Arizona lawmakers demand answers after alarming patient death at VA facility

PHOENIX — Several Arizona representatives signed a letter asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to step in after the death of a veteran patient at a Phoenix Veterans Administration care facility in March 2023.

“We request an immediate briefing from you on how the Phoenix VA will implement the OIG’s recommended policy changes and training standards immediately, as well as ensure lifesaving equipment is available,” said Rep. Greg Stanton, addressing Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough.

The bipartisan letter was also signed by Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, as well as Reps. Eli Crane, Debbie Lesko, Andy Biggs, Ruben Gallego, David Schweikert, Raul Grijalva and Juan Ciscomani.

The letter points to a report from the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) that alleged a delay in basic life support as the patient experienced a medical emergency while at the facility.

In the report, the OIG said its findings were inconclusive about whether a change in care would’ve provided a different result due to the state of the patient.

It claims the staff did not utilize CPR when the patient lost consciousness after a routine appointment, and the facility did not have an automated external defibrillator (AED) accessible. Local emergency services took 11 minutes to respond, all factors that the letter claims led to the patient losing their life two days later after not receiving timely care.

Among factors leading to the delay are an inefficient rapid response, conflicting emergency procedures, a lack of CPR training and a lack of an AED, the OIG’s report said.

“This incident is a part of a troubling pattern of inappropriate responses by the Phoenix VA, whose procedures have contradicted and failed to meet Veterans Health Administration standards,” the letter reads.

Follow @KTAR923