Unsanitary conditions at Calif VA Center linked to rise in infections

A new federal report says Department of Veterans Affairs officials failed to provide housekeeping staff at the VA Medical Center in Loma Linda, Calif., with adequate training, possibly contributing to an increase in potentially deadly infections at the facility, according to an article on The Sun website.

 “Responsiveness to environment-of-care concerns is a shared responsibility between leadership, service chiefs and staff,” according to Kristen Hall, spokeswoman for the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System.

“Daily huddles between leadership and staff have resulted in a more rapid response to environment-of-care needs.”

Inspectors found that the medical center was not clean, its furnishings were in need of repair, and its Environmental Management Services Department did not have standard operating procedures for cleaning and sanitizing the facility.

Read the article.