Posted on 03/11/2007 3:07:13 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration must examine all military and veterans' hospitals to see where the system has failed, one of the leaders of the presidential commission to investigate the problems said Sunday.
Donna Shalala, health secretary under President Clinton, said the commission will look at the system from the time "someone is hurt in Iraq and Afghanistan, all the way through, and to see not simply where the glitches are, but where the whole government has broken down."
President Bush last week announced he had ordered a comprehensive review of conditions at military and veterans' hospitals, which have been overwhelmed by injured troops from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The review came in the wake of disclosures of poor outpatient health care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, one of the nation's premier facilities for wounded members of the military.
Shalala, now president of the University of Miami, said soldiers want the government to fix Walter Reed, not assign blame. "They don't have time to waste while we debate who's responsible here. They want that care now, and they want it to be of the highest quality."
Co-chairman Bob Dole, the former Kansas senator, said more money may not be the answer.
"We want to take a look and see where the problems are and see if it can be fixed. It may not need more money," he said. "It just may need clarification or somehow better coordination between the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration.
Shalala and Dole spoke on "Late Edition" on CNN.
Umhm. And now the probe spreads out, soaks into the ground and... disappears.
Save your time and money....its all Bush's fault don't 'cha know.
It is his fault. He's CIC. He made multiple trips to WR to visit (i.e. to be seen with, to feel their pain) wounded trips. Turns they were nothing more than Hillary-like phote ops.
Nice try, cheap shot.
As Commander in Chief he would have no reason to visit an outpatient residential facility, he would naturally visit in-patients in treatment areas. Can't you just picture the President of the United States pulling a barracks inspection, get real.
Frankly, I have been on the staff at Walter Reed and a patient and I can tell you that in addition to the normal military bureaucracy, Walter Reed suffers from a singular apathy and lack of concern on the part of the staff (which I attribute to its Washington location and the quality of the surrounding work force.
Let this be a cautionary tale. Military medicine is SOCIALIZED medicine. Military care has its high points like on the battlefield and for unique cases, but it also routinely provides lousy care and does not maintain its facilities well.
What we need is an investigation into how many Congressmen ignored letters from injured soldiers.
This is creating ripples in Montana....new Democrat Senator makes a show of "caring"...
Tester tours Fort Harrison
By MARTIN J. KIDSTON - IR Staff Writer - 03/11/07
Jon Ebelt IR Staff Photographer - Sen. Jon Tester listens to a presentation by Fort Harrison Regional Medical Center director Joe Underkofler.
FORT HARRISON - Calling the VA hospital here a Montana jewel, Sen. Jon Tester vowed to take what's right about the facility back to Washington, to help fix what's wrong with similar hospitals run by the Department of Defense.
Tester visited the Fort Harrison Regional Medical Center in Helena Saturday, talking with patients and hospital staff, while touring the facility's new ambulatory care unit.
Tester also introduced the newest member of his staff. He recently hired Jed Finch, a former Marine officer, to bring Montana VA issues to the attention of his office.
"We're concerned about the health care veterans get across the country," Tester said. "It's an obligation this country needs to make a priority."
Tester, a member of the Senate Committee of Veterans Affairs, said he wants to use Fort Harrison, which is managed by the VA, to help resolve problems at DOD hospitals, such as Walter Reed.
Among his concerns, Tester addressed the transfer of records between the DOD and the VA. The DOD primarily treats active-duty service members wounded in combat, while the VA treats veterans discharged from service.
*
However, Joe Underkofler, director of the Fort Harrison hospital, said that in times of war, the VA must also support DOD hospitals. The transfer of records between the two systems can be complicated, he said.
"It can create a disconnect in that continuum of care," Underkofler said. "We don't always know what happened to that soldier or sailor while on active duty."
Tester later said he would work to make the transfer of records as seamless as possible. He said the DOD is still using paper records while the VA has gone electronic. The DOD, he said, must also make the transition.
Montana has a veteran population of more than 107,000 people. The state's VA system saw more than 258,000 outpatient visits last year.
Up dramatically from years past, the numbers are expected to increase. That could place new pressures on the VA in providing care for aging veterans, and young ones returning from the war.
"There's also some concern out there about accessibility," Tester said. "If there are any complaints that I'm hearing out in the field, it's about being delayed and a lack of access."
To address that, Underkofler said the state VA recently implemented a centralized appointment center. It has also established a system of advanced clinical access.
Patients can now set an estimated appointment date four months in advance. Two weeks ahead of that date, Underkofler said, the VA will set a precise day and time for the patient's visit.
"It has cut down on the number of no-shows," Underkofler said. "It has cut down on the number of patients waiting for access."
Underkofler also raised the issue of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder - two conditions the VA has seen more of in recent years.
