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Mold, roof leaks and bats found at VA clinics

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published March 22, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Veterans Affairs' vast network of 1,400 health clinics and hospitals is beset by maintenance problems such as mold, leaking roofs and even a colony of bats, an internal review says.

The investigation, ordered two weeks ago by VA Secretary Jim Nicholson, is the first major review of the facilities since the disclosure of squalid conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

A copy of the report was provided to the Associated Press.

The report found that 90 percent of the 1,100 problems cited were deemed to be of a more routine nature: worn-out carpet, peeling paint, mice sightings and dead bugs at VA centers.

The other 10 percent were considered serious and included mold spreading in patient care areas. Eight cases were so troubling they required immediate action, according to the 94-page review.

Some of the more striking problems were found at a VA clinic in White City, Ore. Officials reported roof leaks throughout the facility, requiring them to "continuously repair the leaks upon occurrence, clean up any mold presence if any exists, spray or remove ceiling tiles."

In addition, large colonies of bats resided outside the facility and sometimes flew into the attics and interior parts of the building.

Veterans groups said they were concerned about the findings but also appreciated the VA's aggressive efforts to identify problems.

In interviews, VA officials said they were somewhat reassured by the report, which they said indicated no red flags rising to the level of problems at outpatient facilities at Walter Reed in Washington, D.C., one of the premier facilities for treating those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Moratorium advances

WASHINGTON - Congress has moved a step closer to placing a one-year moratorium on Pentagon competitions to outsource military hospital work to private companies.

The provision was included in a bill approved 59-0 late Tuesday by the House Armed Services Committee and expected to be considered by the full House later this week.

The moratorium was added to the legislation in the wake of outrage over a report that a three-year delay in awarding an Army contract at Walter Reed Army Medical Center contributed to substandard conditions and inadequate nonmedical staffing there.

[Last modified March 22, 2007, 02:11:00]