“I don’t want to die.” Veteran Left Alone in VA Emergency Department Dies from Suicide

In the latest episode of Veteran Oversight Now, a VA OIG healthcare inspection hotline director discusses deficiencies in the quality of emergency department care for a veteran who died by suicide at the John Cochran Division of the St. Louis Healthcare System in Missouri. This edition also includes highlights of the VA OIG’s work from July 2023.“Approximately 10 minutes later is when the staff person finds the patient unresponsive in the exam room with a ligature around his neck. A code was called, meaning a code blue so that all emergency staff would present to that room, and they tried to resuscitate the patient, but that was unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead about 10 to 15 minutes later.” – Trina Rollins, VA Office of Inspector General, Office of Healthcare Inspections, Hotline Director Related ReportDeficiencies in Emergency Department Care for a Patient Who Died by Suicide at the John Cochran Division of the VA St. Louis Health Care System in Missouri