17 Recommendations

 

MANCHESTER, N.H. — The Manchester Veterans Affairs Medical Center has been told to make improvements after an unannounced visit by the office of the inspector general.

The visit was conducted in June as part of a routine review done at facilities about every three years. It came two years after concerns of substandard care plagued the Manchester VA.

>> Find the full report here

A 78-page report detailing what the inspection revealed after reviews of eight areas, finding deficiencies in seven of them. The inspector general produced a list of 17 recommendations, ranging from documentation concerns to noncompliance with Veteran health administration protocols.

Staffing is one concern.

At the urgent care center, the report said, “The OIG identified deficiencies with nurse staffing, backup call scheduled for urgent care center providers and availability of support services.

In response to those staffing concerns the Manchester VA reduced its urgent care operating hours on Aug. 30, before that it had been open around the clock.

Construction work is underway on a new urgent care and mental health care addition. Sixteen-thousand square feet that will allow for expanded mental health service.

Communication was another area the report said needed to be fixed when it came to military sexual trauma (MST).

Seventy-seven percent of the patients at the facility who tested positive for MST were not referred for MST-related services, which is VA protocol. The inspector general recommended that change and that providers to get the necessary training.

The report said the OIG, “Identified noncompliance with the environment of care cleanliness, infection prevention and safety.”

The Manchester VA released a statement that said in part, “The facility concurs with all of the OIG’s recommendations and has a comprehensive plan in place to implement them in less than a year’s time.”

Manchester VA officials and the inspector general agreed on dates to complete each of those recommendations.

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