Healthcare Inspection - Alleged Quality of Care Issues in the Emergency Department, Northport VA Medical Center, Northport, NY

The VA Office of Inspector General Office of Healthcare Inspections performed an inspection to determine the validity of allegations regarding quality of care in the emergency department (ED) at the Northport VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Northport, NY. Specifically, a complainant alleged that: (1) a Northport VAMC ED physician failed to diagnose an acute myocardial infarction; and (2) a Northport VAMC ED physician behaved unprofessionally. We did not substantiate the allegation that a VAMC ED physician failed to diagnose an acute myocardial infarction. While the patient in question was ultimately shown to have had an acute myocardial infarction, we found that the Northport VAMC ED physician in question initiated an appropriate evaluation for a patient presenting to an ED with atypical chest pain. The physician obtained a targeted history and physical examination, an electrocardiogram, and appropriate blood tests. However, the patient refused to remain in observation and left against medical advice, cutting short his evaluation. We did not substantiate the allegation that the ED physician behaved unprofessionally. We did not find evidence that the physician yelled at another patient as alleged, nor did we find evidence of any other unprofessional behavior by the physician. We made no recommendations.