want all the money upfront but my belief as a Veteran myself the money should come From the Federal Government so the Disabled Veterans who is 100 percent service connected definitely need to have G4implants get the G4implants for free because three quarters of the Disabled Veterans who is collected 100 percent service can’t even afford to get a loan to get the G4implants plus Spread the word sorry to off the comments but i am Concerned Veteran.
Yo, Mental Midget. Just because you change your trolling name you are still using the same email address for all of them. That means you are totally tractable and clearly you think you can just fuck with us on this page with your moronic posts. Fuck You!!!
That’s right Devil Dog we know about you.
Who am I Seymore Klearly ??
Educate me don’t Surrender and don’t swear.
Fuck off Troll.
Do you want me to list all the names that you are using plus your home address and phone number “Concerned Veteran”, “James” or?
Yes i do Seymore Klearly
Better idea! I am not very far from you I just stop by and tell you up close and personal like. See you soon!
Seymore Klearly are you going to take me to the Duncan Donuts.
So Ben,
Here is a shameless attempt at soliciting free legal advice from a lawyer;
Could anyone who scheduled a surgical appointment for themselves at any VA surgical facility use the act of voluntarily submitting to VA surgeons as prima facia evidence of mental illness? In other words, could willfull utilization of VA surgical services be used as presumpive evidence of diminished cognitive potential in the veteran and be the basis of Total Individual Unemployability? I mean, if you informed an employer you go to VA for surgery what are the odds you will EVER succeed at most forms of employment, federal employment notwithstanding? Who the hell is gonna put you behind the controls of heavy equipment, or let you build their house for them if you are doing shit like that?
I think we got a real angle here Ben. Let’s sue somebody? Don’t answer right away; we don’t want to tip them off…
Tip Jar. And a smart, snappy salute . . .
Dennis, the only problem I see with this is that if you had any chance at success at all, the VA would immediately assign you a fiduciary from the firm of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe.
Anyone ever take notice that almost all VA architecture seems to have been engineered from the same brain in a jar that designed all old school mental hospitals or haunted insane asylums?
… OIG summary of the situation ….
Forward to Sec. VA asap.
OIG has concluded that the sterilzation specialists at that facility had in fact run out of Cascade with sheeting action and had instead mixed the Cascade and Kroger brands of sterilization agents in the authorizd aterilization unit. The spotting on the surgical utensils especially was pronounced as a result of the reduction in sheeting action, however a VA spokesman at tha facility contends that the lemon fresh scent was largely unaffected by the switch of sterilization reagents.
OIG recomends counselling for the operators of the sterilization units at that facility to include proper loading of the device, proper sterization reagents, and proper cleaning of the strainer basket in the unit. Congress has called for an investigation regarding the sterilization reagents used; Kroger is not an authorized vendor of VA. OIG concured and has agreed to investigate and clear any VA folks involved.
RAND Corp. concurs, with added recommendation that autoclaves cease being used to also sanitize Veterans Claim Files as the ink is getting on employee’s clothing. That’s what Raytheon Industrial Shredders (RIS) are provided for.
Welcome to “Aides Mary”
and this is why I had my recent spinal fusion surgery done at a local hospital as I didnt trust the VA hospital.
they’re all liars. local hospital may have sterilized equipment, but they did not tell you prior to your surgery that you back may have been fixed by changing your posture. it’s all a big racket. and those of you that think non-va is better, only to a degree. they are all lying.
Sorry but no. I had three different opinions as well as mri’s done and all of them showed that if I had not had the surgery then I would be looking at life in a wheelchair. In this case they were not lying and I have the proof to back me up
Off-Topic but it’s about former VA Sec. Robert McDonald and if you want to read a scrubbed vitae making McDonald sound like America’s corporate savior and vomit for the morning, here you go: “Bob McDonald, Former VA Secretary and P&G CEO, Joins RallyPoint Board of Directors”
“https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/07/24/1056196/0/en/Bob-McDonald-Former-VA-Secretary-and-P-G-CEO-Joins-RallyPoint-Board-of-Directors.html”
That may be old news as it happened at end of July but a lot of shit has happened since then in USA, so it might have slipped under the radar.
“[…which goes to show taxpayers that no matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, you still have a pig.]”
Sterilization with an AUTOCLAVE is SO EASY, even a dancing monkey could do it. Push button and set and forget…unless the dancing monkey forgot to place the medical utensils in the damn autoclave. Stupid monkeys.
*Autoclave*- ‘An apparatus in which steam under pressure effects sterilization and is essentially a pressure cooker/steam that does this process for automatic set/programed times. I am suggesting the engorged purple teams are washing their dishes from home in the autoclaves and not washing the medical supplies at all.
They also may be making loads of pudding in the autoclaves.
