VA Inspector General Exposes Dangerous Patient Safety Failures at Shreveport Medical Center
- Rawls Law Group
- Sep 12
- 3 min read
A damning new report from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) has uncovered serious VA patient safety deficiencies at the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. The investigation reveals the kind of systematic medical negligence that frequently leads to Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) lawsuits against the VA - and represents yet another example of how routine failures at VA hospitals nationwide put veterans at risk.
The OIG investigation stemmed from a troubling 2024 case where VA medical staff mishandled a patient's medication and behavioral management with potentially catastrophic consequences. According to the report, a hospitalist discontinued the psychiatric medication olanzapine without properly reviewing the patient's medical history, consulting specialists, or developing an appropriate treatment plan. This VA medication error, combined with staff failures to implement required safety protocols, may have contributed to assaults on three individuals - demonstrating how VA medical negligence can have devastating consequences beyond the original patient.
Systematic Violations of VA Safety Policies
The Inspector General found that Shreveport VA medical staff violated multiple established Veterans Health Administration policies by failing to:
Implement required one-to-one patient observation protocols
Activate behavioral patient record flags designed to trigger essential safety measures
Use electronic health records to properly communicate patient behavioral risks across medical disciplines
Complete mandatory quality management reviews that could have identified and corrected care deficiencies
Follow Root Cause Analysis requirements for investigating serious incidents
These failures represent exactly the type of VA medical negligence that forms the basis for successful FTCA medical malpractice claims against the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Pattern of Repeated VA Medical Center Failures
Particularly troubling is that this marks the second time in 2025 that the OIG has flagged serious concerns with Root Cause Analysis practices at the Shreveport VA facility. This pattern of repeated deficiencies demonstrates the kind of systemic dysfunction that characterizes VA medical malpractice cases nationwide.
When VA medical centers repeatedly fail to implement basic safety protocols and quality oversight measures, veterans suffer preventable injuries that could form the basis for Federal Tort Claims Act lawsuits.
VA's Response Falls Short of Accountability
While Overton Brooks VA Medical Center officials stated they "concurred with OIG's five recommendations" and claimed to be taking "decisive steps to enhance patient safety," these promises of future improvements do little to help veterans who have already suffered harm due to the facility's systematic medical negligence.
The facility's statement that they "remain focused on providing Veterans the highest standard of care" rings hollow when the OIG report documents multiple failures to follow basic patient safety protocols that have been in place for years.
Legal Rights for Veterans Harmed by VA Medical Negligence
Veterans who have suffered injuries due to VA medical malpractice at Shreveport or any other VA medical facility have important legal rights under the Federal Tort Claims Act. These cases require specialized knowledge of both medical malpractice law and the complex procedures for filing FTCA claims against the federal government.
Common types of VA medical negligence that can support FTCA lawsuits include:
Medication errors and improper discontinuation of prescribed treatments
Failure to implement required safety protocols
Inadequate behavioral risk assessment and management
Communication failures between medical disciplines
Delayed or missed diagnosis due to protocol violations
Experienced FTCA Attorneys Fighting for Veterans' Rights
At Rawls Law Group, we represent veterans and their families in Federal Tort Claims Act cases nationwide, including cases involving systematic failures like those documented at the Shreveport VA Medical Center. We understand how VA medical centers try to minimize their liability through internal reviews and empty promises of improvement.
Our experienced veteran medical malpractice attorneys know that when VA hospitals violate their own safety protocols and quality standards, veterans deserve compensation for the preventable injuries that result.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by VA medical negligence - whether through medication errors, safety protocol failures, or inadequate behavioral management - contact our experienced FTCA legal team today. These cases have strict federal deadlines, and early action is essential to protect your rights and hold the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable for their systematic failures.