U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement on VA Inspector General Report of the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today responded to the release of the VA Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) report on scheduling delays in diagnostic studies at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison (Madison VAMC).  

“I pushed for an investigation into delays at this Madison facility because our veterans deserve to receive safe and timely care from the VA. The findings in this report are concerning because these delays in providing care to our veterans are unconscionable and entirely unacceptable,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am also deeply troubled that this report took over three years to complete. I have reinforced my request that the Inspector General conclude these reports within months, not years. Congress needs to be able to act on current information and whistleblowers need to know that their concerns are being investigated in a timely manner.”  

After receiving information from a whistleblower, Senator Baldwin acted with a request that the VA OIG look into delays in echocardiograms, stress tests and sleep studies at the Madison VAMC. The Inspector General report found that there were delays at the facility and while they did not directly lead to deaths, veterans were placed at risk. In particular, two veterans waited for over six months for echocardiograms, which placed both at risk for sudden cardiac death. Since March 2016, the Madison VAMC has scheduled all echocardiograms and stress tests within one week of the request.