HA! Yeah, I doubt they are washing any dishes in the autoclave.
I suspect all the autoclaves are in the kitchen cooking chicken.
The autoclave in the kitchen with AFGE Loafing Meat. Nice. Some chickens probably survive and strut right off a Vet Patient’s trays, so not all is fowl from a chicken’s perspective.
Routine inspection? Unidentified particles? Yeah cockroach eggs probably and there is probably nothing routine about there routine inspections either. Sterilization a basic fundamental of surgery. I read they will start asking veterans if they are eating properly or if they are famished and then direct them to the nearest food bank, hows that for social service. Some of these place are harming more veterans than an enemy did. food bank, why not throw in a pack of paper towels and a tarp. Great job VA, i wonder who came up with that blockbuster idea.
I think some piss testing would be appropriate.
You called it with the food bank, March Hare. Precisely on target. Their social service backup is Catholic Charities. However, I disagree with the piss testing being appropriate. I give ’em enough of my precious bodily fluids as it is.
However, pissing on them might be appropriate . . .
My Gawdddd! I just found some undefined particles on my toilet paper! I hope that is normal after use? I better flush it.
Not to worry Dennis, it’s just the VA’s Disruptive Behavior Committee’s nanobot particles exiting your system or possibly some already been vaped brownies or otherwise recycling trick or treats. 🙂
“Chief of VA health system steps down”
By NIKKI WENTLING | STARS AND STRIPES
Published: October 6, 2017
“https://www.stripes.com/news/chief-of-va-health-system-steps-down-1.491395”
“WASHINGTON — The leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system unexpectedly stepped down from her position effective Saturday, leaving three top VA positions unfilled by permanent undersecretaries.”
Dr. Poontang Layem from Nam is gone from the VA. About time! We first read about her some three or four months ago. Steps down???
How does one do that when their “operating theatre” is on their back with their ankles crowding their earspace?
That’s called an inner-cavity reverberation.
Does anyone know what the problem was? I know nothing about her, and have not really developed any solid informants at VACO since the regime change?
I half-wonder if some of these brief VA upper SES’ers is done *just long enough* to claim federal or otherwise benefits? It makes no sense for ANY co. or organization or AGENCY, to have a turn-over rate at the leadership levels the VA possesses. Federal Union Welfare Program for wayward professionals unable to hold-down or even gain employment at Mayo Clinic.
I’m guessing it might have something to do with Shulkin’s trip to Europe. Dr. Poon was along on that little boondoggle. Why she would have resigned, I don’t know. I recall the news report saying she paid for her spouse to go along…while Shulkin had the taxpayers fork over.
All that’s missing from that trip of his and wifey poo and Dr. Poon is the dead body found later in the adjoining hotel suite. I smell scandal.
The same old BS statements that claim no Veterans were harmed or put at risk because they found the problem. What they do not say is how long they have been sterilizing the equipment the wrong way and how many Veterans were infected by their failure to properly sterilize the equipment.
Although they admit that they needed to train the personal to do it right. They act like we don’t realize they have been doing it wrong for some extended period of time.
Maybe the master of white wash should retain their investigative personal to properly investigate and report the truth. Not some harmful cover coat of white wash. One that doesn’t notify all the Veterans who may have been negatively affected By being infected by the improperly sterilized equipment.
The standard White Wash statement on Fayetteville VA reads:
““At this point, the main impact to patients is that some appointments had to be canceled and rescheduled,” a VA spokesperson said in a statement. The error was found September 25, 2017, and VA spent the past two weeks sorting out what happened.”
Oh and from another report, just last week, at the house of horrors known as Phoenix VAMC the Said the same BS White Wash.
“While we substantiated that reusable medical equipment (endoscopes) were contaminated and reused on two patients, we did not substantiate it was due to reduced staffing. We found this was a process issue. System staff notified the patients, who were tested, and we found no related adverse patient outcomes. System managers modified the process and trained staff.”
How long have they not been properly sterilizing the Rotor Rooter cameras at Phoenix? How Many Veterans were negatively affected? We certainly will not know as long as the Master of White Wash is running the VAOIG Office. Fuck You Michael J. Missal, Inspector General. Train your investigators to tell the truth and to do a credible job of investigating not cover everything up.
What they are doing is murder by incompetent investigations.
Sources:
Title: Healthcare Inspection – Delayed Access to Primary Care, Contaminated Reusable Medical Equipment, and Follow-Up of Registered Nurse Staffing Concerns, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson, Arizona
Report Number: 16-02241-375 Download
Report Issue Date: 9/26/2017
City/State: Tucson, AZ
Link to Summary of Report: “https://www.va.gov/oig/publications/report-summary.asp?id=3975”
Link to full Report: “https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-16-02241-375.pdf”
Interesting they got involved over staffing concerns, or staffing concerns was the initial reason for reporting contaminated equipment.
