{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-statement-on-leadership-changes-at-the-louis-a-johnson-vamc-in-clarksburg", "Capito Statement on Leadership Changes at the Louis A. Johnson VAMC in ClarksburgRead More", "2020-12-24", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "WV", "Shelley Capito", "C001047", "www.capito.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHARLESTON, W.Va. \u2013 U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today released the below statement following the announcement of several actions the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking in response to an Administrative Investigation Board\u2019s report on patient safety issues and culture at the Clarksburg VA.\n\n\u201cOur veterans should always feel safe and cared for at our VA hospitals. These leadership changes announced today were absolutely necessary given the unacceptable problems that occurred at the Clarksburg VAMC. While this is a sign of progress, there are still many questions that need to be addressed, and I\u2019m committed to making sure that happens. I commend the VA for making these necessary changes and I look forward to more actions to further improve operations and care at the Clarksburg VAMC once the investigation has fully concluded. In the meantime, I remain committed to doing all I can to make sure our veterans receive the best possible care at all of our West Virginia VA\u2019s and tragedies like this one never happen again,\u201d Senator Capito said.\n\nAccording to the official announcement, the actions underway due to the investigation include:\n\nDetailing Clarksburg VAMC\u2019s medical center director and associate director for patient care services to administrative duties in Veterans Integrated Service Network 5, pending a review of the facility\u2019s quality and safety environment.\n\nClarksburg VAMC Associate Director Terry Massey will serve as Clarksburg VAMC Acting Medical Center Director until January 4, 2021, when VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Deputy Director Barbara L. Forsha will take over as the Clarksburg VAMC\u2019s Acting Medical Center Director.\n\nInstituting a safety stand down during which Clarksburg VAMC will not accept new patients except for COVID-19 and intensive care patients.\n\nOut of an abundance of caution, a recently hired physician, who was an experienced hospitalist in the community, has become the Clarksburg VAMC\u2019s inpatient director of hospitalists and a detailed nursing leadership team is being brought into the facility.\n\nRetraining of all Clarksburg VAMC personnel involved in reporting urgent issues throughout the chain of command. The incoming leadership team will assess the amount and level of training that is needed. It will be conducted throughout the facility over a period of time to ensure continuity of operations and care.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-statement-on-leadership-changes-at-the-louis-a-johnson-vamc-in-clarksburg"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.971827983856201, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}