This is a signal from the Secretary that he is beginning to see the severity of this situation.
Congressman Mike Turner released a letter he received from Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki in response to his concerns about the noncompliance with basic medical safety standards at the Dayton VA Medical Center. In response to the lawmaker’s request for a national level investigation, Secretary Shinseki stated in his letter:“…the Office of Inspector General (OIG) completed an independent review of the Dental Clinic…Should OIG’s findings identify issues that require further investigation, I am prepared to establish a national Administrative Investigation Board of subject matter experts to conduct more detailed reviews.”
Congressman Turner, along with Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman have been working together to understand the events which have occurred at the facility, and had requested that VA Secretary Eric Shinseki convene a national level investigation into the event at the dental facility, as well as the entire hospital. The three lawmakers also requested copies of the VA’s investigative reports which have been provided to the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association for independent review.
“This is a signal from the Secretary that he is beginning to see the severity of this situation. A national level investigation would lend an additional perspective into the failures at this facility, and determine whether there have been further violations,” stated Congressman Turner.