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MWD-76-119 1 (1976-04-14)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaaamx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548 B-133044 APR 14 1976 Oq37O The Honorable W. Henson Moore House of Representatives Dear Mr. Moore: Following your June 11, 1975, letter, we agreed to assess the following aspects of the administration of the New Orleans Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital: --Space available for selected hospital services. --Staff levels and qualifications for selected hospital services. --Completeness of patient medical records and physician access to records. --Medical staff committees' efforts to assure quality patient care. Hospital officials acknowledge that longstanding prob- lems identified in each area have hampered patient care. Their corrective efforts have been foiled by increasing workload, lack of resources, and lack of effective management action. They believe that appointing a new hospital director and a permanent chief of staff, along with the attention focused on the hospital by the temporary suspension of its accreditation, will strengthen the hospital's efforts to provide quality patient care. INTRODUCTION The New Orleans VA Hospital is a general medical and surgical hospital affiliated with Tulane University and Louisiana State University medical schools. The hopital has 581 operating beds--221 surgical, 298 medical, and 62 psychi- atric. As of July 1, 1975, the hospital was authorized 1,232 full-time-equivalent employees. Nursing service and medical administration service had the most employees--354 and 230, respectively. The hospital's funding in fiscal year 1976 is about $28 million. / MWD-76-119