Healthcare Inspection Quality of Care, Courtesy, and Communication Issues VA Medical Center St. Louis, Missouri

The purpose of this review was to determine the validity of multiple allegations regarding a patient’s experiences with the Ambulatory Evaluation and Treatment Center (AETC) and an inpatient surgery ward at the VA Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri. Healthcare inspectors did not substantiate allegations that the AETC was understaffed, the patient was not evaluated for 45 minutes after his transfer to the inpatient surgery ward, or the patient did not receive pain medication upon his request. We found that, with a minor lapse in taking vital signs, nurses appropriately followed physician’s orders. Although the patient perceived the staff members were rude to him and his family, we could not confirm or refute these allegations. We did not substantiate that medical center staff did not communicate a delay in surgery to his family members. We made no recommendations.