Healthcare Inspection – Radiology Scheduling and Other Administrative Issues, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, California

OIG conducted a review to assess the merit of allegations concerning radiology scheduling and other administrative issues at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System. We substantiated that blind scheduling occurred; however, we found no evidence of treatment delays. We could not substantiate the allegation that patients did not consistently receive appointment reminder letters. We concluded that scheduling clerks needed to consistently document patients’ actions or dispositions in the Appointment Management and the Radiology Package programs. Program managers needed to monitor exam cancelations to ensure the appropriate reason is documented between these two programs. We substantiated that non-VA imaging exams were not uploaded into the electronic health records for three subject patients. However, we concluded that uploading these images would not have influenced treatment courses for the patients because clinicians were aware of the exam results. We did not substantiate the allegation of staff mismanagement in the ultrasound walk-in clinic. We concluded that the number of staff on duty as well as the volume and complexity of ultrasound orders influenced the clinic’s early closure. We also did not substantiate that staff were not timely in notifying patients with Breast Imaging Reporting and Database System category 0 results. OIG made five recommendations.