Why the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center is again at center of calls for an investigation

The Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center is under scrutiny again, following allegations that one of its neurologists repeatedly misdiagnosed veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury or other neurological disorders.

Last month, the Tomah VA acknowledged flaws with the neurologist's exams, years after concerns were first brought forward and more than a year after a Minneapolis-based TV station started asking questions.

It is the latest in a string of problems that have beset the Tomah VA over the years, keeping the veterans facility in rural Tomah in the sights of lawmakers and other stakeholders.

Here's a look at the latest with the Tomah VA.

What is the Tomah VA doing about misdiagnoses of brain injuries?

The Tomah VA Medical Center has acknowledged that some of the neurological exams conducted by one of its physicians were incomplete. The exams were to determine if veterans could receive disability benefits from the VA. The Tomah VA has invited veterans who were seen by the physician, Dr. Mary Jo Lanska, to call with their concerns and possibly schedule a new exam.

What did the Tomah VA physician do?

A more than year-long investigation by Minneapolis-based TV station KARE 11 found that veterans with traumatic brain injuries or other neurological conditions were misdiagnosed by the same Tomah VA physician and as a result were denied disability benefits and, in some cases, medical care. KARE 11 and the veterans with whom the station spoke identified the physician as Dr. Mary Jo Lanska. Some of the veterans KARE 11 spoke with said they were misdiagnosed following brief screenings that did not sufficiently assess brain injuries.

Who is the Tomah VA physician?

Dr. Mary Jo Lanska previously performed disability exams on veterans to determine if they qualified for disability benefits. She no longer performs disability exams and is not seeing patients currently at the VA, Press Secretary Terrence Hayes said in an emailed statement. Lanska remains at the Tomah VA, though spokesman Zackary Landers did not provide any details on Lanska's current job.

Lanska is certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics. She became certified in child neurology in 1991 by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. As of recently, she is listed by the psychiatry and neurology board as "certified - retired." The board changed her certification status Monday while updating its database, said vice president of operations Patti Vondrak. The change was made because Lanska's certification did not have an expiration date, and she did not have a current medical license on file with the board, Vondrak said in an email.

What have lawmakers said?

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for investigations into disability exams provided by the Tomah VA.

For months, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, has been calling on the VA to investigate misdiagnoses at the Tomah VA and to ensure misdiagnosed veterans get a new exam and proper benefits. Baldwin met with Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough in March to voice her ongoing concerns, her office said.

"We have a commitment to do right by those who served our country, but sadly, it appears many of our Wisconsin veterans did not get the care at the VA that they earned," Baldwin said in a press release last month.

In a recent letter, U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden and other Republican lawmakers called on the watchdog agency for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate the allegations involving Lanska and to conduct a broader review of the accuracy of disability exams by VA providers involving traumatic brain injuries.

Why has the Tomah VA been under scrutiny before?

The Tomah VA was previously under scrutiny for its prescribing practices. In 2017, former Tomah VA chief of staff David Houlihan surrendered his medical license after he and others at the Tomah VA were found to be overprescribing opioids to veterans, one of whom died of a drug overdose while being treated there. An investigation by the Center for Investigative Reporting on the opioid scandal also found a pervasive culture of intimidation and retaliation against employees who spoke out.

In 2016, nearly 600 veterans had to be notified when it was discovered they were treated by a dentist who did not follow proper sterilization treatment.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Why the Tomah VA is again at the center of calls for an investigation