Roseburg VA chief of surgery leaves position

ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) – The chief of surgery for the Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center has stepped down following allegations of retaliation and bullying last year.

The News-Review reports that an email sent to VA employees Monday announced Chris Curry as the acting chief after Dinesh Ranjan voluntarily left the position.

Ranjan referred questions to the VA director’s office. A VA spokesman declined to comment, citing personnel matters.

Director Doug Paxton did not respond to the newspaper’s questions.

Allegations of retaliation spurred an investigation by the VA’s Office of the Medical Inspector and the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection. Investigators interviewed about 200 VA employees in Oregon late last year.

Investigators described the VA as having a “toxic culture,” and a preliminary report called for changes in senior management.

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Information from: The News-Review, http://www.nrtoday.com