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Filed December 2023

Veterans deserve better

The U.S. government and Cerner’s negligence delayed Charlie Bourg’s cancer diagnosis – essentially costing him his life. Now he’s fighting to keep it from happening to other veterans. 

U.S. Army veteran Charlie Bourg is a grandfather of five and a lifelong advocate for his fellow veterans. When Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center rushed the rollout of a faulty electronic health record (EHR) system, the errors impacted patient care right away. Charlie watched the medical center’s dedicated, compassionate health care providers struggle to use the system that was supposed to make their jobs better. Quality of patient care went down – and systemic flaws were so egregious that veterans staged protests outside the medical center demanding action.  

Charlie was on the front lines of those protests – but he never expected that his life would be cut short by defective technology. During routine testing at his annual checkup, Charlie’s doctor noticed elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen, indicating he may have prostate cancer and needed to see a urologist for more testing.  

But the EHR mis-routed the message, causing a 17-month delay. During that time, Charlie’s cancer grew and spread to other parts of his body. By the time he was diagnosed, the prognosis was terminal.  

Now, with representation from our team at Luvera Law Firm, Charlie has filed a lawsuit to hold the government and the manufacturer responsible.  

“I’m doing this for my fellow veterans – I want to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Charlie said. “My time may be short, but I will not go quietly. The people at the top need to be held accountable.” 

“What happened to Charlie is not only tragic – it’s inexcusable,” said Mark Kamitomo, one of the attorneys representing Bourg. “Electronic health records are intended to make care efficient and accurate, passing information seamlessly between providers to give the best care. In this case, Charlie would have been better served if his doctor had sent the referral by handwritten letter. This rushed, untested system caused a 17-month delay that essentially will cost him his life.” 

Watch this space for updates as Charlie’s case progresses. And if you believe you’ve been harmed by the EHR rollout at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, we may be able to help. Click here to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.  

 

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Charlie Bourg standing in front of the engraved wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC
Charlie Bourg at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

If you’ve been affected, let us know

Thousands of patients at Mann-Grandstaff Medical Center have had their care disrupted or impeded by the VA and Cerner’s defective tech rollout. If you or a loved one are among them, get in touch with us today.

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"The folks at the medical center are doing the best they can. This is entirely on the shoulders of Cerner and the VA. This system has failed providers and patients alike, but they’re still pushing forward and defending it. It’s irresponsible and dangerous for thousands of people – I’m just one of many who will be affected."
—Charlie Bourg
Veteran and plaintiff