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Vets, staff at Topeka VA hospital test positive

Topeka Capital Journal - 4/30/2020

TOPEKA — The director of the Shawnee County Health Department says VA officials are refusing to cooperate with an investigation into COVID-19 infections, igniting a public dispute over the handling of sensitive medical data.

The county office attempted to contact officials with the VA Eastern Kansas Health System after confirming multiple coronavirus cases among staff members at the Colmery O’Neil VA Medical Center in Topeka. County health officials hoped to collect information that would help identify the source of infections and others who might be exposed.

Joseph Burks, a spokesman for the VA health system in Kansas, said two staff members and seven veterans at the Topeka hospital have tested positive for the coronavirus. The federal agency has maintained constant communication with the county office, Burks said, but waited to receive approval from regional and national headquarters before turning over sensitive medical data.

Burks said VA officials in Kansas received approval to release the requested information late Tuesday, hours after Linda Ochs, director of the county’s health department, issued a public statement about the VA’s unwillingness to communicate.

“At the same time we are diligently working to reopen the community, it’s unfortunate that we have not had the same level of cooperation from the VA administration to protect the health of our community and their employees,” Ochs said.

Kansas law requires health care professionals and facilities to report information about individuals who have contracted or died from infectious disease, such as COVID-19. The statement issued by Ochs’ department said the information is used to mitigate the spread of disease.

Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said county officials alerted him to the lack of cooperation by the VA. Norman said he then called the VA to make the public health need clear.

“There’s really not an option about sharing information,“ Norman said. ”There’s a statute that drives that.”

The county health department warned that a delay in the sharing of information could lead to further transmission and more infected people.

“Prompt case and contact investigations are necessary in order to help protect the health and well being of the VA’s staff, patients, their families and the communities where they live,” the health department statement said. “Collection of this information is allowed by state and federal laws and has been done routinely and successfully with other healthcare facilities in Shawnee County.”

Burks said officials with the county health department asked for protected personal information on Monday. VA officials immediately sought approval from higher authorities, Burks said, to make sure they wouldn’t violate any federal directives by releasing the medical records to local health authorities.

“This report by the Shawnee County Health Department was premature and has potential to spread distrust and panic throughout a community and undermines the tireless work being done by a dedicated and compassionate workforce which has performed exceptionally, during a national crisis,” Burks said.

Three of the seven infected veterans have recovered from the illness, Burks said.

Sherman Smith, The Topeka Capital-Journal