Rep. Schrier’s Statement on Spokesman-Review Article About More Than 100 Cases of Harm at Mann-Grandstaff VA Hospital
Wenatchee Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) is a satellite clinic of Mann-Grandstaff
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) released the following statement after reading reporting by The Spokesman-Review that almost 150 cases of harm were caused within the Mann-Grandstaff system due to a glitch in the new Electronic Health Record system (EHR):
“It is unacceptable that any Veteran was harmed by the Veteran Affairs (VA) system, much less almost 150 Veterans over a nine-month span. Cerner and the VA must ensure Veterans are receiving excellent care in a timely manner. And must also make sure that staff aren’t being burdened by workarounds to a knowingly flawed system. The VA should absolutely pause the rollout of this system around the country until this problem can be resolved.
As a doctor, I used the Cerner electronic health record and have experienced the learning curve of adopting a new system. There are always kinks that need to be worked out. But what is being reported is much more than a few kinks and Veterans are being significantly harmed in the process.
The VA’s main purpose is to serve Veterans, who have given so much to our country and deserve the best possible care. The system at Mann-Grandstaff is failing Veterans, despite what sounds like above and beyond efforts by staff. The VA, the Biden Administration, and Cerner all share culpability for not notifying the VA of this flaw. I will continue to do all I can to make sure that Veterans at the Wenatchee CBOC are receiving the care they need and will hold this Administration accountable until it is fixed.”
Last November Rep. Schrier participated in a Veterans Affairs Committee hearing with VA Deputy Secretary Donald Remy. At the hearing, Rep. Schrier highlighted that Veterans in the 8th District have been experiencing unacceptable delays in care and specialist referrals, inability to schedule appointments online, and impossible wait times on the phone. Rep. Schrier also visited the CBOC last November and spoke with staff. Conversations with staff led Rep. Schrier to send a letter to the VA with concerns about what she heard. Last month Rep. Schrier announced that the concerns she raised last November about the EHR rollout in the hearing and letter were recently confirmed by a VA Office of Inspector General report.