Results from an internal audit of the Veterans Affairs Department say the Indianapolis VA medical center requires further review.
The internal audit was convened in the wake of the VA scandal that uncovered manipulated schedule times and falsified waiting lists at facilities across the country, leading to lapses in patient care and, in some cases, deaths.
Indianapolis’ Roudebush VA Medical Center was one of more than a hundred nationwide identified as needing further review.
The average wait time for a new patient appointment at the Indiana facility was 54 days. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study put the average wait time for a new patient appointment at family physicians at about 19 days.
Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson says nationwide the audit revealed the extent of what he calls systemic problems that the department faces. He says the VA is implementing a series of changes in response, including a new patient satisfaction measurement program, more accountability for senior VA leaders, greater transparency, and an independent, external audit of the VA’s scheduling practices.
