to announce bill after Dayton VA scandel

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to announce bill after Dayton VA scandel

By Ben Sutherly, Staff Writer

9:37 PM Sunday, August 21, 2011

DAYTON — U.S. Rep. Mike today will announce federal legislation that

would let the government fine and imprison for up to one year Veterans Health

Administration employees who intentionally fail to follow infection control

practices.

, R-Centerville, is introducing the bill in part as a result of

revelations early this year that at least 535 veterans were put at risk by

alleged poor infection control practices at the Dayton VA Medical Center’s

dental clinic.

The dentist at the heart of the scandal, Dr. Dwight Pemberton, was reassigned

after whistleblowers came forward in July 2010. Pemberton, 81, retired in

February, before the VA took disciplinary action against him.

Pemberton has denied allegations he failed to change gloves and sterilize

equipment between patients. He has voluntarily retired his Ohio dental license.

After the whistleblowers came forward, the Dayton VA closed the dental clinic

for three weeks and offered testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV to 535

veterans who had received invasive dental work from Pemberton since 1992.

The Dayton VA has said three positive cases — two for hepatitis B and one for

hepatitis C — may be linked to the dental clinic.

In the wake of the scandal:

• the Dayton VA’s director, Guy , was reassigned to a regional VA

headquarters job in Cincinnati;

• the VA’s chief of staff, Dr. Cohen, retired shortly after the

whistleblowers came forward;

• the dental service chief, Dr. Mesaros, was fired after a VA

investigation found he hadn’t done enough prior to July 2010 to address dental

clinic employees’ concerns about Pemberton’s alleged infection control

lapses.

In April, the dental clinic’s problems were the subject of a Senate hearing

held at the Dayton VA. The alleged infection control lapses also were

scrutinized during a broader House hearing — held in Washington, D.C., in May

— on medical sanitation issues at VA medical centers.

At the Senate hearing in April, told Sen. Sherrod Brown there had been

shortcomings in the VA Office of Inspector General’s investigation of the

dental clinic. Investigators, for example, were unable to interview some key

witnesses, including Pemberton.

“Their absence raises serious concerns over the comprehensive scope of the

investigation,†said. w expects to introduce the bill following

the Labor Day holiday, according to a spokesman.

Contact this reporter at 
(937) 225-7457 or bsutherly
@DaytonDailyNews.com.