TOPEKA, Kan.
(AP) -- The problems with delayed care and unauthorized wait lists that
caused a furor at a Veterans Affairs health care campus in Arizona
existed at several facilities in the Midwest, but in much smaller
numbers, VA officials said in letters to two U.S. senators.
The
Department of Veterans Affairs maintained 10 such "secret waiting
lists" of military veterans in need of care at facilities in Kansas,
Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, the letters said. They also said at
least 96 veterans waited more than 90 days for treatment at seven
facilities in those states, including 26 in St. Louis and 19 in
Columbia, Missouri.
The letters said that
eight of the 10 lists "served to complement authorized lists to more
fully support Veteran care and access." But the two other lists,
including one at the Wichita facility, "placed Veterans at risk."
The
information about conditions in the VA's Heartland Network was sent to
U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran of Kansas late last week, as the
VA released a summary of 216 site-specific audits detailing widespread
falsification of waiting list records and unreported treatment delays at
VA facilities nationwide. In that release, the VA did not reveal any
information about conditions at individual sites.
The
VA is conducting a system-wide investigation after it was found that
the Phoenix VA Health Care System had about 1,700 veterans in need of
care on secret waiting lists, and another that had 1,400 waited over 90
days for primary care appointments. The scandal led to the resignation
last week of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.
Roberts
said Tuesday he wanted more answers about conditions at the Robert J.
Dole Veterans Administration Medical Center in Wichita and the other
facilities. One letter said 21 veterans waited longer for 90 days for
care in Wichita; the second put that total at nine. Roberts said he had
earlier been assured by VA officials there were no such problems at the
hospital.
"My top priority is who is on that secret list and what is the status of their care?" Roberts said.
The
letters were sent to the senators by Francisco Vasquez, director of the
Dole medical center, and Dr. William P. Patterson, the director of the
VA's Heartland Network. The two senators said they forwarded the
information in the letters to the VA's Office of Inspector General.
The
letters were first reported Monday by The Wichita Eagle. They both said
the practices had been "immediately discontinued" and veterans were
being contacted to ensure they are receiving the proper level of care,
the letter said. It added that investigations into the issues are
"ongoing."
Officials from the Wichita VA didn't immediately respond to questions Tuesday from The Associated Press.
The
61 hospitals or clinics in the VA's Heartland Network serve Kansas,
Missouri and parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. The
veterans who waited for care longer than 90 days included 14 in Poplar
Bluff, Missouri; 12 in Kansas City; eight in a facility serving eastern
Kansas and another eight in a facility serving the southern parts of
Illinois and Indiana.
