U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, urged Robert Wilkie, President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to commit to closely monitor the clinical review process underway at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center and implement policies to prevent such tragedies from happening at VA facilities in the future.
During Wilkie’s Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Boozman applauded the VA for its response to notifying patients about potential misdiagnoses by a VA physician at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center, but pressed Wilkie to ensure continued attention from senior VA officials.
“Do I have your personal commitment that you will keep a close eye on this situation as it continues to unfold to ensure timely notifications continue to remain a priority, veterans receive timely follow-up care should they need or request it and the independent reviews are handled expeditiously while maintaining the integrity of the review process?” Boozman asked.
Wilkie affirmed his commitment and vowed to support efforts, including those by the department’s independent inspector general, to identify misconduct at the VA.
On Monday, the Senate approved a package of appropriations bills that included language authored by Boozman that requires the VA to submit a departmental response plan on changes that should be implemented to protect our veterans from clinical errors at VA facilities.
