For those people who would like
to SAVE the audio file at the House
regarding this hearing, you need
to do it soon before the file
leaves the official website out
of rotation.

1. Load a CD in your computer

2. Click on AUDIO COVERAGE in the top
upper right hand corner of the
hearing LINK page below using the
RIGHT side of your mouse.

3. Select "SAVING TARGET AS...."
and point your file save to the CD
you just loaded and give the file
a recognizeable name because the
default is the hearing date.

4. Then execute the COPY function
as it comes up on your computer.

________________________________________

ORIGINAL POST



The day of justice for Katrina Shanks,
widow of death Veteran Bob Shanks featured
elsewhere in this Human Torture FORUM,
has finally arrived.

The House Veterans Affairs Committee
has conducted a full 2 hour hearing,
currently on-line in written statements
and audio, on the full stream of events
which transpired at the VAMC Marion,
Illinios after a known malpracticed
VA doctor completely bungled a routine
gall bladder surgery.

Mrs. Shanks was allowed to talk at
length about what happened, as she
understood it to be, and the VA
had nowhere to hide, and did not
even try to.

Leading PitBull Congresswoman Ginny
Brown-Waite lined up the VA medical
establishment in a row and took
a bite out of all of them, as the
audio recording will show. She has
also ordered for the recovery of
records at Marion, to find out and
determine if any of the VAMC officials
were involved in the VA BONUS Scandal
under Nicholsons term.

"We are seeing way too much of
you" (meaning here at these hearings
for the Oversight and Investigations)
said Congresswoman Waite to VA's Deputy Undersecretary of VHA Dr. Kenneth Cross.
"Peer review among doctors is a
complete JOKE !!" she scathed
angrily.

The culmination of testimony over
the 2 hour period of the hearing,
did reveal that several nurses had
come forward to report the malpracticed
doc in the days prior to the Shanks
death, but were ignored and dismissed.

http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hearing.aspx?newsid=184

Activists in our group are encouraged
to make time now to hear this audio
file (upper right hand corner of LINK
page) and even try to download it to
CD if possible for long keeping since
the innermost details of how the
doctor's oversight system (does or
does not) work at all VA Hospitals.
Great information here, albeit painful
and tearful testimony to boot.

__________________________________________

AKAKA APPALLED BY REPORT REVEALING DEADLY SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS AT VA HOSPITAL

Inspector General report finds Illinois hospital was complicit in several preventable deaths; Chairman notes national ramifications


January 29, 2008


WASHINGTON, D.C. - Responding to a report issued today by the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General blaming the deaths of three patients at an Illinois VA Medical Center on substandard medical care and a systemic failure of management and oversight, U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) called the findings "appalling" and said: "It is simply unacceptable that veterans could survive the battlefield only to die prematurely due to shoddy medical care."

Akaka, Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, continued: "I am appalled by the Inspector General's findings, which indicate that substandard care led to the deaths of a number of patients at the Marion VA hospital. While this investigation was specific to the Marion, Illinois facility, the findings have ramifications for veterans nationwide and all Americans who trust that veterans' hospitals will care for our nation's heroes.

In November, Chairman Akaka held a hearing on hiring practices and quality control in VA medical facilities, prompted by a sharp spike in deaths at the Marion, Illinois VAMC as found by VA's internal tracking. The VA Office of Inspector General conducted their investigation at the request of Congress.

Akaka noted: "The investigation revealed a critical shortcoming: there is no national directive defining how facilities set up their quality management program. In the case of Marion, the surgeons in question were responsible for reviewing one another's work. The lack of a national directive or any required external oversight is deeply problematic and is simply unacceptable.

"The investigation also exposed great deficiencies in how VA monitors the credentialing of physicians. An aggressive response is needed to address the credentialing of physicians, especially when multiple licenses are held. VA must increase the scrutiny upon physicians with lapsed or expired licenses. These licenses are more likely to bear information of past disciplinary proceedings or malpractice claims that are otherwise not readily identified.

"I am also concerned about the process of privileging physicians to conduct new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. VA must do a much better job documenting the professional competency and performance record of physicians before allowing them to conduct complex procedures. Moreover, at a management level there needs to be a more thorough review of which facilities have the resources and equipment to safely perform certain procedures.

"The Committee on Veterans' Affairs will continue to follow this matter closely," Chairman Akaka said.

The Medical Inspector's report is available at: http://www.va.gov/oig/54/reports/VAOIG-07-03386-65.pdf


____________________________________________

This message has been edited. Last edited by: McClellanVet,

REPLY TO JIM P:

Which is WHY you have to go read
and listen to the hearing itself.
They were all compensated. This
is why I POST all the LINKS so
you can find out the answers to
these kinds of questions.

So all that they will get is a slap on the hand, how about the families of these dead vets, what do they get? Abig sorry.