Procedures moved from Zablocki following complaint by employee about sterilization
Written by Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Dec. 14, 2010 | (45) Comments
The Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center [in Milwaukee] stopped doing medical procedures more than a week ago after an employee raised concerns about the sterilization of medical equipment.
VA officials would not provide details on the concerns that prompted the decision. But they stressed that the move on Dec. 6 was precautionary.
"There was not gross deviation from the procedures that we've identified," said Michael Erdmann, the chief of staff at the medical center and a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin. "But because we wanted to err on the side of patient safety, we made the very difficult decision to stand down everything."
About 20 patients have had surgeries or procedures done at Froedtert Hospital or other hospitals since Dec. 6.
The surgeons and other doctors at the VA generally also work at Froedtert Hospital. Carolyn Bellin, a spokeswoman for Froedtert, said the referrals have not caused any problems.
"We're glad to help out," she said.
The Zablocki VA and its clinics treat about 55,000 veterans a year, and the medical center generally has about 140 patients in its acute care unit.
The medical center is beginning to perform some procedures but doesn't expect its operating rooms to reopen until next week.
The medical center is sterilizing and processing thousands of pieces of equipment, a task that takes a minimum of three to four hours for the simplest device or tool. Each piece of equipment has to be inspected, cleaned and repackaged.
More than 400 types of equipment are reprocessed at the medical center, ranging from tools used for dental procedures to endoscopy scopes to a device for placing an artificial heart valve. Each has a specific procedure, and some run for pages.
"Every indication right now is we were following the procedures," said Gary Kunich, a VA spokesman.
The VA department that sterilizes and reprocesses medical equipment has gone through 16 inspections, some for just specific equipment, by hospital staff and the national VA system since July, Kunich said.
Kunich and Erdmann would not disclose the question raised about the hospital's procedures. But Erdmann acknowledged it was a drastic step.
"It took courage," he said. "But when you believe in patient safety and quality of care, it was the only decision to make."
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SOURCE: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/111852444.html
VA officials would not provide details on the concerns that prompted the decision. The surgeons and other doctors at the VA generally also work at Froedtert Hospital.
ReplyDeletePage 1.
ReplyDeleteDecember 24, 2011
Charles Claybrooks
P.O. Box 578
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Clement Zablocki VA Medical Center
5000 W. National Avenue
Robert Beller, VA Director
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53295
Attention: Mr. Robert Beller, Director and Administrators
RE-Request for the removal of Jenna Lechnir, Radiation Therapy Department
My name is Charles Claybrooks, I am a Veteran of the Viet Nam Era and a Patient at the VA Medical Center.
In my third week of radiation therapy, during the third week of September in 2011, I had a very unpleasant and heart-wrenching experience.
One of the radiation therapist, “Jenna Lechnir displayed unprofessional, apathetic, discriminating and sinister gestures’ toward me as I was undressing for radiation therapy.”
The next day I made a verbal complaint to Jenna Lechnir’s supervisor Carol Francis, who appeared to be annoyed with me for complaining about one of her therapists. I decided to submit a written formal complaint to Patient Advocate, which would be immediately sent to Mr. Robert Beller, Director for his review.
Mr. Robert Beller never responded to my concerns regarding the sadistic conduct by the Radiation Therapist. I also call Robert Beller’s Office and spoke to his receptionist requesting a timely response. In November of 2011 I sent another letter directly to Mr. Robert Beller, Director requesting the removal of Jenna Lechnir from the Radiation Therapy Department.
Page 2.
December 24, 2011
Charles Claybrooks
P.O. Box 578
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Clement Zablocki VA Medical Center
5000 W. National Avenue
Robert Beller, VA Director
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53295
Attention: Mr. Robert Beller, Director and Administrators
RE-Request for the removal of Jenna Lechnir, Radiation Therapy Department
Instead of responding to my request to have Jenna Lechnir removed from the radiation therapy department.
“Mr. Robert Beller, Director authorized and imposed on me a severe 24 month VA Medical Center House Arrest, in the form of a “PRF Flag Status.”
This is Mr. Robert Beller’s method of using his position powers to punish African Americans for submitting complaints against white staff members!
It is of my conscientious opinion that ”Mr. Robert Beller, VA Director believes that he is running a PLANTATION rather than a Federal Health Facility.”
One of the first LAWS of a PLATATION is to justify and protect the whites in their wrongdoings while Punishing the BLACKS.
Nevertheless, I will continue to STAND for my RIGHTS as an African American Citizen. I will use every United States Resource available to Submit Federal Discrimination Complaints against Robert Beller, Director and the Radiation Therapy Department.
Signed, Mr. Charles Claybrooks