Both afflictions can surface months after a soldier returns from combat. In the case of traumatic brain injury, Underkofler said, symptoms may go unnoticed for months by the patient.
Maj. Gen. Randy Mosley, adjutant general of the Montana National Guard, said his command has taken steps to be more vigilant in observing odd behavior in soldiers, even after they return from battle.
"It becomes more and more apparent to me how long we need to be attentive," Mosley told Tester. "There are some things we need to continue to watch for."
Tester said the VA system must receive proper funding to cover its patients' many needs.
With that said, he called the budget introduced by Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson "inadequate."
"It's our concern that if we're going to make veterans healthcare a national priority, we need to give them all the resources possible to do their job," he said.
Reporter Martin Kidston can be reached at 447-4086, or at mkidston@helenair.com
~~~~~~~~~~
My response, hopefully to be published in the local paper as a "guest opinion"....
A recent Daily Inter Lake editorial wisely cautioned our politicians not to use the VA’s health care system as the latest political football for partisan gain. This of course fell on deaf ears. In order to make any kind of reasonable attempt to improve the status quo also requires a firm basis of knowledge of the internal workings of that system. This is not the time to skim the surface of the issues, deploy for photo ops, or spout platitudes for sound bites.
Nonetheless that’s precisely what Senator Jon Tester did in Helena recently in response to the Walter Reed fiasco. The loss to Montana Veterans of Senator Burns and his skilled staff is just beginning to rear its ugly head. Tester further underlined his woefully inadequate engagement in these critical issues by noting that three months into his rein he’s finally hired someone who may have a clue about how Veterans are treated. That’s handy. At this rate we can expect several years of lag time as Tester pretends to be concerned while exhibiting a near-perfect ignorance concerning the matters at hand. His Johnny come lately realization that he’s supposed to be serving the country via his seat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee becomes doubly troubling in that light.
Montana’s Veterans need more than an occasional pat on the head, Mr. Tester. Some of us are very sick. The rest of us are tired of the bureaucratic runarounds we encounter almost without exception. According to Tester, “the VA hospital here is a Montana jewel and should be used as an example for similar health-care centers across the country.” Unfortunately, this proves that when he visited Fort Harrison, he inspected the wrong building.
Don’t get me wrong. The long-suffering VA Doctors and Nurses do the best they can with what our stingy congress allows them. I literally wouldn’t be alive had I not had a slew of medical procedures performed at VA facilities around the country over the last five years. It’s not the kind of medical care which is lacking, it’s the amount available for our veterans to share that’s compounded by an uncaring administrative “half” of the VA system where the problems arise. The red tape barricades may not be visible to the uninformed observer, but they are the real reason so many Veterans give up trying to get medical care through the VA. While the self-serving “deny, denigrate & delay” tactics probably make the outfit look good on paper, it’s the sad truth that it matters not what level of care you are provided if you can’t even get on the list. This impacts our most needy Veterans the hardest because they are the least able to outwait the bureaucratic mind games as their health declines. Ask anyone who has survived the hassles inherent in attempting to be adjudicated “service connected” for any illness. There is a diabolical unwritten rule that the administrative and medical “halves” of the VA shall avoid productive communication at any and all costs!
Here’s some hard data Jon Tester overlooked as he “spin cycled” Fort Harrison:
** There are currently more than 107,000 Montana Veterans. Our single VA Hospital in Helena has 50 beds. This generates long waiting lists and equally long travel for most Veterans. For instance, there are a grand total of two dentists at Fort Harrison for the entire state. If you are lucky enough to be shipped out of state for procedures not covered here, you will find the “travel agents” in Miles City to be consistently inefficient and rude. Be prepared for a lengthy bus ride if you can’t drive yourself to Denver or Salt Lake.
** Montana supplies a disproportionate percentage of Army Reservists and National Guard Troops in Afghanistan & Iraq, ranking fourth in the nation. In 2005, Montana was dead last in the percentage of VA visits provided for mental health care. Post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] is the most prevalent mental health malady emerging from the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan and one of the top illnesses overall. The gritty reality of urban warfare triggers older Veterans’ PTSD as well, resulting in an ugly sort of “competition” pitting young and old against each other over available slots in already overburdened facilities. In 2006, the VA’s own internal review stated, "We can't do both jobs at once within current resources."
There will be more illnesses and clinical visits in the foreseeable future generated by the 1.4 million people who have served in the Global War on Terror since 2001. Montana is the fourth largest state geographically and has one of the largest per capita veteran populations. Immediate action is in order, not lip service, if we are to keep pace.
