Sen. wants no repeat of VA hospital issues in Ohio
AP – A U.S. senator from Ohio challenged Veterans Affairs officials Tuesday to make changes to ensure there is no repeat of problems at the Dayton VA hospital that have led to testing of hundreds of veterans for potential infections.
Democrat Sherrod Brown held a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs at the hospital where VA investigators found that infection control policies were violated and a dentist failed for years to change gloves or sterilize instruments between patients.
“For 18 years, this clinic failed in its duty to serve our veterans,” Brown said. “We owe it to our veterans to make sure that this never, never happens again.”
There have been problems with sterilization practices at a St. Louis VA medical center and elsewhere in recent years, and the U.S. House Committee on Veterans Affairs held hearings on the situation in St. Louis in July. Brown said before the Senate hearing that he believes such issues aren’t systemic and that VA hospitals overall provide good quality care.
