Kirk wants head of Hines VA to resign

MAYWOOD, Ill. (WLS) -- U.S. Senator Mark Kirk is calling for the resignation of Joan Recard as the head of Hines VA Hospital in Maywood amidst allegations of a culture of corruption.

Kirk met with a small group of employees at Hines VA Hospital in Maywood, Ill. They spoke of lapses in medical care and patient records that were manipulated or left unattended, specifically a number of patient echo-cardiograms at Hines that had gone unread for weeks.

"The problem is care that's claimed but not really provided," Sen. Kirk said.

Germaine Clarno is a social worker at Hines. She's also president of Union AFGE Local 781. He said other potential whistleblowers fear retaliation if they go public.

"What leadership has done is threaten them with HIPPA violations. If you come forward, we're gonna go after you," Clarno said.

Earlier Friday, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned for "systemic problems," and a lack of integrity within some VA facilities. Sen. Kirk said the director at Hines should follow suit.

"I think Joan Recard should step down, especially if what I heard from the whistleblowers today is true," Kirk said.

A Hines spokesperson said a previous investigation into the claim of unread echocardiograms revealed no backlog, and that more recent claims about waitlists and scheduling irregularities have been turned over to the VA's inspector general.

"The Director and all employees at Hines VA Hospital remain committed to leading this organization and providing the best care our Veterans have earned and deserve," according to a statement from Hines.

Lazeric Kyle, an Air Force veteran, said the VA has "gone above and beyond the call of duty."

Many vets agree, and say in an organization as vast as the VA, there will be problems.

"I've been a VA patient for over 40 years and I've received nothing but excellent care," Paul Zickus said. Zickus, a Vietnam vet who has Agent Orange-related Parkinson's disease, thinks Shinseki's departure is necessary to focus on veterans' care.

"They got to concentrate on that - not be distracted by what happened somewhere in the United States," Zickus said.