Former VA Montana managers calling on Director Korogi to resign

Former VA Montana managers calling on Director Korogi to resign

By CINDY UKEN
Posted: Wednesday, March 7, 2012


At least four former high-level managers in the VA Montana Health Care System, including a former human resources director, attorney, physician and facilities manager, are calling for Director Robin Korogi to resign immediately because she has created an acrimonious work environment, jeopardized patient safety and subjected VA Montana to lawsuits.

"She has to go," said Charlie Hail, who worked as an attorney for the VA for 21 years.

"Absolutely. No questions asked. She continues to fire people without cause and is opening up the VA to litigation."

The chorus of voices calling for Korogi's resignation comes on the heels of a Billings Gazette article published Sunday focusing on why VA Montana has failed in recruiting in-patient psychiatrists to staff a mental health facility at Fort Harrison. The eight-bed acute-care wing has not been in operation since the $7 million facility was opened in June 2011. Current and former employees say the toxic work environment makes it impossible to recruit psychiatrists to the facility, and they hold Korogi responsible.

The situation has become so dire that it was a subject on Capitol Hill last week when U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., the state's only member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, brought it to the attention of VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki and VA Undersecretary for Health Robert Petzel.
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