Inappropriate scheduling practices alleged at Durham VA Hospital

Two Durham VA Medical Center employees were placed on administrative leave for allegedly engaging in inappropriate scheduling practices, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday.

Posted 1:39 a.m. May 13, 2014 — Updated 2:20 a.m. May 13, 2014

DURHAM, N.C. — Two Durham VA Medical Center employees were placed on administrative leave for allegedly engaging in inappropriate scheduling practices, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday.

The action comes after a Durham VA employee indicated some workers may have falsified appointment records between 2009 and 2012, the agency said in a statement. An audit team will be at the hospital this week to review the allegations.

Monday's announcement is the latest in an increasing number of scheduling incidents involving Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country. VA workers in Wyoming, Texas and Colorado are being investigated for allegedly manipulating scheduling systems to hide that veterans waited months for appointments.

A Veterans Affairs employee in Wyoming was recently placed on administrative leave after an email was released showing he directed staff on how to fix the appointments system.

VA patients are supposed to see a doctor or any other medical professional within 14 days of their requested date. Any wait longer than two weeks is supposed to be documented.

“VA takes any allegations about patient care or employee misconduct very seriously,” the agency said in a statement. “If the allegations are true, the inappropriate behavior is unacceptable and employees will be held accountable.”

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