Wounded Servicemembers Should Not Have to Battle Bureaucracy, Gates Says

American Forces Press Service ^ | Fred W. Baker III

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2007 – Injured American troops should not return home to battle the bureaucracies of a broken outpatient health care system, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here today.

Gates’ comments came after surveying repairs at the center’s outpatient facility Building 18, where reported maintenance and administrative problems catapulted the center into the national spotlight this week.

Gates toured the facility with Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani.

“Like many Americans, I was dismayed to learn this past week that some of our injured troops were not getting the best possible treatment at all stages of their recovery -- in particular, their outpatient care. This is unacceptable, and it will not continue,” Gates said.

Gates said he is thankful reports brought the conditions to light, but disappointed that officials did not discover them beforehand.

No wounded servicemember should have inadequate care, he said.

“They should not have to recuperate in substandard housing, nor should they be expected to tackle mountains of paperwork and bureaucratic processes during this difficult period for themselves and their families,” he said.

“They battled our foreign enemies; they should not have to battle American bureaucracy,” Gates said.

Gates echoed senior military officials’ comments earlier this week that no complaints or reports faulted the medical care of the servicemembers. The complaints primarily focused on outpatient care and cited poor living conditions, uncompleted maintenance work orders, and delays and mix-ups in the recordkeeping and personnel systems.

There is too much work for the dedicated case workers there, Gates said. He added that many are overwhelmed and work nights and weekends trying to keep up with the workload.

Gates announced that an independent review group will look at all of rehabilitative care and administrative processes at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., and report its findings and recommendations within 45 days. The group’s members will be given free and unrestricted access to facilities and personnel, he said.

The group’s report will go to the secretaries of the Army and Navy and the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, and will be made public, Gates said.

The secretary also hinted that further personnel actions may be taken against those found responsible, once the investigation is complete.

“A bedrock principle of our military system is that we empower commanders with the responsibility, authority and resources necessary to carry out their mission. With responsibility comes accountability. It is my strong belief that an organization with the enormous responsibilities of the Department of Defense must live by this principle of accountability at all levels,” Gates said. “Accordingly, after the facts are established, those responsible for allowing this unacceptable situation to develop will indeed be held accountable.”

Gates said some lower-level leaders directly involved already have been relieved. He did not identify them, however.

Members of the independent review group are:

-- Togo West, former secretary of veterans affairs and secretary of the Army under President Clinton;

-- Jack Marsh, former secretary of the Army under President Reagan;

-- Dr. Joe Schwartz, a former Republican congressman from Michigan;

-- Jim Bacchus, a former Democratic congressman from Florida, who is now at Vanderbilt University;

-- Retired Gen. John Jumper, former Air Force chief of staff;

-- Retired Lt. Gen. Chip Roadman, former Air Force surgeon general;

-- Retired Rear Adm. Kathy Martin, former Navy deputy surgeon general; and

-- Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Larry Holland, formerly with the assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs.

Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Kevin C. Kiley said yesterday that most of the reported maintenance issues will be fixed by the end of this week.

Kiley also said a major renovation is planned that will overhaul the building entirely, including its heating and air conditioning system and plumbing. Because the soldiers there will have to move, the timing has not been set. Planners want to cause minimal disruption to the soldiers, Kiley said.

Within walking distance of the hospital’s Georgia Avenue entrance, Building 18 was bought by the Army in 1989. The rooms are apartment-style with two bedrooms sharing a common kitchen area and bath. Each has a microwave oven and a small refrigerator. Seventy-six soldiers live in the building; it can house 106.

Biographies:
Robert M. Gates
Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Kevin C. Kiley, USA

Related Sites:
Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Related Articles:
Walter Reed Puts ‘Full-Court Press’ on Fixing Building 18
Officials Offer No Excuses, Only Changes at Walter Reed

[SandRat]

Veteran Healthcare

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

"Injured American troops should not return home to battle the bureaucracies of a broken outpatient health care system, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here today."

I agree!

[af_vet_rr]

The group’s report will go to the secretaries of the Army and Navy and the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, and will be made public, Gates said.

The secretary also hinted that further personnel actions may be taken against those found responsible, once the investigation is complete.

This is good news. From what FReepers and others have said, there are some serious problems with management, etc., but the staff are, for the most part, doing as good a job as anybody could under the conditions they face.

When I heard things like this, I'm thinking it's a problem up the chain of command - either somebody is being negligent either because they aren't paying attention to those below them, or they aren't sounding the alarm to those above them.

[glennshepard]

Military health care facilities aren't the greatest...I went to Bethesda for surgery on my ear and woke up in the middle of it.

[org.whodat]

Togo West, former secretary of veterans affairs and secretary of the Army under President Clinton;

Appointing this grave selling jerk means graves is playing lip service to the sheep.

[AF_Blue]

“Like many Americans, I was dismayed to learn this past week that some of our injured troops were not getting the best possible treatment at all stages of their recovery -- in particular, their outpatient care. This is unacceptable, and it will not continue,” Gates said.

Gates said he is thankful reports brought the conditions to light, but disappointed that officials did not discover them beforehand.

Start interrogating the chain of command between yourself and those who work the halls of WRAMC, Secretary Gates. It's been my experience that when someone that has stars on the shoulders walks around on a regular basis and continually asks the question, "What can I do for you to make things better?", they want to hear what you have to say to them, that they won't hear through the regular chain of command.

[JB in Whitefish]

Those are good ideas. It's very hard to typify the level of "care" in VA facilities.

Unfortunately, I've been a witness to various levels of treatment and commitment in various VA hospitals in New Jersey, Colorado, Utah, California, and Montana....which gives me perhaps a more general "feel" for the system than some.

There are VAST differences in the level of expertise and attitude even from one ward to another in a given facility.

Most of the "ills" of the system stem from poor funding as it's the FIRST target every time somebody starts raiding the federal kitty. Things have actually improved overall, thanks in part to Secretary Principi, who I had the pleasure of meeting in person. The jury's still out on his replacement, Nicholson....who appears to be more of a bureaucrat and less of a hands on "get 'er done" type of guy.

Having suffered from PTSD for 35 years, I'd say the VA has the furthest to go in terms of its mental health practitioners. On the other hand, I've three operations performed by one of the best heart surgeons in the country...who actually works for the University of Colorado Medical Center....a few blocks from the Denver VA.

It's simply bewildering when you look at the deep chasm between the health care and administrative branches of the Agency...I can GUARANTEE you they don't bother to communicate with each other....it's seemingly "against the rules". Go figure.

Most bewildering, however, is the situation we find ourselves in which generally suffers from a complete lack of realization and forethought when it comes to the issue of the flood of younger patients bound to occur from recent and future conflicts. The ramifications of military injuries can last DECADES...and if we can't effectively treat those "in the system" NOW....

How the HE** are we going to do so down the road....????

[Stultis]

Hmmmm. I dunno about all this. On the one hand the SecDef certainly needs to be on top of veterans' care issues. But on the other hand the validation of a series of WaPost hit pieces, and Gates devoting this amount of attention to, basically, military housing issues when we're engaged in a global war on dozens of fronts, it troubles me a bit.