Focus: Environmental Services

DC veterans hospital still dealing with problems

Facility sited for 'culture of complacency'


A year after leaders of a Washington, D.C., veterans hospital were warned of problems, deficiencies still persist, according to an article on the Stars & Stripes website.

Issues include a broken refrigerator in the blood bank. dirty syringe bottles, unsanitary equipment and rooms in disarray.

As recently as March 5, the Food and Drug Administration censured the hospital’s blood bank. A separate inspection at the end of January concluded the facility still posed a risk to patient safety.

In April 2017, investigators with the VA Inspector General’s Office (IG) had just started a review of the DC hospital and found enough wrong with the facility that they stopped their work and immediately intervened. The IG detailed problems found during multiple site visits in 2017 and blamed a “culture of complacency” for widespread failures.

Read the article.



April 13, 2018


Topic Area: Environmental Services


Recent Posts

Sustainability as a Baseline in Healthcare Facilities

Hospitals can balance costs, build resilience and learn from global models for sustainable design to further their green goals.


Comanche County Memorial Hospital and Southwestern Medical Center Join to Form Partnership

The partnership will go into effect by the end of December 2025.


Choosing a Disinfectant That Kills Biofilm

Bacteria form biofilms in pipes from which cells can be released during sink use and spread outside the drains in droplets or as aerosols.


Third-Party Data Breach Case Underscores Need for Cyber Risk Management

Plaintiffs alleged negligence in safeguarding patient data; defendants denied wrongdoing but settled to avoid litigation costs.


Northwest Medical Specialties Reports Data Breach

An investigation determined that certain data within the network was potentially copied without authorization on August 15, 2025.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.