Fort Collins VA Clinic Under Fire for Falsifying Medical Records, Delaying Treatment

A recent investigation by the Veterans Affairs Office of the Medical Inspector uncovered a practice at a VA outpatient clinic in Fort Collins where clerks at the clinic were taught to falsify appointment records to make it look like patients were being seen within the agency goal of 14 days, when in actuality many patients waited months to be seen. A copy of the probe's findings was provided to USA TODAY, which wrote a piece on the investigation. The Chicago Tribune has also picked up on the story and reports on the calls from legislators for criminal investigations into the actions at the VA.

This news is particularly disturbing in light of recent allegations by a former doctor and whistleblower that dozens of veterans died due to delays in treatment at a Phoenix VA hospital. This matter is currently under investigation by the VA Office of Inspector General, but it includes claims that workers there were falsifying records to mask delays in treatment much like the OMI found present in Fort Collins. Unreasonable delays in diagnosis or treatment may be considered medical malpractice, with doctors and hospitals potentially liable for any serious personal injury or wrongful death that results.