Posted on 05/28/2014 1:52:16 PM PDT by Timber Rattler
A report from the Veterans' Administration Office of Inspector General identified at least 1,700 veterans at the agency's beleaguered Phoenix clinic who were not properly registered on waiting lists, putting them "at risk of being forgotten or lost."
The independent report, released Wednesday, confirmed recent allegations that VA locations have been relying on sketchy scheduling practices amid treatment delays, some of which have resulted in the deaths of vets.
(Excerpt) Read more at wrcbtv.com ...
http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-14-02603-178.pdf
A key passage on page iii reads:
Our reviews at a growing number of VA medical facilities have thus far provided insight into the current extent of these inappropriate scheduling issues throughout the VA health care system and have confirmed that inappropriate scheduling practices are systemic throughout VHA. One challenge in these reviews is to determine whether these practices exist currently or were used in the past and subsequently corrected by VA managers.
Somebody should go shove this report into Bernie Sanders face and see what he says now...
Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders on VA Scandal: “People Die Every Day” (Video)
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I wonder why it is important for us to elect principled leaders who will keep America’s promises to our vets.
I wonder why electing unprincipled people for the sake of ‘winning’ is a bad plan.
Yup. It’s a mystery alright.
...and to think we treat prisoners and terrorists better than our own veterans...a disgrace.
This kind of crap is inherent in anything government run.
Basically an preview of Obamacare.
...and illegal aliens.
I’ve heard negative comments and jokes about the VA for decades. Sad and disgraceful it’s taken this long to get real attention.
McCain and Flake in their noon news conference called for the resignation or if not the firing of the VA Secretary. Also called for a criminal investigation by the FBI and prosecution by the DOJ. His statement was the harshest I have ever heard him give - just wish he could have spoken that forcefully about Obama during 2008 campaign.
The problem with the VA isn’t in the individual who is running it. The problems go back decades. No, the problem with the VA is that it is a government run hospital. Cardiologists at the Albuquerque VA see on average less than 2 patients per day while private practice cardiologists see 10-15 patients per day. Why so few? Because the VA doctors don’t get paid per patient and are government employees who do as little work as possible. Also, I would dare to guess that the quality of many of the doctors at the VA is near the bottom of the barrel.
“I wonder why electing unprincipled people for the sake of ‘winning’ is a bad plan.”
************
Bears repeating. Good post.
Well, if it’s “systemic”, then the head guy has got to go. That kind of inattention is inexcusable.
Well my PCP in Phoenix has been removed. Now I am left trying to schedule an appointment with a new provider for my physical which is 7 months over due.
If this is from the VA itself, it MUST BE worse than they are reporting.
I’m happy with the VA I’ve dealt with.
I have been to four different VA hospitals in 3 states. I can attest to you today that in every single hospital at no time was one vet happy to be sitting in that er waiting room. Most know that when they come to the VA its an all day affair or at the least three to four hours to get the care they need and then an extra hour or two to get medication that can only be prescribed by a VA doctor and only to a VA pharmacy.
I have sought out alternative forms of healthcare (private) and have found better care and better service from those I have gone.
I remember walking into a Walmart to check on Humana (or whatever it is) and the rep - a vietnam vet - upon finding out I was 100% service connected, literally yelled at me in the store for wanting to get other means of health care.
There will always be the few who like Obummer and there will always be the few who like the VA. In all of those hospitals I have been to, I am thankful for public/private hospitals because I wouldn’t be here without them.
I have my own horror stories and I know thousands upon thousands of vets can tell you theirs. Just because you like the VA (and you have said that in several postings) doesn’t mean that the quality of service is up to par.
As far as the relation between this stupid Obamacare and VA, I have been saying that from the very beginning. I will tell people don’t look at Britain’s or Canada’s healthcare, we already have socialized medicine in America, it’s called the VA.
So big friggin deal you like the VA, now. Wait until your records are changed to CYA of some doctor, because they misdiagnosed you. Or were in actually need of a hospital bed but because of some policy put into place from 1972 to reduce the amount of beds, or had to seek out care at a public facility and tried to get the VA to pay for that care related to a service connected injury, receive attitude from receptionists like you are there for them and they have little time for you, try to make an appointment through secure messaging to the dental clinic... then come back and tell me how much you like the VA.
I accept your apology.
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