Patient Accuses VA Hospital of Mistreating Minority Vets
April 09, 2009 - A former soldier from Prince Georges County is accusing the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Washington of mistreating him and other minority veterans.

Tommie Canady is admitted to the hospital several times a year for treatment of a terminal pancreatic disease and he claims the care he receives is atrocious. On two occasions, he says the same nurse administered an overdose of morphine to him and is still working at the VA.

He says he's alive because he's developed a high tolerance to pain medication. He also says he's been denied disability benefits because he is black.

Canady tried to tell his story to me during a town meeting, but hospital officials interrupted the interview and confiated WAMU's equipment until the recording was surrendered to them. They claimed Canady and the reporter were required but failed to sign a VA release form. No one at the hospital would comment for this story and the Department of Veterans Affairs central office did not respond to requests for an interview.

David Schultz reports...


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