Max Baucus appears to be oblivious to the entire situation. Mr. Tester has obviously never seen a top notch military facility such as the San Diego Naval Hospital if he thinks they should all follow suit after Fort Harrison. Denny Rehberg and his staff have helped me and other Veterans immensely with some very sticky problems regarding the VA Health System. While one out of three is better than none, ALL Montanans need to bear in mind that our Veterans produce much more than hot air when called to duty. Some gave all. Is this really the best we can do in return?
~~~~~~~~
I suggest similar actions by other veterans across the country before the spotlight fades....
Thank you for sharing that article and your response and for your service. I and others appreciate your insight into both the system and the politicians who use it for their own interests and are not in it for the veterans many of them chose to leave behind in their campaign bus long ago.
"I and others appreciate your insight into both the system and the politicians who use it for their own interests and are not in it for the veterans many of them chose to leave behind in their campaign bus long ago."
I've been invited to meet with Adjutant General Mosely of the Montana National Guard tomorrow night via the American Legion local chapter.
"squeaky wheel"
I've e-mailed three Montana newspapers, Congressman Rehberg's office, and a statewide talk show to air in the A.M.
~~~~~~~
Thank you for your kind words. Not 'all' politicians are "bad"....some actually WORK for us still. There are ALSO no 'perfect' representatives. Welcome to the REAL WORLD.
By joining together to change this we can.
I can't do it alone.
Unlike like you, moonbat. I hold my leaders accountable. You sure you're not a lurking Clintonista?
Unlike like you, moonbat. I hold my leaders accountable. You sure you're not a lurking Clintonista?
Unlike you, flowerchild, I have been in the military for many years and know how military organizations work, IN PARTICULAR this dysfunctional organization. I personally observed as a patient and on staff, that Walter Reed was dysfunctional under Reagan, subsequent presidents and wonder of wonders, it's dysfunctional under Bush and wartime didn't change that.
And all the genuine concern that the President would show for soldiers in treatment areas would not translate to his knowing what a building in a remote part of the facility would look like. http://wramc.vcscreen.com/patient/lp-big.html Unless --like many moonbats -- you ascribe superhuman powers to Bush.
When I was a commander, my soldiers lived in miserable conditions under Carter and Reagan, certainly worse than most inmates in a state prison. When I was in Korea in the 80's the NCO's in my unit had to troop 100 yards from their barracks building to a building with a bathroom. One hundred yards! My fault? Not hardly, did everything I could, but I couldn't build a new barracks; couldn't install a bathroom. President's fault? Congress's fault? All of the above. Would you like to impeach Reagan retroactively?
The way to fix this problem is to follow the base closing and slam the doors on Walter Reed because organizational cultures are resistant to change.
That was really cute about Clinton though, really precious.
Rep. Gingrey (R) Blames Soldiers For Walter Reed Squalor
‘If You Leave Food Around You’ll Get Mice’
Yesterday at the House Armed Services Committee hearing on veterans care, Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) attempted to stand out from the rest of Congress and argue that the conditions in Building 18 weren’t that bad. Instead of criticizing the cockroach infestation, he said, “I was glad to know that those cockroaches were belly up. It suggested to me that at least someone was spraying for them.”
He also tried to blame the soldiers for the conditions, stating, “And, of course, if you leave food around in a motel room or a dorm room at a college, you’re going to get some mice show up at some point in time.” Watch it:
Gingrey further blamed the media — specifically the Washington Post — for the fallout, saying he was “shocked” that Army Secretary Francis Harvey and Walter Reed commander Gen. George Weightmann were fired. “[A]sk the Washington Post whose head should roll, I think [President Bush] probably would be…the only satisfaction.” He then added, “[L]et’s try to take some of the politics aside and some of the rhetoric, and try to solve the problem.”
(HT: TP reader PC)
Digg It!
Transcript:
I want to say for the record that, Mr. Chairman, that, um, I have been to Building 18. I have been to Walter Reed on a number of occasions, but specifically in regard to this issue went to take a look first-hand.
Having grown up in a motel, when I was going to medical school and living in one of the rooms, when I saw this old Walter Reed Motor Inn, it really reminded me a lot of, Mr. Chairman, of a, of the motel that my parents had in Augusta, Georgia. It’s not a five-star hotel, make no mistake about it, but it’s not a flophouse. It’s not a dump. It’s not a dive. It needs some work, no question about it. I’m not making excuses, of course. And when I read the Washington Post report I was glad to know that those cockroaches were belly up. It suggested to me that at least someone was spraying for them, Mr. Chairman.
And, of course, if you leave food around in a motel room or a dorm room at a college, you’re going to get some mice show up at some point in time. But there’s no question that there’s a problem. I’ve heard some of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle suggest that specific heads should roll. I don’t know that, ah — I was a little bit shocked, quite honestly, that the Secretary of the Army was relieved of his command and the commander at Walter Reed, General Weightmann was relieved of his command and a change has been made there.
