Cincinnati VA Officials Face Disciplinary Actions

The director of the Veterans Affairs Department's regional service network in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jack Hetrick, turned in his resignation on Thursday after hearing from VA headquarters he was to be fired and dismissed from federal service. At the same time, VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. David Shulkin said he has removed the Cincinnati VA Medical Center's acting chief of staff, Dr. Barbara Temeck, from her job pending administrative action. Investigators found evidence that Temeck ordered veterans be sent into the community for care as a cost-shifting measure, resulting in poor quality of care. They also substantiated misconduct by both Hetrick and Temeck related to Temeck's providing prescriptions and other medical care to members of Hetrick's family. For more details, see this Military.com article.