AUGUSTA, Maine — The veterans health system in Maine provides some of the best hospice and palliative care in the country but could improve some areas of quality oversight, according to a new federal report.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General issued the report on the VA Maine Healthcare System on Wednesday night. The report was largely positive but did note several repeat recommendations from 2011 in quality oversight.
In a Wednesday press release, Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, said he was pleased with the hospice and palliative care results but frustrated that “some of the recommendations in this report had already been made in 2011. It’s critical that Togus take concrete steps to implement these recommendations now, and I look forward to following up with them to hear about their progress.”
The report was the result of a scheduled review process that assesses how well VA clinics are providing veterans with convenient, high-quality medical care. Reviewers visited the Togus medical center in Augusta and several outpatient clinics during the week of Oct. 15.
Of the seven areas reviewed, recommendations for improvement were made in three.
“We’re pleased with the review overall,” said Ryan Lilly, who became director of the Maine VA Healthcare System in August. “They did find a few things for us to improve upon, so we’ve concurred with those findings, and we’re working on an action plan to improve in those areas.”
The system’s hospice and palliative care program, which includes an inpatient unit and home hospice care, attained the highest national ranking in the VA system for quality, according to the report. The ranking is based on a survey offered to loved ones after the death of a veteran in a VA facility.
The repeat findings said the system should better report actions from peer reviews to an oversight committee and that problems or areas for improvement should be consistently followed to resolution by a quality management committee.
“We had made some improvements, but they thought there was still some additional room for improvement in that process,” Lilly said.
The report also recommended that all 15 staff members outside the hospice and palliative care program be trained in end-of-life care. Ten staff members had not been, the report said.
Further recommendations included that alalyzing electronic health record quality reviews at least quarterly, storing oxygen tanks to distinguish between empty and full tanks, and ensuring maintenance on physical therapy equipment.
The review also looked at medication management, long-term home oxygen therapy, nurse staffing, and preventable lung blood clots, but made no recommendations in those areas.
Through September, the Maine VA system provided care to nearly 40,000 veterans. It is composed of Togus and seven community outpatient clinics in Portland, Saco, Calais, Rumford, Lewiston/Auburn, Caribou and Bangor, as well as three facilities in Lincoln, Houlton and Fort Kent.
As a VA patient, with no health care issues, I would applaud Mr. Michaud for his efforts on behalf of veterans.
And that is the ONLY thing I would applaud Mr. Michaud for.
Mike doesn’t really care about anything except himself and these press releases
Let’s face it the republicans all run from wars they start, and have no problems denying returning vets the health care and benefits they deserve. Shame on the cowardly chickenhawk republicans in our government. Next time there is a draft it should start with the first born of these cowardly warmongers.
Hey Johnny…guess what? The democraps have been running the show in congress since 2006, any failure in health coverage for vets happened on their watch.
Oh and while I’m on the subject your messiah wants to increase veterans healthcare premiums by 400%. So he feels its ok to stick it to veterans who live on a fixed income…..and also fork over a billion dollars to the Muslim brotherhood so they can run torture chambers and abuse women.
I think you may need to up the dosage on your medication.
So now we’re rewriting history, it must have been on from the “heritage Foundation KKKlub” run by the KKKoch brothers ’cause most of America missed it. I try to stay off web sites that are known to have fascist leanings and I would advice you to do the same. I’ll bet you think Jeeps are going to be manufactured in China too, huh? LMAO@goodone2:disqus
You can’t see the forest because of the trees……keep sipping your kool-aid.
I am beginning to believe their putting bath salts in that demo kool-aid.
Is the koch brothers the new bush.Soros puppet show in the white house has done more damage in the states As far as VA Obama might have a better record because under his watch not so many make it back.Where are the death tolls on the nightly news must just be a republican president thing.How many have come back severely injured where are the nightly reports.Hell a bunch died in benghazi and the media had to be shamed into reporting it.
Turn off Fox News and go for a walk. You’re living inside the GOP bubble and are refusing to accept the changes that have taken place and that will be coming.
