Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., on Thursday urged President Barack Obama to allow a group of Northern Virginia technology firms to assist the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in fixing its patient-appointment system.

The same companies had helped Arlington National Cemetery during its recordkeeping scandal in 2011.

“Obviously the challenges at the VA are going to require a new management team and a dramatic overhaul of the culture of how the VA operates,” Warner told reporters in a media call.

“(But) one of the things we can do in the short term is take on the immediate problem, making sure that veterans that call in or contact the VA are able to get their appointments scheduled without the ability of anyone at the VA to game the system.”

Warner was one of nine senators — Democrats and Republicans — who wrote the Obama administration urging it to accept private sector assistance in the matter. Signing the letter with Warner were Sens. Mike Johanns, R-Neb.; Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Al Franken, D-Minn.; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Joe Donnelly, D-Ind.; Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.; and Michael Bennet, D-Colo.

The VA handles three major categories for America’s veterans — medical care, benefits and burials. A recent report by the VA’s inspector general found that officials at a medical center in Phoenix had tampered with records, hiding the amount of time patients had to wait for appointments.

More than 1,700 veterans were kept on waiting lists, with an average wait time of 115 days, according to the report. The scandal culminated last week in the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.

Warner said Thursday that he supports efforts to gather a long-term commission to investigate the scandal but that it will be months or more before there will be action.

“Using the template of what was put together at Arlington Cemetery, we’re calling on the president to take that template — at least for the purpose of veterans scheduling their appointments,” Warner said. “This could be turned around in 30 or 40 days.”

In 2011, Warner called in the help of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. Virginia technology companies volunteered to detail “a roadmap” to fix problems with the cemetery’s recordkeeping and administration.

“This is the kind of no-brainer that we should be able to do with no cost to the taxpayer; the ability for companies to put a tiger team on the ground immediately,” he said.

Warner applauded the Obama administration’s decision to appoint Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan D. Gibson to replace Shinseki on an interim basis, but he urged finding a permanent replacement as soon as possible.