WASHINGTON (AP) — The chief of an Army medical center has
been relieved of his command because of problems with patient care, and
the Pentagon has ordered a review of its health care system, defense
officials said.
The commander was replaced Tuesday at Womack Army
Medical Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and three deputies were
suspended, the Army said in a statement.
The shake-up comes after
two deaths this month of patients in their 20s and problems with
infection control at the facility that were pointed out in March by a
hospital accreditation group, according to two defense officials. They
spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to
discuss the matter publicly.
Also, the Pentagon announced late
Tuesday that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had ordered a 90-day review
of the entire military health care system. He was spurred by the
investigation into allegations of treatment delays at the Department of
Veterans Affairs. The review will assess the quality of the health care
at military treatment facilities and care the department buys from
civilian providers, press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said.
Earlier
Tuesday, a meeting was held at Womack to introduce staff to their new
commander after the Army relieved Col. Steven Brewster of his position,
the defense officials said.
"Senior Army medical leaders have lost
trust and confidence in the commander … to address the changes needed
to maintain a high level of patient care," the Army statement said.
Suspended were the deputy commanders for clinical services, nursing and
administration, the Army said.
Problems at Womack have been
developing for some time. It had a higher-than expected rate of surgical
complications in recent years and in March suspended elective surgery
for two days after inspects from the accreditation group found problems
with infection control procedures, one of the defense officials said.
The
military health care system is separate from the one for veterans. The
Pentagon system serves some 9.6 million active-duty troops and their
family members, as well as retirees. The VA’s serves 9 million veterans
who were not long-term career troops.
The VA has been embroiled in
controversy over allegations that up to 40 patients may have died while
awaiting care at the Phoenix hospital for veterans, and that employees
have falsified appointment records to cover up delays in care.
The
department’s inspector general investigation into the allegations has
been expanded and now includes 25 more VA facilities. But an initial
review of 17 people who died while awaiting appointments in Phoenix
found that none of their deaths appeared to have been caused by delays
in treatment.
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