FORWARD!
Ok I’m just a little confused….Michaud ran his campaign on his supposed hard work and advocacy of veteran’s health care….now he is disturbed about repeat negative reports of poor care given to veterans?
Ok so tell me again what he has accomplished in the last two terms he has served? All of this has been going down on his watch over his last term as representative, what makes anyone think he will now start to do the job he has been supposed to have been doing the last 2 years or more?
It blows my mind why voters in Maine continue to reward failure.
If he would actually fix the problem, What would he run on. It is the same for all of them..That is why politicans never fix anything
If you separate the politics from the issue, I think that the V.A. is doing an excellent job.
I’m a veteran and I wouldn’t take my dog to be treated at the VA! I say this because all of the VA hospitals I’ve worked (construction) in have been dirty back of house (kitchens, laundries, etc), equipment has been old and poorly maintained and you never know who you’ll see for a doctor (different one every time).
I guess we all see things thru different eyes. I am happy with the V.A.
How many hundreds of VA hospitals have you worked at?
I have worked at VA hospitals from CT to Fl and as far west as KY. How many have you worked at ?
If they are so bad that you wouldn’t even take your dog there, WHY continue to work there? I’m sure with your skills you get a position in a better place, or maybe not.
I work for a General Contractor. We do the work there because like most people, we need a job to pay our bills.
In my opinion if you have proof that the VA is not doing what it’s suppose to do or the contractor you work for is not doing the job it’s paid to do that you should bring up those issues to the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector instead of whining about it anonymously in some newspaper comment section.
Have a great day!
1. You know nothing about me or the company I work for. 2. How do you know I haven’t? 3. Are you a VET and have you ever had to wait 6 months to get seen by a specialist? 4. How many different VA hospitals have you been to? Maybe you shouldn’t sit on your high horse judging those around you.
I am a veteran and Togus is not a place to go. But I do not obtain my healthcare from the VA. Just think about it for a moment. Michaud supported OBAMACARE and now the US Government will run healthcare. The US Government can’t run the VA’s across the US but now they will run all of our healthcare. It doesn’t make any sense.
If you don’t use Togus, HOW do you know it’s “not a place to go”?
Sounds like you just want to bad mouth Michaud and Obamacare!
I don’t use Togus because it’s not a place to go! That’s why I don’t go! What is it that you don’t understand?
I understand you know nothing about the care veterans receive at Togus and you nothing about Obamacare.
Ronald A. Madore
Healthcare Consultant
MEDITECH Solution Group
Supply Chain
38 Mill Rd.
Lamoine, ME 04605
ronaldmadore@gmail.com
Tel: 207-664-0633
Cell# 207-266-0866
Do you post your personal views on this website while you are being paid by MEDITECH Solution Group?
Can I order some overpriced hospital supplies from you?
It sounds like you are looking for and argument. I am a veteran who tried using the VA but it is so screwed up it’s best to go somewhere else. I have worked in healthcare all my adult life and I know a great deal about healthcare. I doubt you know much about healthcare because if you did then you would know that Obamacare is going to shock most people especially you. You have a lot to learn……
Since you are the expert on Obamacare, I’m sure you must have all the answers on everyone’s healthcare!
“I doubt you know much about healthcare because if you did then you would know that Obamacare is going to shock most people especially you. ”
You know nothing about me or what effects me. Sorry Mr Ronald A. Madore, Healthcare Consultant, MEDITECH Solution Group, Supply Chain, 38 Mill Rd., Lamoine, ME 04605 but I don’t fit any of your narrow-minded stereotypes!
If congress hired someone to change the tires on one (1) car it would take 6 commissions just to decide who would change the tires another 6 commissions to decide what type of tires they would be then another 6 commission to decide on a brand. So after spending 3.5 millon Dollars on the decision about the tires They would have bought summer tires for a car in the winter in Alaska.. Every single decision that is made in Washington is because they are trying to make sure someone they know or owe makes money on the deal. It is not about common sense, it is always about funneling money