"Even as doctors’ patient caseloads were growing, the pressure on them to see even more patients intensified after the department established its new 14-day measurement for new patients, whistle-blowers and congressional officials say. And that pressure is what led to the creation of an off-the-books waiting list in Phoenix, according to a retired doctor who has become the leading whistle-blower on problems there.
The whistle-blower, Dr. Sam Foote, said in an interview that veterans would commonly wait for six to nine months after calling for an appointment before they would be booked in the official system. But the “creation” date of the original request would be falsely logged in the official system as falling within 14 days of the appointment date, making it appear that the hospital was meeting the department’s time requirements.
“They went to the creation date to stop the cheating, but that’s when the secret waiting list was used to get around the creation date,” Dr. Foote said."
Like all countries, the U.S. has a long history of scandals involving administrators and administrative agencies. Most people think of elected officials when they think of government corruption, incompetence and unethical behavior. There is probably more of a problem in administrative agencies which actually conduct the business of government. Recent U.S. examples are BATF's incredibly stupid Operation Fast and Furious, the Benghazi affair, and the IRS scandal involving tax-exemptions.
The dynamics of such scandals, whether involving elected officials or agency heads or employees are similar. A whistleblower or media watch dog sounds the alarm. The official or agency issues denials, stonewalls, and/or tries to minimize the damage. Coverups and document withholding follow. The official and agency promise to look into the problem and fix-it by more training, more reporting, etc. Legislative investigations follow. Stonewalling and cover-ups continue. The agency fires a few people and the public forgets about it. If it's an official, he or she promises to get "help" or rehab, or manages to lie him/herself out of it. With a short time, it's back to the usual unethical, incompetent business as usual. Police scandals are the prime model. Rather than look at systematic and/or traditional factors that lead to or allow the scandal, the problem is blamed on a few 'rotten apples.'
Like all countries, the U.S. has a long history of scandals involving administrators and administrative agencies. Most people think of elected officials when they think of government corruption, incompetence and unethical behavior. There is probably more of a problem in administrative agencies which actually conduct the business of government. Recent U.S. examples are BATF's incredibly stupid Operation Fast and Furious, the Benghazi affair, and the IRS scandal involving tax-exemptions.
The dynamics of such scandals, whether involving elected officials or agency heads or employees are similar. A whistleblower or media watch dog sounds the alarm. The official or agency issues denials, stonewalls, and/or tries to minimize the damage. Coverups and document withholding follow. The official and agency promise to look into the problem and fix-it by more training, more reporting, etc. Legislative investigations follow. Stonewalling and cover-ups continue. The agency fires a few people and the public forgets about it. If it's an official, he or she promises to get "help" or rehab, or manages to lie him/herself out of it. With a short time, it's back to the usual unethical, incompetent business as usual. Police scandals are the prime model. Rather than look at systematic and/or traditional factors that lead to or allow the scandal, the problem is blamed on a few 'rotten apples.'
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