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Haley forum focuses on what's going well

Several unresolved problems at the veterans hospital don't come up during the session led by Rep. Michael Bilirakis.

By BRADY DENNIS
Published August 31, 2006

TAMPA - In recent months, Rep. Michael Bilirakis has kept close watch on the problems plaguing James A. Haley VA Medical Center, the nation's busiest.

The Tarpon Springs Republican, who chairs the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, spent part of his summer recess Wednesday touring the hospital and moderating a forum for a crowd of nearly 200 people.

He joined fellow Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, hospital staff members, veterans and representatives from veterans groups to discuss the state of Haley, what's going well and what needs work.

Both Bilirakis and medical center director Forest Farley Jr. insisted the forum had nothing to do with the bevy of pending investigations at the hospital. In fact, the subject never came up - in public.

But they acknowledged that hospital officials had briefed congressional staffers for nearly five hours Tuesday about the hospital's operations and the pending investigations.

"There are some problems," Bilirakis said after the forum, declining to discuss the specifics of ongoing investigations. "No matter how good a facility is, there's always room for improvement."

During the past year, Haley has faced a growing litany of troubles.

Two weeks ago, an outbreak of flies forced the hospital to cancel some non emergency surgeries. Employees said spoiled food from an employee's locker attracted the flies.

Earlier this year, the federal Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed it was investigating Haley over charges of poor patient care and a questionable contract with the University of South Florida to provide surgeons.

Other allegations include claims that staff members failed to ensure cranial implants used in two surgeries were sterilized; that surgeons left patients waiting under anesthesia while they tended to other things; and reports of patient injuries, such as falling and not being discovered for 20 minutes.

Officials also launched an inquiry months ago into the hospital's police force, including allegations of civil rights violations and officers involved in identity theft.

And a federal indictment late last year alleged kickbacks among contractors at Haley's spinal center.

Farley said the problems have proved a distraction for the hospital, a distraction he hopes will end soon.

At the forum, hospital officials spent nearly two hours presenting information about all aspects of care at Haley, from patient waiting times to the state-of-the-art polytrauma center, to the increase in treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder.

They talked about what they were doing well - advances in technology, construction of facilities, increased privacy protection - and areas that need work: nursing shortages, lengthy waiting times for patients, funding that can't keep up with the growing number of veterans.

Time ran out Wednesday before panel members could take many questions from the audience, but Bilirakis encouraged veterans in attendance to submit questions or complaints to staffers.

Both he and Brown-Waite praised the hospital staff and commented on the high level of care at the hospital.

"You're not going to make everybody happy, but the majority of the vets out there who use James Haley are very pleased," Brown-Waite said.

"The newspapers and the television will always dramatize whenever there's a problem. They don't give credit where credit is due."

[Last modified August 31, 2006, 01:15:38]