Healthcare Inspection: Misdiagnosis and Alleged Lapses in Courtesy Fayetteville VA Medical Center Fayetteville, North Carolina.

摘要

TThe VA Office of Inspector General Office of Healthcare Inspections conducted an evaluation in response to allegations of misdiagnosis and courtesy lapses in the Emergency Department (ED) at the VA Medical Center (the medical center) in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The purpose of this inspection was to determine the validity of the allegations. We substantiated that the patient did not receive an accurate diagnosis during his ED visit in mid-June 2011. An ED physician did not complete a comprehensive evaluation and was unaware that the patient had a low sodium level and was being treated with antibiotics for a surgical site infection. The medical center conducted quality of care reviews, but those reviews did not address the deficiencies in this report. The ED physician failed to review recent and readily available medical records or ask the patient about current medications. The physician had a history of performance deficiencies in these areas, but we found no evidence that deficiencies were addressed or corrective actions taken. Further, the Service Chief and the Professional Standards Board did not follow policy when they renewed the physician's clinical privileges.