Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has vowed to investigate allegations that veterans have waited weeks or months for medical and mental health care and that some have died as a result of the delays. / Chip Somodevilla Getty Images 
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki on Friday placed on administrative leave a nurse in a Wyoming medical center after seeing an e-mail containing explicit directions on how to 'game' the system and hide long delays in treating veterans for medical and mental health issues.
Shinseki earlier this week promised 'swift and appropriate' action if wait-time records were falsified as a widening scandal over treatment delays brought congressional action.
The nurse, David Newman, works at the Cheyenne VA Medical Center, which was investigated late last year by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Medical Inspector in connection with allegedly falsified wait-time records at a VA clinic in Fort Collins, Colo.
An e-mail dated June 19, 2013, that appears to be drafted by Newman, a Cheyenne Medical Center telehealth coordinator, explains how to alter records to show that veterans saw doctors within a 14-day goal established by the VA.
'Yes it is gaming the system a bit,' the email says. 'But you have to know the rules of the game you are playing, and when we exceed the 14-day measure, the front office gets very upset.'
A copy of the e-mail obtained by USA TODAY was provided to the VA Friday. Within a few hours, Shinseki issued a statement saying that Newman had been placed on administrative leave and that the VA inspector general was being asked to investigate.
'VA takes any allegations about patient care or employee misconduct very seriously. If true, the behavior outlined in the email is unacceptable,' Shinseki said.
Newman answered his office phone when a reporter called him earlier Friday, referring queries to the VA public affairs office.
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Posted by Unknown on Friday, May 9, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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