Tomah VA
The recently announced 30-day plan to reform procedures at the Tomah VA Medical Center is getting some criticism and some praise from Washington lawmakers.
Congressman Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) likes what he sees in the plan, saying it’s a very good start. “I think it’s very helpful. It’s an important step in the right direction as far as reforming the practice at Tomah VA. There’s going to be a lot more outreach and engagement, not just with staff there, but with the community, the veterans, the family members themselves.”
The Wisconsin Democrat told WSAU the Tomah 30-day plan is just the beginning, and hopes to see this become an example for improving care at other facilities. “This is an opportunity for us to establish a model of care that’s not only going to enhance the care that our veterans receive at Tomah, but could become a model of the type of care that our veterans need nationwide, and quite frankly, healthcare system wide.”
U.S. Republican Senator Ron Johnson (R-Oshkosh) is critical of the Tomah 30-day plan, saying it’s not enough. Johnson says there are employees at Tomah that are not being held accountable, and they need to be fired. Johnson is also critical of the VA’s Inspector General for a lack of transparency. Johnson chairs the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and believes these officials should be doing a better job of getting information to them. He also believes the new 30 day plan doesn’t address key issues like helping veterans with post traumatic stress disorder, and it doesn’t fully outline how they intend to manage opiate prescriptions.
Larry Lee, WSAU