V.A. Hospital: Surgery Suspended For Sanitary Investigation

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V.A. Hospital: Surgery Suspended For Sanitary Investigation

Jaco

KTVI/KPLR

February 7, 2011

Cochran Consistently Ranks At The Bottom In National Reports

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) — The Veteran's Administration now says surgery

will remain suspended at the Cochran V.A. Medical Center until an

investigation of allegedly unsanitary operating room conditions is completed.

The surgical wing of the Cochran Hospital was closed last Wednesday, after an

inspection revealed that some surgical instruments may not have been properly

sterilized. This follows last year's scandal at Cochran, when it was revealed

improperly sterilized dental instruments might have exposed almost 1,800

veterans to either hepatitis or HIV.

Cochran officials have previously said the criticism of the facility was often

based on " anecdotes " . But the latest survey of 130 V.A. hospitals throughout the

country by the federal Department of Veteran's Affairs reveals that Cochran

consistently ranks as either the worst, or among the worst veteran's facilities

in the U.S.

The 2010 VHA Quality and Safety Report ranks Cochran as the worst in the country

when it comes to an overall rating from patients. It also shows Cochran dead

last in the nation when patients were asked whether they would recommend the

facility to anyone else.

In other rankings, Cochran is among the worst. It ranks 137 out of 139 hospitals

in both cleanliness and in the ability of nurses to communicate with patients,

ranks 136 out of 139 in quality of nursing services, and 134 out of 139 in the

ability of staff to properly administer pain control medication.

In fact, Cochran has ranked at the bottom, or near the bottom, in many major

categories in every Quality and Safety Report since 2006. St. Louis Congressman

Russ Carnahan is due to meet with Secretary of Veteran's Affairs Shinseki

on Thursday, to ask why the department has taken so long to consider any action

against the Cochran facility.

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