VA probe ‘for show,’ cardiologist claims

Posted 2015-05-07 13:15 by Grunt Report with 0 comments

A former cardiologist with the Department of Veterans Affairs is accusing the agency’s chief watchdog of conducting only a limited probe of allegations that care at a VA hospital outside Chicago is grossly mismanaged, leaving veterans at continued risk of harm or death.

Dr. Lisa Nee said the VA inspector general completed an investigation of the Hines, Ill., VA hospital last year that failed to determine why doctors were performing unnecessary cardiac procedures on veterans, whether doctors were doing the procedures and falsifying other records to secure bonuses, or whether delays in reading echocardiograms left heart conditions untreated to the point where veterans died or worsened to inoperable.

“Their investigation was for show; that’s how I would put it,” said Nee, who worked at Hines from 2011 to 2013.

Nee, 48, took her concerns to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which reviews whistle-blower claims. The OSC determined last fall that they had merit and directed VA Secretary Robert McDonald to investigate Hines further.

Nee joins a growing chorus of critics of interim Inspector General Richard Griffin, who has been under fire for failing to issue public reports before closing 140 veteran health care investigations since 2006