VA clinic now concedes violations

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

In a dramatic about-face, the Philadelphia VA Medical Center has acknowledged that its troubled prostate cancer program violated federal radiation rules meant to protect patients from harm.

Just last month, Philadelphia VA officials disputed the finding of a Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigation that the hospital committed eight safety violations in its prostate brachytherapy program.

They did so despite an internal Department of Veterans Affairs review showing that 97 of 114 prostate cancer patients treated over six years at the hospital received incorrect doses of radiation.

Yesterday, Gerald Cross, acting undersecretary for health at the VA, changed course.

"I accept the violations," he wrote in a 12-page letter detailing the agency's latest position.

Cross said the failure by Philadelphia VA staff to identify and report the poor quality of treatments was "perplexing" and showed "a lack of safety culture."

Not much of an incentive to keep you safe in socialized medicine. Anyway, no word yet from Enron advisor and NYT columnist Paul Krugman on this one.