In 2009, the Miami VA Hospital used improperly cleaned colonoscopy equipment. As a result, 2,400 Vets may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis and other diseases. This is unforgivable and completely avoidable. To add insult to injury the VA then screwed up the notification process. According to the Miami Herald, 79 veterans were not notified of the unsterile equipment.
This poses three very important questions: Who is in charge of Miami’s VA hospital, why are these mistakes happening and what is going to be done to help our vets?
As a South Florida medical malpractice attorney who has had experience in representing Vets injured by the VA’s medical negligence, I think whoever is in charge of the hospital should be immediately fired and replaced by a seasoned hospital administrator. In addition there should be a comprehensive program in place at all VA hospitals as well as private hospitals to insure that this type of error does not ever happen again. Lastly, there should be put in place now both physical and emotional support for any Vet or Vet’s family that may have exposed.
I just looked at the Miami VA Healthcare System website and could not even find a link to get information about this. This is unacceptable.
