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GOSHEN, Ind. (AP) — A federal inspection has found that a delay in care at a northern Indiana VA clinic lowered the quality of life for a man who died from lung cancer.
The South Bend Tribune (http://bit.ly/1NAvBjw ) reports the man was in his 70s and died in spring 2014. The inspection of Goshen Community Based Outpatient Clinic focused on the amount of time it took for the man to get an MRI, which later led to his cancer diagnosis.
The inspection by the Office of Inspector General in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found the man's quality of life could have been much better if the cancer was diagnosed sooner. It said it couldn't determine that an earlier diagnosis would have changed the ultimate outcome.
The recently released report of the investigation also says the man and his wife didn't know about a patient advocacy program, which also could have helped him.
VA Northern Indiana Health Care System said in a statement that it accepts the report's findings and has complied with its recommendations. The report said the system's director should make sure the man's care is reviewed and that patients at the Goshen clinic are aware of the advocacy program.
The inspection was done at the request of U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski, whose district includes the Goshen clinic. She said her office gets an "alarming amount" of calls from local veterans complaining about care.
"The standard in Indiana has to rise," Walorski said.
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Information from: South Bend Tribune, http://www.southbendtribune.com
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