BY BILL DONOVAN
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
WINDOW ROCK —The Indian Health Service came under fire Monday from the Government Accounting Office for not doing enough to set standards for quality of care at its various hospitals and clinics in Indian Country.
Although the report mentioned in passing dissatisfaction on the part of its Native patients, the main part of the report centered on whether the IHS agencies were doing enough to maintain a proper level of care.
The report itself was titled “Actions needed to improve oversight of care.”That study, which included the Navajo area IHS, found that the various area offices have different ways of determining quality of care. In fact, in one area office, which was not named, there were no standing orders regarding discussion of quality of care of patients by hospital staff.
“Concerns continue to be raised about the quality of care provided in federally operated IHS facilities, including misdiagnosis, incorrectly prescribed medications and unsafe facility conditions,” the report stated.
The investigators found that the reporting of “adverse events” — mistakes, in other words — was hampered by the fact that IHS has been plagued for many years by high turnover, especially in the higher positions.
Four of the nine area offices that was studied had at least five area directors in the previous five years and this had an adverse effect on any efforts to make improvements in the way the officials in these agencies carried out their responsibility.
The report also pointed out that while IHS has a commitment to raise the health of Native Americans to the highest level, American Indians and Alaska Natives continue to die at higher rates than other Americans for various illnesses, including lower respiratory infections and complications from diabetes.
The recommendations from the GAO include setting up a better process to monitor the work being done at the agency level to make sure that quality of care standards are developed and adhered to.
NAVAJO TIMES | DONOVAN QUINTERO
They didn’t get away with it About 82 pounds of marijuana was seized this week during a routine stop by a Navajo canine officer and his partner, Donna, a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois. The officer, who didn’t want to reveal his identity for safety reasons, said four people were arrested.