“Which of these incidents happened at which veterans hospitals in Florida? ... How can the federal government increase transparency on the quality of care provided to veterans so taxpayers can ensure these federally funded hospitals are providing excellent care for our nation's heroes?” Scott asked in his letter to Dudek.
Officials at numerous veteran organizations were surprised by the call to investigate VA hospitals.
“All my dealings with Veterans doctors there have been fabulous. They've gone the extra mile to take care of me,” said Joel Markman, a Vietnam vet who runs the not-for-for profit Florida Veteran's Assistance Association. Other organizations, including Florida Veterans for Common Sense and the state Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, claim they've heard no complaints about care at Florida VA hospitals.
Details about exactly when the investigation would begin and how long it would last could not be released due to state procedure, according to Shelisha Coleman, a spokeswoman for Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration.
Representatives from several VA hospitals in the state declined to comment and instead deferred to a statement released by the VA, which claimed that when an incident occurs it aggressively identifies and corrects it and works to prevent additional risks.
On Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will join other GOP lawmakers and representatives of several veterans' service organizations at a news conference on Capitol Hill to discuss legislation that would make the VA more accountable for preventable veteran deaths.
Follow Virgil Dickson on Twitter: @MHvdickson
