Report: Problems Persist at VA Hospital

CHICAGO - A federal report says problems continue at a southern Illinois Veterans Affairs hospital more than two years after the facility had at least nine deaths from substandard care.

The report released Monday by the Veterans Affairs Department's inspector general covers the fiscal year that recently ended. It says the hospital in Marion, Ill., had continued problems with monitoring doctors, reporting deaths and controlling infections.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin says it's inexcusable that the problems continue, and he's asked for a meeting with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.

A hospital spokesman didn't immediately comment. However, the report includes a memo from the director saying the facility has corrected or is in the process of correcting the problems.