Noteboom The Law Firm

St. Louis VA Fails to Keep Veterans Safe

June 9, 2010 - Whether you are in a private hospital or one run by the federal government, such as a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital, you expect a certain standard of care. As a patient, you expect the hospital will keep you as safe as possible. The St. Louis VA (SLVA) failed in this charge and the results may turn out to be disastrous.

The SLVA dental center failed to properly or adequately sterilize their equipment. Consequently, the SLVA's Chief of Dental Services has been placed on administrative leave and the VA is recommending almost 2,000 veterans return to the medical center to undergo blood tests.

It is feared exposure to the tainted equipment during dental procedures introduced veterans to viral infections. The possibility of infection is extremely remote and to date no illnesses have been discovered in veteran-patients. The blood tests will screen veterans for:

• Hepatitis B;
• Hepatitis C; and
• HIV.

According to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, the VA has spent the last 18 months employing more rigorous supervision over safety standards at all their medical facilities. The SLVA's problems were discovered while these standards were being implemented. Now that their sanitation issue has been exposed, the reason for the negligent failure in the first place will be the subject of an independent investigation.

1,812 veterans who had undergone dental procedures at the SLVA between 1Feb09 and 11Mar10 were notified of their possible infection. Possibly even more disturbing than dentists' using dirty equipment on patients is the SLVA was aware of this problem in March but waited until last week to send out letters to those possibly infected. An SLVA spokesperson explained the delay was due to officials assessing the risk factor of the situation.

Veterans who have received dental procedures since 11Mar10 are not at risk. The infractions prior to that date are wholly unacceptable. What is worse is this is not the SLVA's first time combating sanitation issues. Hopefully the new standards will make this its last.