WASHINGTON – Sen. Charles E. Schumer urged the Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday to speed up its patient notifications of serious health threats such as the one that surfaced at the Buffalo VA Medical Center when it inadvertently used the same insulin pens more than once on different patients.
A report from the VA’s inspector general last week revealed there were serious delays in notifying patients of the possible risks from the reuse of the insulin pens. And that prompted Schumer to ask VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to set up a standard timeline for such notifications in the future.
“There needs to be a robust, standard, timely process, and the speed of the notifications needs to be tracked and monitored by VA and VHA leadership,” said Schumer, D-N.Y.
Schumer and Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, requested the inspector general investigation.
A report from the VA’s inspector general last week revealed there were serious delays in notifying patients of the possible risks from the reuse of the insulin pens. And that prompted Schumer to ask VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to set up a standard timeline for such notifications in the future.
“There needs to be a robust, standard, timely process, and the speed of the notifications needs to be tracked and monitored by VA and VHA leadership,” said Schumer, D-N.Y.
Schumer and Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, requested the inspector general investigation.