Healthcare Inspection Alleged Quality of Care Issues Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, North Chicago, Illinois

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted an inspection to determine the validity of multiple allegations by an anonymous complainant regarding medical education physician trainee (trainee) supervision and the quality of care provided by a physician at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (the facility) in North Chicago, IL. We substantiated that a trainee worked prior to the contract start date. However, there was no harm to patients and senior managers took appropriate actions to ensure students are scheduled according to their contract. We found that senior mangers did not grant privileges based on documented clinical competence. We also found that the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff meeting minutes did not reflect the rationale used to support the physician’s reprivileging. We could neither confirm nor refute that the physician was not competent to perform or supervise a specific procedure. We did not substantiate that the physician failed to review patient image test results prior to co-signing student report documentation. We did not substantiate that the physician co-signed a report that contained an incorrect diagnosis. We did not substantiate that the physician neglected patient care duties due to lack of a pager and rarely responding to electronic mail and telephone calls. We did not address the allegation of an intimidating work environment due to an ongoing Equal Employment Opportunity investigation. We recommended that the facility senior managers ensure compliance with VHA physician credentialing and privileging requirements.