9 deaths at VA hospital in Downstate Marion due to substandard care

Sounds like the questions here is how did the surgeons get approved to provide procedures they were not specifically trained for at this facility? VA now has a toll free number for patients to call with their concerns...hope it helps...and 6 surgeons are no longer at this facility...BD

The inspector general in the Department of Veterans Affairs issued a separate report that came to many of the same conclusions. Both reports called for a series of reforms.
The reports describe a dysfunctional, sometimes dangerous, environment in which the hospital hired physicians without fully checking their credentials, allowed surgeons to perform procedures for which they were not trained and failed to act on information that suggested that patients were at risk.
The reports outline a litany of problems. In one case, an unnamed surgeon received privileges to perform colonoscopies even though he had not been allowed to do the procedure at his previous hospital. A Marion employee reported that the surgeon had difficulty identifying colon anatomy and maneuvering the colonoscope.
Officials said personnel actions have been taken against 12 hospital employees, including six surgeons. Two of the surgeons are no longer practicing there. The other four are allowed to do only minor surgeries. The VA has set up a toll-free phone number for people who are concerned about the care they received to get additional information. The number is 800-983-0932.