WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee is calling for more centralized control of the VA medical system after recent breakdowns in cleaning colonoscopy equipment exposed thousands of veterans to the risk of contracting HIV and other infections.
In prepared remarks to be delivered at a Wednesday hearing, Democratic Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii said that disparities in quality control procedures at VA medical centers raise questions about whether local or national leaders are in charge.
Akaka's Republican counterpart, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, noted in his prepared remarks that the VA has issued a string of safety alerts for endoscopic equipment since 2003, yet mistakes have persisted. He said the system's culture must change.
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