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Our Opinion: GOP’s convention must go beyond mere pep rally

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Letter to the Editor: ‘Super’ care delivered at Geisinger, says grateful husband

<p>Our VA hospitals are not without their problems, and I realize that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is attempting to make improvements. However, the proposed policy change published on May 25 by the department will only make things worse.</p><p>The VA intends to allow nurses to treat patients &#8211; including administering anesthesia during surgery &#8211; without supervision by a physician. If this plan goes into effect, the standard of care for veterans in VA hospitals will be lowered, and our veterans will be placed at greater risk. Do we really want to expose the men and women who have risked life and limb for our freedom and way of life to this lower level of care?</p><p>There is no good reason to take supervision of the administration of anesthesia by a physician anesthesiologist out of the equation. A patient under anesthesia is essentially placed into a drug-induced coma. While nurse anesthetists play a very important role on the anesthesia care team, they have nowhere near the training that a physician must complete to care for patients. And that greater level of training can be life-saving in the event of an unanticipated medical emergency during surgery.</p><p>Seconds matter when a crisis occurs, and they do occur. It is not the time to look for someone with a broader knowledge base.</p><p>The deadline for public comment on this policy proposal is July 25. Please visit safevacare.org and express your opposition to the change.</p><p>The least we can do to honor our veterans is to take a few moments to go online and say that veterans must be afforded the highest quality of health care in VA hospitals. They deserve no less.</p><p><strong>Dr. Albert A. Belardi Jr.</strong> </p><p>Anesthesiologist</p><p>Moosic</p><style>
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Letter to the Editor: Discourage VA from adopting proposed policy change in hospitals