Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection of the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program report describes the results of a focused evaluation of the care provided at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and associated outpatient clinics in Georgia and South Carolina. This evaluation focused on five key operational areas:• Leadership and organizational risks• Quality, safety, and value• Medical staff privileging• Environment of care• Mental health (suicide prevention initiatives)The OIG issued five recommendations for improvement in the following topic areas:1. Quality, safety, and value• Root cause analysis for patient safety events2. Medical staff privileging• Equivalent specialized training and similar privileges3. Environment of care• Inspection deficiency tracking• Police response times to panic alarm testing4. Mental health• Reporting of suicide-related events