I don’t know what comes next, but I would guess if you ask, since General Schoomaker has had to recuse himself, ask the Washington Post whose head should roll I think it probably would be the Commander-in-Chief, would be the only satisfaction, and that would be President Bush.
But here again, let’s try to take some of the politics aside and some of the rhetoric, and try to solve the problem.
My comments are definitely not meant to cast aspersions on dedicated medics and doctors...
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/03/dont_paint_the_medical_corps_w.html
Don't Paint the Medical Corps with One Brush
By Maj. Gen. Edison E. Scholes (ret.)
The criticisms directed at Walter Reed Hospital have tarnished too many. Those who have called a B-52 strike on the great people of the U.S. Army Medical Corps have missed the bad guys.
Many, like the SECDEF, should have quickly realized that you can not name any military Medics you have seen/known who were not willing to give their all (life if necessary) to give the best care possible (within their capability) to wounded Soldiers. The great Medics at Walter Reed have been doing just that, during 10-16 hr. days, since the War on Terror started, in addition to their normal busy patient load.
Even if we use the Washington Post Sunday edition as "the authority on Soldier care", they admitted that the relieved Commander had taken action to fix those areas that he was aware of and could fix since being there only 6 months. I personally know that the relieved commander and his wife have spent a lifetime in dedicated care to Soldiers and their Families. He has done it in combat, multiple times, with our elite forces, and in the medical training center. Their (and others') "reward" for a lifetime of dedicated care to Soldiers and Families has been disgraceful and disgusting to anyone who knows the truth.
They have been blamed for decades of under-funding for Walter Reed. Will those in DOD responsible for this be relieved? Will the idiots who placed Walter Reed on the BRAC list for closure while this nation's military is at war be relieved and disgraced? Those with a military background know what it means when this happens to an installation. It gives the bean counters an excuse not to provide funds to fix anything and not to fill personnel shortages.
Many civilians start looking for other jobs near home and no one wants a job in an installation that is closing. The superb military medical care provided by the different Services was gutted during the Clinton Administration, and funding centralized at the DOD level. That system has only become worse.
Do the folks at Walter Reed experience problems daily? You bet and they deal with them within their capability while keeping their Rucks packed to be ready to replace some Medic in Afghan, Iraq, or Landstuhl, or to be ready to meet a Medevac plane at Andrews, or to pick up some grieving loved ones of a Soldier.
Are there problems with paperwork? You bet! Have you tried to complete/coordinate VA disability/medical forms or coordinate medical care between the National Guard, reserve and active duty systems? I only have a master's degree and I have problems with the forms.
For those who might want a good news story, I would ask you to look at the other 99% of the operations at Walter Reed. A start would be to look at the lives saved and cared for daily, and the enormous efforts required to do this. Look at the amazing programs initiated at Walter Reed for in-patients and out-patients, and for family members/loved ones of wounded Soldiers.
Look at how they bring many family members in to be with their Soldier while they are there for treatment. They and the Soldiers get top priority for housing and other needs while on Post. Look at the multitude of programs conducted daily by the military, veteran's groups, and commercial and private organizations/individuals. They provide everything you can imagine to the Soldiers and Families, all free of charge.
If you want to see the results of a complete reversal of public, private, and governmental support for our Troops compared to our Vietnam period, come and visit Walter Reed, and stop listening to those people in journalism and politics taking long range cheap shots that paints all with the same brush. I have personally witnessed the dedicated, emotional, exhaustive, selfless service of our Medical Troops caring for their fellow Soldiers from Baghdad to Medevac helicopter to Balad Air Base to Medevac plane to Landstuhl to Walter Reed, and other places in U.S.
It doesn't stop and they must always be ready at all times, day and night.
The Medics many times go until they drop from exhaustion. Why? Because they, more then anyone, know that American Soldiers deserve the finest medical care they can give, within their capability. Because they, more then anyone perhaps, know what the horrors of war do to our/their fellow Soldiers, and they are reminded everyday. They wipe their tears and get on with their critical jobs, and thank GOD for them.
Will they give priority to unloading a Medevac or trying to save a life over helping a Troop fill out a form? Yes but they get that done too, when they can and if they are able.
Are they responsible for the Government's complex, stupid funding and contracting processes? Absolutely not, but let all the ones responsible and the publicity seekers run to climb on the blame-pointing wagon and get their time on T.V. at the expense of all our great Medics, since they are being painted with the same brush. Some are no better then the anti-American bunch that stands across the street from Walter Reed with their obscene signs.
Walter Reed and our other military care facilities need the maximum attention of our national leadership, but the blame must be shared by all.
Maj. Gen. Edison E Scholes, USA (ret.)
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