#Middlebury #Veterans
For the first time, the Department of Veterans Affairs has released health care inspection reports for 101 of its Community Living Centers, formerly known as nursing homes. Facilities were surveyed in a number of ways, including having enough staff, managing medication, protecting residents from physical and mental abuse and properly storing and preparing food. Of those, staffing might be the most important: If there aren’t enough registered nurses, vocational nurses and nursing aides, care doesn’t happen at all.
Per the reports, the VA has fewer low-performing facilities (17.2 percent versus 19.7 percent) and more high-performing facilities (17.2 percent versus 10.8 percent) than the private sector. These numbers aren’t bad, they say, considering that the veterans at these facilities have more serious conditions than are generally seen in civilian facilities. Of the total, only eight VA facilities were rated one star. Reports for the remaining centers will be released by October.
To see reports of centers near you, check online at www.va.gov/QUALITYOFCARE/apps/aspire/clcsurvey.aspx and use the drop box.
See www.accesstocare.va.gov/Healthcare/QualityOfCare to view the comparisons between VA and non-VA care, .
However, one wonders why the VA is just now getting around to releasing the results of those reports. The General Accountability Office was asked to step in years ago to investigate complaints. Its report, titled “Actions Needed to Better Manage Risks to Veterans’ Quality of Life and Care,” outlined a lot of problems, with pain management being at the top of the list and a general failure to respond to and address deficiencies.
It’s disheartening to see the ratings for the facility nearest to me. Percentages of short-term patients with moderate to severe pain are nearly four times higher than the national average. Long-term patients with moderate to severe pain see percentages nearly 10 times as high as the national average. The facility rates one star.
© 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
You must be logged in to post a comment.