From: Hutson, Chad M. (Puget Sound) [mailto:Chad.Hutson@va.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 11:20 AM
To: Lewis Kamb
Cc: Hutson, Chad M. (Puget Sound)
Subject: VA response to Veteran ER visit
Lewis,
Here’s our statement regarding the ER visit. We’ve completed a thorough review of
the events and have this statement.
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After a complete review regarding this Veteran’s visit to the VA Puget Sound Seattle
campus emergency room, we have determined we did not do the right thing to
ensure the Veteran had assistance into the emergency room.
When the Veteran told our emergency room staff that he did not have an urgent or
emergent medical issue, our staff should have considered the request for help as a
patient assistance issue. The emergency room personnel should have called the
appropriate staff to come and assist the patient, ensuring he made it into the
emergency room safely.
Policies used to make the recommendation to call 911 for assistance, at the time of
the emergency room visit, did not apply to this particular situation due to the nonemergent needs of the Veteran.
This review has prompted the VA Puget Sound Health Care System to implement
corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again to one of our Veterans. This
includes education of our staff regarding what to do in similar situations and
clarification of the official policy that deals with patient assistance into the building.
We are also writing a formal letter of apology to the Veteran and offering a verbal
apology from our Chief of Staff.

Chad Hutson
Public Affairs Officer
VA Puget Sound Health Care System
Office: 206-764-2589
Mobile: 206-327-3020
www.pugetsound.va.gov
www.facebook.com/vapugetsound