The Department of Veterans Affairs said March 15 it will seek the firing of three top executives of the Phoenix VA Health Care System amid fallout from the hospital's nationwide scandal over long patient wait times and scheduling problems, according to The Arizona Republic.
Here are four things to know about the issue.
1. The VA issued "notices of proposed removal" for Phoenix VA Associate Director Lance Robinson; Darren Deering, MD, the hospital's chief of staff; and Brad Curry, chief of health administration services, according to the report.
2. Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson praised the firings. "Frankly, I am disappointed that it took as long as it did for proposed actions to be made but I am satisfied that we carefully reviewed a massive amount of evidence to ensure the accountability actions are supported," he said in a prepared statement. "These cases have served as a distraction to the progress being made to improve the care we provide in Phoenix and across the nation."
3. The Phoenix VA has already named successors for Mr. Robinson and Mr. Curry. Agency spokesman Paul Coupaud told The Arizona Republic the Phoenix VA's acting associate director is Donald Taylor, and Susanne Brice is acting chief of health administration services. Mr. Coupaud expects an interim chief of staff to be appointed soon.
4. Although Dr. Deering, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Curry won't serve in their positions anymore, they may still appeal their removals, according to officials.