Whistleblower VA doctors lost jobs after news report

Fact Finder: Union Says V.A. Retaliated Against Whistleblowers
KRNV
Reported by: Joe Hart

Doctors Ralph Coppola and Vidur Mahadeva both worked at the Reno V.A. Hospital, unitl last month. Coppola as an E-N-T surgeon, Mahadeva in the emergency room.

Both doctors, who worked part time, recently received the exact same letter, telling them they'd been terminated.

The letter did not give a reason.

"The letter of termination was 2 days after your report was on TV," Coppola told News 4.

The letters to Doctors Coppola and Mahadeva were each dated September 13th: two days after News 4's Fact Finder report aired uncovering the results of an investigation conducted at the V.A. Hospital by the Office of the Medical Inspector. The O.M.I. report produced 53 recommendations to improve patient care at the V.A.

Both Coppola and Mahadeva met with O.M.I. representives during their investigation to voice their concerns about staffing, patient care timelines and other quality of care issues at the V.A. Hospital.

"Both of us tried to offer constructive cricitism and were under the impression we were helping our vets at the time. Both of us lost our jobs soon thereafter," said Dr. Mahadeva.

Jeanine Swygman is the vice president of the union which represents Doctors Coppola and Mahadeva. She says its clear the firings were retaliation by the V.A.

"Absolutely. The timing was two days after your story aired on the O.M.I. Report," said Swygman.
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