Not concern over the quality of care.
Not concern over their “number one priority, the veterans”, but staffing.
Is this a new tactic by the AFGE?
Staff/Staph=Words/Swords.
Sterilization is a basic procedure. There is NO excuse for this to not be done correctly using an Autoclave, making equipment safe to use for performing medical procedures. VA should be sued when a Veteran receives an infection. Frigging stupid asinine butthurt Lib-turds (-tards).
VA has a wealth of information to assist other hospitals on what not to do. You can’t trust what they do, say, or even when they get things wrong and admit. VA still twists everything out to context. – – – Nutter.
How long does it take for some infections to manifest themselves once exposed?
If a veteran receives a letter or can prove they received treatment in a clinic using dirty equipment, then that veteran should be immediately service connected for any infection that could possibly manifest.
That service connection should stand until the VA can prove through medical testing that the veteran will never be affected by their sloppy practices.
Put the burden back on the VA instead of forcing the veteran to prove 10 years later that they caught a nasty bug from another VA hack being lazy.
Seroconvert rate/time is highly dependent upon the particular *strain* you get infected with when it comes to any pathogen, but HIV has several drug-resistant mutated strains…not nice…and Hep B and C have a few strains…but to answer question, some could know by getting tested every 6 months for two years one way or another, other strains, 10-15 years, and it requires…requires persistent testing every 6 months and even a positive has an even more sensitive indicator that will further determine. BUT…big BUT…is it requires genotypes and phenotypes to determine proper medication for such viruses with no cure in the horizon…the VA skips that entirely and just gives a Vet what was RX’d in the 90’s that they have a salvo of in excess…and then only more current shit if the other stuff did not kill you firstly…
moral of story, long story short (too late), do not let the hacks at the VA cut into you or put anything inside you. If they can’t cook chicken, they can’t touch my liver.
Nam, this is the VA. I suspect they test a vet for pregnancy, it comes up negative, they tell the vet his test was negative and the VA never mentions it again.
I thought the VA pregnancy test was submerging patient in water tied to a rock and if they float they are really pregnant…or was that an early VA Puritan Witch Test (PWT)?
namnibor, all Veterans can now get treatment for hepatitis C with the new medications that have above 90% success rate.
If anybody is denied treatment come tell us at HCVets.com
SPrice nice site but am wondering are they still pushing the Gilead cure or are Veterans now being offered the much safer cure made by Bristol Myers Squibb?
I know the Bristol Myers Squibb cure cost about 1/5 the price of the more dangerous Gilead cure.
Seroconvert (Immunology) – – – time period that a specific antibody develops, then becomes detectable in a blood sample. After seroconversion, the disease then can be detected in the blood samples for the specific antibody per the certain cause (bacteria, virus) per the disease. Each organism’s seroconversion will usually be different per detection of the specific antibody.
Genotype – – – these are the genes that make up the traits in an organism. In sequences of AD and GC.
Phenotype – – – the actual expression of the genes, the observable physical properties of an organism, including the organism’s appearance, development, behavior with the organisms environment.
Harvey-Weinberg Equation – – – the amount of genetic variation in a population will remain constant from one generation to the next in the absence of disturbing factors (in its environment).
– – – Nutter.
Thank you for defining the terms further. people have no idea when you are a patient with such chronic disease, you end-up having to learn SO MUCH, so much in-fact that it’s WAY MORE than any average primary care provider even went to college for…my Infectious Disease Specialist/Private’s office has helped me in so many ways and saved me from certain death with the VA.
This happens at all VAs Ben, all the time, non-stop, news flash. The thought is, if they get Hep C or HIV, so what, they can do an 1151 or a Federal Tort Claim, then they will get more money, therefore more booze and pain pills. Don’t ya know?
@Nic Mach – – – Is your statement pro Veteran or pro VA employee? Your comment reads like Veterans want to get infections from unsterilized medical instruments. – – – Nutter.
What do you think, are you kidding? The mentality is they (The VA/VHA) just don’t care. They really don’t. They may in some abstract sense, but if they get sued, their butt (The employee) is not on the line. If they could sue employees, personally, or amend the FTCA, and make it easier to sue the VA/VHA, or to fire employees, then things like this would not happen.
I hear ya, Nic. Or eventually, some vets will get tired of the “we’ve got a form for that” game – – – and decide to play a new one with different pieces.
My favorite piece to play with is my Kimber Custom II in .45 ACP. And I am getting awfully, awfully tired of “we’ve got a form for that”.
claim denied, not every veteran drinks or on pain pills. no matter if u do get money, you may not see what ur buying from being blind.