Dayton Daily News - Rep. Turner Calls Promotion of Dayton VA Official an "Outrage"

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U.S. Rep. Mike Turner on Friday condemned the Department of Veterans Affairs for moving Dayton VA Medical Center Director Guy Richardson to a headquarters job amidst an investigation into unsanitary conditions at the hospital's dental clinic.

"Promoting Director Richardson during this investigation is wrong and just another outrage in a series on the part of the VA," Turner said in a statement. "This bait and switch just two days before Richardson was scheduled to meet with the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and me is unacceptable."

Turner, R-Centerville, said "we aim to meet with Richardson on Monday and hear first hand just how basic medical safety conditions could deteriorate to this extent under his leadership."

The VA on Friday removed Guy Richardson as director of the Dayton VA Medical Center and replaced him with the former director of a VA medical center in Cleveland. Richardson was "detailed" to the Veterans Integrated Services Network office in Cincinnati, effective Monday. He could not be reached for comment.

VA spokesman Todd Sledge said the move "is definitely not a promotion for Mr. Richardson," whose pay will not change.

Richardson's departure comes in the wake of news that nine patients seen at the Dayton medical center's dental clinic may have contracted hepatitis B or hepatitis C from a dentist who did not follow basic infection control practices for 18 years. The dentist, Dwight M. Pemberton, 81, of Centerville, performed invasive dental procedures on patients, but failed to change latex gloves and sterilize dental instruments properly between patients, according to VA investigation documents.

William D. Montague has agreed to come out of retirement to serve as acting director of the Dayton VA Medical Center. Montague previously served as director at six different VA medical centers.

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