Russ Carnahan and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) visited Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis Wednesday to assess progress on correcting problems that led to exposure of patients to unsterilized medical equipment in 2010. After the visit, congress members gave an update recent oversight work on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and measures taken atCochranMedicalCenterto correct problems and to improve the quality of care given to St. Louis-area veterans.
This visit by Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Miller comes in response to requests by Rep. Carnahan for oversight of the turnaround efforts at Cochran. In January, Carnahan sent a letter to the Chairman requesting a field hearing to continue oversight of the facility. A new report on Cochran by the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs is expected within several weeks, which will detail the results of ongoing investigations into conditions at Cochran.
In July 2010, then-ranking member Miller was inSt. Louisfor a first hearing on issues at Cochran Medical Facility.
Last August, Rep. Carnahan met with the Director of the Cochran VA Medical Center, Rima Nelson, to discuss the progress made at Cochran following the release of Veterans Affairs Inspector General and Government Accountability Office reports on Cochran in 2011.