TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Veterans Health Administration has ordered emergency services suspended at a Topeka VA hospital while procedures and staffing are reviewed. The VA announced the suspension Friday at the Colmery-O'Neil VA Medical Center. The hospital will continue to operate as an urgent care clinic while federal officials review its policies, procedures and staffing. Veterans reporting to the hospital will be given appropriate care but officials are advising veterans with a major medical emergency to call 911. VA officials say they have contacted Topeka hospitals to ensure veterans can get emergency care when needed. Senator Jerry Moran, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, called the decision "outrageous." He says the Veterans Administration has failed to address a long-standing shortage of medical personnel at its hospitals.
