Healthcare Inspection – Alleged Employee Intimidation Related to Research Study Results, VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas

OIG reviewed an allegation by a third party that an employee conducting research was intimidated by managers after notifying them of preliminary research study data that, per the complainant, reflected negatively on the VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS) in Dallas, Texas. We could not substantiate that VANTHCS managers threatened the employee with job reassignment after she presented the preliminary findings of her research study. We found that the current Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS) was performing appropriate stewardship of resources when reassigning staff in unapproved positions back to either their former positions or equivalent vacant positions within the Nursing Service. The current ADPCS made good faith efforts to meet the employee’s needs and request while ensuring adequate staffing. We also could not substantiate that the employee’s professional reputation was threatened. Managers did not prohibit the employee from continuing to work on the study and offered to provide data analysis support—actions that were inconsistent with a finding that the employee’s job and reputation were threatened because of the preliminary study results. As of April 2015, the employee was analyzing the data and summarizing the results. The timing of the current ADPCS’ position management actions and the employee’s notification to manager of her preliminary research findings appeared coincidental. We made no recommendations.