James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Florida is one of the eight U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) institutions investigators have contacted as part of an audit to see if the VA processed radiology requests within a proper time frame and properly managed canceled requests, the Tampa Bay reported.
Four Haley radiology technicians made allegations against the hospital, claiming officials did not follow safety guidelines when canceling hundreds of patient radiology exams before attempting to cover up the situation, according to the Times. The same technicians filed a sexual harassment and intimidation lawsuit against the hospital.
The Times reports that the four technicians claim the supposed cover-up affected patient care at Haley, but that remains “unclear.” One plaintiff said she reached out to a patient with an overdue ultrasound test and was informed they had died, but the cause of death was not determined.
Officials at Haley say concerns related to radiology exams “have no basis,” according to the story. The VA is expected to conclude its investigation by January.
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.