A new report found continued staffing shortages and IT issues at the Roseburg VA Medical Center.
Roseburg was one of several Veteran Administration healthcare systems chosen to roll out the Oracle Cerner records management system.
The VA paused plans to expand Cerner to other healthcare systems after it caused serious disruptions. The rollout delayed care and was tied to the deaths of several veterans across the U.S.
The inspection - which started in June 2023 - found the software is still causing issues including blocking staff from accessing patient notes and causing providers to miss alerts and important communications.
The report from the VA’s Office of Inspector General also found that the Roseburg location was about 48% staffed. Roseburg VA leadership said it’s had issues with retention and has found it challenging to recruit in a rural area.
The OIG also found issues with follow up on patients who are at risk of suicide.
In its response, the Roseburg VA said it had increased recruitment efforts, was adding contract workers and expanding telehealth. It also said it would audit and monitor its suicide prevention efforts.
In a statement last week, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said the staffing shortage was concerning.
He said the Roseburg VA should be doing more to take advantage of the PACT Act - a nearly two-year-old law that expanded healthcare for veterans impacted by burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan and provided other resources.
“I recognize the acute challenges in improving staffing levels after the COVID-19 pandemic, but I remain concerned that Roseburg is operating at 48% of its authorized strength during VA OIG’s inspection, and even lower in some of Oregon’s rural areas,” Wyden wrote. “This is unacceptable for the veterans counting on the local and quality care they earned with their service, especially considering the new tools Congress has provided the VA to address this problem.”
He also urged the VA to address ongoing problems with Oracle Cerner.
