Beckley VA Medical Center Keeps Harming our Veterans

Our Veterans deserve more.

The Beckley Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Virginia remains in the news for all the wrong reasons. Reports of medical malpractice and neglect have been flooding in, resulting in veterans receiving inadequate care and even life-threatening injuries. The reports range from inadequate treatment of chronic pain, sexual misconduct by a healthcare provider, to mishandled acupuncture treatments. Our office has taken a stand and through litigation, helped hold the Beckley VA Medical Center accountable for the harm they are causing our veterans.

The problems at the Beckley VA Medical Center

The Beckley VA Medical Center has been plagued with problems for years. One major issue that has come to light is the case of Jonathan Yates, a former physician at the center. Yates was found to be engaging in unprofessional conduct, including engaging in sexual misconduct against the will of several patients and making inappropriate sexual comments to patients. This led to his license being revoked and a criminal prosecution in 2019.

But that’s not the only problem at the center. An OIG (Office of Inspector General) Report from July 2022 revealed that the Beckley VA Medical Center has also been providing unlicensed and improper acupuncture to patients, resulting in exposure to infectious diseases. This is a violation of VA policy and can be dangerous for patients who receive these treatments from unqualified practitioners.

It is clear that the Beckley VA Medical Center is in need of serious reform. The problems at the center are not only harming the veterans who rely on its services, but they also tarnish the reputation of the VA as a whole. It is time for the VA to take swift action to address these issues and ensure that the Beckley VA Medical Center is providing safe and effective care to our nation's veterans.

The impact of the problems at the Beckley VA Medical Center

The Beckley VA Medical Center's problems have had a profound impact on the lives of our veterans. One of the most disturbing problems uncovered in the OIG report is unlicensed acupuncture and needle contamination. This practice put veterans at risk of contracting blood-borne illnesses such as Hepatitis C and HIV, just to name a few.

The impact of being subjected to these practices is both psychological and physical. Veterans may experience anxiety, depression, and PTSD from the trauma of being put at risk of contracting a potentially life-threatening illness. They may also suffer from physical symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and body aches.

Furthermore, the use of unlicensed acupuncture and needle contamination is a clear violation of the trust that our veterans place in their healthcare providers. It undermines the basic principle of "do no harm" and erodes the confidence of veterans in the medical system.

The impact of these problems extends beyond the individual veterans affected. It also undermines the credibility of the VA healthcare system as a whole. The public has a right to expect that the VA will provide safe, effective, and compassionate care to our veterans. When that trust is violated, it damages the reputation of the VA and reduces the support for the vital work that they do.