Healthcare Inspection – Alleged Misdiagnosis and Other Care Issues, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA

The VA Office of Inspector General Office of Healthcare Inspections conducted an inspection in response to allegations of misdiagnosis and other care issues at the Atlanta VA Medical Center (the facility) in Atlanta, GA, and two community based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) in Veterans Integrated Service Network 7. The purpose of this inspection was to determine the validity of the allegations. We did not substantiate that a facility emergency department physician misdiagnosed a stroke as vertigo (a feeling of motion while one is stationary) in September 2010. We determined that the facility emergency department physician’s evaluation and management of the patient’s complaints and hyperglycemia were appropriate. We did not substantiate that the patient received deficient care or that facility and CBOC providers failed to appropriately meet the patient’s vision, hearing, and stroke rehabilitation needs. Although we found VA transportation failed to provide scheduled transportation on two occasions, we did not find these failures affected the patient’s ability to receive health care or indicated a systematic transportation problem. We did not substantiate that patient advocate services were not accessible to the patient. We did not substantiate a lapse in civility by a CBOC provider. We made no recommendations.