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Last updated 7:41 am CT February 09, 2010.
Officials Promise Improvements at Marion VA
It's been a little more than a week since the VA Office of the Inspector General released a report outlining shortcomings at the facility, including problems overseeing patient safety and doctors performing procedures they weren't authorized to do.
That report was especially troubling since the hospital has been under the microscope since 2007, when a string of death's was attributed to poor care.
Now the federal government says it’s trying to reassure the region's 43,000 veterans that things at the Marion VA will get better.
"I couldn't believe that they keep telling us they care about us and obviously they don't put forth the effort to care about us," said veteran Steven Ray of Herrin.
"All they have to do at this hospital and other hospitals is make sure they have enough money to hire the best people," said veteran Norman Bryan of Paducah, Ky.
That is part of the plan. The Illinois Congressional delegation has introduced the Veteran’s Health an Quality Improvement Act in the U.S. House and Senate.
According to Senator Dick Durbin’s office the bill is designed to tighten the process for hiring doctors, introduce a new quality assurance mechanism, and attract more quality medical professionals to the VA by freeing up money already budgeted for the department.
The Secretary of Veteran's Affairs has ordered a high-level Quality Management team to spend time at the hospital.
"They will review operations here. They will look at the Inspector General's report and we expect action to be taken to be make improvements," said Congressman Jerry Costello, (D)-Belleville.
Costello and Durbin made some of those same demands in 2007, and Quality Management teams visited the hospital regularly.
The report proves they came up short, but Thursday lawmakers, including Sen. Roland Burris, (D)-Illinois, insist VA employees-- many of which they met with Thursday are doing a fine job.
Patients told News Three they’re generally pleased with the care they get. Some give them hospital high marks.
"My husband has had excellent care at this facility," said Lucille Rowlen of Harrisburg.
VA officials blame inconsistent leadership for the shortcomings in the latest report.
"Not to make excuse, but in my experience when you've had that much turnover...some of these issues aren't addressed as systematically as they should be," said Deputy Undersecretary William Schoenhard.
They believe they've solved that problem with new director James Roseborourgh—who they called out of retirement after thirty years of service to the VA system—and a new leadership team.
By Dana Jay
djay@wsiltv.com
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