The Veterans Affairs Department has fired more than 500 employees since secretary Bob McDonald was confirmed on July 29, according to the agency.
The agency has fired more than 900 employees since the beginning of fiscal year 2013 and has proposed disciplinary action against 45 employees for manipulating data or for patient care issues.
Verna Jones, the executive director of The American Legion said the firings were an indication that the VA is getting the message to punish wrongdoers with serious consequences.
“We expect Secretary McDonald to continue dismantling a management culture that, in some areas, had forfeited proper medical treatment for veterans in order to receive financial bonuses.”
The VA has come under fire from veteran groups and lawmakers for not doing enough to punish VA employees who manipulated wait lists and scheduling systems to boost performance numbers. Initial investigations showed systemic wait list and medical care issues and forced the resignation of then-secretary Eric Shinseki.
The VA outlined other steps it has taken in a Nov. 21 fact sheet, including:
■Replacing leaders or leadership teams at 77 percent of its medical facilities since June.
■Conducting more than 4,000 site inspections.
■Training more than 8,309 staff on new scheduling training systems.
The VA has also embarked on more systemic reforms, including establishing a new VA-wide customer service organization to ensure better patient care and setting up a network of advisory councils to help maintain care at local medical facilities around the country.
