Since 2000, the VA has ordered more than 250 million health care consultations for disabled American veterans. Recently, the VA began reviewing their consultation request process. The review found 76 consultations, mostly in 2010, that had not been properly processed, thus causing a serious delay in test results and treatments. While 76 out of 250 million is very low, only 0.00003%, 23 of these cases resulted in death, not an ignoble number.
The majority of the 23 deaths were gastrointestinal cancer patients. All 76 cases were spread out over 27 VA hospitals, with resulting deaths at 13 of those facilities. Out of these facilities, the one with the worst record was the Williams Jennings Bryan Dorn Veterans Hospital in Columbia, SC. The hospital had 20 confirmed cases of delays as well as six deaths.
The VA claims that the delays were caused by their overwhelmed computer systems. As part of their review, they are dedicated to finding ways to improve their systems to ensure that no additional veterans are harmed.