Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–October 7, 2014. Today, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) released the following statement on the retirement of Joan Ricard, Director of Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital and the need for accountability and changes at Hines.
“I thank Joan Ricard for her many years of service. The wait times and scheduling issues that occurred throughout our nation and the Chicagoland area are completely unacceptable and we must do better. It is now time to continue the long overdue work raising the standard and access to care at Hines. Many Veterans in my district and throughout Illinois, including myself, rely on this facility and we need to make sure that we are taking the correct steps to fix the issues with wait times and quality of care that exist.”
Earlier this year, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) sent a letter to the Office of Special Counsel asking for a report on complaints they are currently getting from Hines and an update on any investigations they have open there.
“I have deep concerns regarding insufficient protection for employees who wish to take part in the current investigations and the possibility of fear of reprisal due to HIPPA violations. I remain skeptical regarding conflicting reports on administrative concerns at VA hospitals throughout the country, and will continue to work with the appropriate governing bodies to make sure our Veterans are getting the care they deserve.”
The Congresswoman also sent a second set of letters to the Veterans Benefits Administration and Veterans Health Administration to address the lack of Veteran Service Representative (VSR) Representation at Edward J. Hines, Jr. VA Hospital. Veteran Service Representatives can be strong advocates for VA patients, and their presence helps ensure questions are answered and benefits are explained to Veterans.You can view that correspondence here and here.
On September 4th, Duckworth attended a town hall at Hines and expressed her concerns.
“I acknowledge how hard the staff works at these VA medical facilities, and they are some of the most dedicated people I’ve ever met. But I do have concerns from the August audit that I hope can be addressed. We need to look all the way up the chain from supervisors to directors to ensure the best possible care for our Veterans.”
Additionally, the Congresswoman called for accountability throughout the VA system by being an original cosponsor of the Veterans Access to Care Act of 2014, urging the House Veterans Affairs Committee to look into these issues and drafting legislation to help combat Veteran suicide.
Source: duckworth.house.gov
