Whistleblower: Cockroaches served in food at Chicago-area VA hospital

DeepseekerADS

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During my time in the Salem VA hospital the food was awful, I couldn't eat it. But they demanded that I eat something before I could be discharged. It might have actually had a taste if there'd been cockroach bits in it. It had NO darned taste to it!

Whistleblower: Cockroaches served in food at Chicago-area VA hospital | Fox News

By Tori Richards, Conservative Review Published April 27, 2016

A vermin infestation has overrun the kitchen of a suburban Chicago Veteran Affairs hospital and is reportedly so severe that cockroaches routinely crawl across countertops as cooks prepare meals. The insects have even found their way into patients’ food, employees say.

The bug invasion has attracted the attention of a U.S. senator who is demanding to know how the VA is fixing the problem. It’s just the latest scandal at an agency rocked by allegations of abuse, incompetence and the needless deaths of veterans who wait years for medical appointments.

“The workers try to brush the cockroaches off the counters, but the bugs get in the food,” said Germaine Clarno, a social worker at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in the Chicago suburb of Hines, Ill. Clarno is the local AFGE union president and has been working with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel as a whistleblower exposing secret appointment wait lists.

Clarno said she witnessed the problem firsthand three years ago when she saw roaches crawling on a dinner plate brought to a patient’s room. She recalled sending the food back before the veteran had a chance to see it and paying for a pizza delivery from an outside restaurant. “It’s been like this for years, ever since anyone can remember,” Clarno said.

Dietetic technician Kelvin Gilkey has been a VA employee for 33 years. He recounted how PTSD-traumatized veterans in the mental health unit were served cockroaches on food trays on three different occasions last year. One veteran, in his 20s, became enraged and started swearing in disbelief, demanding to be discharged.
 

Unclebuck257

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This goes so far beyond disgusting that I don't think I have a word for it right now! I guess Health Inspections either don't exist or it's done with pay offs when/if they are done for this type of filth to continue for at least the last 3-4 years. The authorities at this hospital HAD TO KNOW about this problem and allowed it to continue that long! There should be a prison sentence in the future of ALL of those responsible!! I am beyond angry that it is us vets that constantly and consistently are being abused by administrative and other personnel at some VA medical facilities! AND although all the politicians will run at their mouths and say how bad this and that is, IT STILL GOES ON WITH NO CONSEQUENCES for those responsible!! Damn near makes a man want to cry thinking of his brother and sister vets being treated in this manner, especially when they are at their weakest, many times!! Enough said for now.
 

austin

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Unforgivable. There is no excuse. If places in Texas(my last two homes)can be bug free, one hospital surely can be. I was told years ago that little roaches mean the place is dirty, big flying roaches just inhabit the south and have been here for millions of years. Florida has solved the problem. They refer to them in Miami as "Palmetto Bugs" and just brush them off the tables of the sidewalk cafes. At least that's what they did when I visited.
Glad you survived the food...
 

Rawhide

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The VA is so broken it can not be fixed. Us vets need to demand it be closed. The money then can be sent to your county agencies which end up taking care of us Vets in the end. If you call that taking care of veterans you dont go to the doctor much. Stay out of the VA clinics period.
 

Honest Samuel

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The head of this VA hospital and their staff should had been fire years ago. Where is the president?
 

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hi casca, apparently you haven't been to the Tuson VA, they are qute efficient, in as far as any govt facility can be.:coffee2::coffee2: Mind if I join you? (coffee hound induced by the military :laughing7:)
 

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Austin, perhaps you should notify the 'Explorers Club, they feature them in their annual Club dinner, why not, most of the world eats them, ants also.:dontknow: but I don't.
 

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DeepseekerADS

DeepseekerADS

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This hijacks the thread a little bit. I'd written in one of my other threads that I had fallen and broken a rib about 3 months ago, bruised a kidney, my gut, and a lung. My lungs were filling up with fluids. The Salem VA could have very well saved my life. Of that experience I have zero complaints. The Friday of the April 24th weekend, I was standing over the porcelain god and my body just dropped right out from under me, popped my head on the toilet bowl. Back to the VA I went. They changed my blood pressure medicine, have me recording my BP each day. And I just received a VM today to call and schedule some sort of "Rehab" - don't know what that's all about yet.

Both times I fell there was no alcohol or anything else involved. I have to give them accolades, they are right there. I just don't want to eat any of that food again!
 

Unclebuck257

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Deep,

Glad your incidents weren't any worse than they were and pleased that both were handled as they were by the VA. Hope you're doing OK now.
 

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DeepseekerADS

DeepseekerADS

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Buck, looks like we both still have a pulse :)
 

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They took care of my terminal neck cancer, one on my left frontal thigh, as well as one on my lower lip, however a nurse fllpantly said, upon examing me, "thats a senile tumor" ??? THey handled me & my wife very compassionatly Now it is going on 13 years and I am still here, and in good health. They did a good job. No reoccurance. I couldn't have had better care.
 

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