Many VA clinics beset with mold, leaky roofs

“We now expect these problems to be corrected immediately and not shelved due to insufficient funding or because the proper care and treatment of our wounded veterans is no longer in the national spotlight,” said Joe Davis, spokesman of Veterans of Foreign Wars.

John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 150,000 VA workers, added: “Clearly the problems facing the VA require increased funding as well as better oversight.”

In response, Nicholson this week ordered “immediate corrective action” to fix problems, with full accounting provided to the VA. He noted that an overwhelming majority of the issues were normal “wear and tear” items.

In many cases where there were roof leaks or mold, officials had begun action to order patches or repairs, the department said. In some instances, they were moving to new facilities.

“The level of detail in the reports and the corrective actions enumerated demonstrate your responsiveness to my request,” Nicholson wrote in an order Monday to VA medical center directors.

'No imminent threat of harm'
In interviews, VA officials said they were somewhat reassured by the report, which they said indicated no red flags rising to the level of problems at outpatient facilities at Walter Reed in Washington, D.C., one of the premier facilities for treating those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Walter Reed is a military hospital run by the Defense Department. Critics long have said problems of military care extend to the VA’s vast network, which provides supplemental health care and rehabilitation to 5.8 million veterans.

But VA officials noted that despite some problems, the VA health system consistently outperforms private-sector hospitals in customer satisfaction.

“There was no imminent threat of harm to patients,” said Louise Van Diepen, chief of staff to VA’s acting undersecretary for health, Michael Kussman. “We have no indication to lead us to believe there is a smoking gun.”

“Could it happen? Yes. But we’re doing everything we can prospectively to monitor the situation,” she said.

Three high-level Pentagon officials have been forced to step down after the disclosures last month at Walter Reed. The controversy also has led to investigations by congressional committees, a presidential task force and the Pentagon.

A separate review of the VA system for handling disability claims is under way to determine how to cut through bureaucratic delays, confusing paperwork and long appeals process as thousands of veterans return home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

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