VA Hospital

[ilbob]

I took my dad to the VA hospital yesterday. They are going to keep him for a couple of weeks to see if there is anything they can do to help him along.

I sort of expected to see indifferent employees, huge wards full of beds, filth everywhere, like something out of the dark ages based on some stories I have read.

I was pleasantly surprised. it turned out to be a fairly typical hospital, at least within the limits of my experience with hospitals. He is in a room with one other bed. It is somewhat larger than a room he shared with another patient in a local hospital not long ago. Even has a separate flat panel TV for each bed.

The staff turned out to be pretty decent in my few hours of contact with them. Fairly typical hospital bureaucracy. Not really bad, just the way things are in such places.

We did have a bit of an advantage as my SIL works at this particular location and helped us navigate through things. No doubt that made it at lot easier on us.

[Scout26]

Ilbob,

Which one ??

[Brad Johnson]

My uncle goes to the VA regularly for a heart condition.  The hospital staff is always great.  It's the beauracracy that's only slightly more enjoyable than a week in hell.

Brad

[ilbob]

Ilbob,

Which one ??

Great Lakes. Incidentally, it was where my dad went through navy basic training back in 1945.

My SIL says they are changing the name of the place to North Chicago Regional Federal medical center, or something like that. I am not real sure just what that will mean, but I gather it will at least include all the military branches and VA. I think it also ought to include federal employees as well, especially congress critters.

[ilbob]

My uncle goes to the VA regularly for a heart condition.  The hospital staff is always great.  It's the beauracracy that's only slightly more enjoyable than a week in hell.

Brad

I think we have all become accustomed to the WalMart/McDonalds service philosophy - quick and cheap. When we run across a different model, we just don't deal with it so well. Part of it is that both hospitals and government are not real oriented toward either quick or cheap.

We did have a big advantage in the frustration side of things because my SIL knew what was going to have to happen and helped us get through it. Just knowing what you have to do is a big help. It turns out a lot of things can be handled up front that reduces the time spent waiting around for things to happen when you get there. Sort of like the pre-admission procedures some hospitals use these days.

They had him in a bed within an hour of showing up at the admission desk.

[coppertales]

I use the Dallas VA hospital on a regular basis for various problems that crop up.  The service I get has been as good as any hospital I have ever gone to.  What greases the way for me is I am a disabled vet and am enrolled in the Texas Vet primary care program that makes all my appointments for me.  The clinic I go to has the VA contract to provide primary care for me.....I hope your Dad responds to the care he will be getting.....chris3

[Grandpa Shooter]

I am a disabled veteran.  I avoided the VA system like the plague until Feb. 06 when I was so sick I couldn't avoid it anymore.  Once I was in the medical system, I couldn't believe how caring and empathetic the staff at the clinic I go to and the staff at the hospital I went to were.  They all thanked me profusely for my service and sacrifice.  I have had two surgeries and way too many tests in the last 2 1/2 years, but have received unfailingly high quality service and treatment.

The Iraq and Afghanistan actions have caused a huge strain on the VA system, but overall I think it has improved because of the close scutiny it has gotten.  I went 24 years between visits which is probably longer than I should have gone, but then I am a cantankerous old phart.

[Balog]

My own experience with the VA (including two fun filled bouts of MRSA) has been, shall we say, sub-optimal. Maybe because I go to the one in Seattle.

[wideym]

Grandpa shooter:The Iraq and Afganistan vets are not causing a strain on the VA system, it's actually the unexpected longivity of WW2 vets.  In the 40s, 50s, and 60s nobody expected millions of vets to live past 70 and the fact that older people generally need more medical attention, be it surgeries, perscriptions, or physical therapy.  The  war in Iraq and Afganistan have only turned on the spotlight in the VA's direction recently.

I am a disable vet injured in Iraq and go the Muskogee VA hospital.  The staff is always pleasant and profesional, the facilities clean and well kept, with the over all experince being A+.  The only complaint I might have would be the long wait to schedule apointments, but they are usually within 30 days.

[Grandpa Shooter]

Grandpa shooter:The Iraq and Afganistan vets are not causing a strain on the VA system, it's actually the unexpected longivity of WW2 vets.  In the 40s, 50s, and 60s nobody expected millions of vets to live past 70 and the fact that older people generally need more medical attention, be it surgeries, perscriptions, or physical therapy.  The  war in Iraq and Afganistan have only turned on the spotlight in the VA's direction recently.

I am a disable vet injured in Iraq and go the Muskogee VA hospital.  The staff is always pleasant and profesional, the facilities clean and well kept, with the over all experince being A+.  The only complaint I might have would be the long wait to schedule apointments, but they are usually within 30 days.

I certainly don't want to get into a pissing match with another disabled vet, or for that matter, any vet.  However, the unique injuries being suffered by Iraq and Afghanistan vets,and the level of care needed is challenging the VA medical system.  Yes the older vets need care related to aging.  I need more care than I did 24 years ago.  The crunch comes when the VA attempts to regear itself to deal with the greatly increased number of brain trauma, PTSD, shrapnel, amputee, hearing loss injuries.  In addition to that, they are having to ramp up the services available to women vets, who for the most part did not exist in WWII or Vietnam.  They are under increased scrutiny and are trying desperately to meet the challenge.

I believe they are doing so.  Just my observations and information gathered at my many visits over the last 2 1/4 years of monthly visits.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

[Gewehr98]

I agree with Grandpa Shooter.  I am a retired military disabled Gulf War/OEF/OIF vet, and really didn't want to use the local VA hospital if I could avoid it due to the perceived stigma of that care system. However, after getting my disability rating and experiencing issues with TriCare and Physician's Plus, I decided to give the former a try.  Obviously, the Walter Reed fiasco injected a lot of scrutiny and money into the flagging VA system - for better or worse.  The care and attentiveness of my local VA hospital is somewhat staggering to me, and that's having retired as a career aviator with flight surgeon privileges.  They're courteous, thank their vets profusely, and tell me not to feel guilty for using the service, having given them 20+ years of my life for the nation.  However, the current influx of Iraq and Afghanistan vets is indeed putting a strain on VA resources, particularly now that they're offering 2 years' free healthcare to returning vets from those theatres, regardless of whether they have a disability rating or not.  That costs money, even if the WWII vets aren't dying off soon enough to make the difference. 

They're building a satellite pharmacy and outpatient center nearby for the extra influx of vets.  I'm reluctantly going in for surgery over the next couple of weeks, and during my consults the other day, I was pleasantly surprised to see more "younger" vets in the waiting rooms - for a while it was rare to see even a 40-something vet like myself in what was jokingly referred to by my sister as a geriatric hospital.  That's a good sign, IMHO. 
 

[Devonai]

I have mixed feelings about my local VA hospital.  Some departments are squared away, others are jacked up.

[FoghornL]

I am familiar with the Cleveland, OH VAMC.

Has the typical dot-guv employees in a lot of the clerical kinds of positions, but the nurses (and most doctors) are warm, caring professional folks that do give the very best care they can for the patients.

[Balog]

It's weird to hear reports of positive experience. Not doubting it, but it's so out of my experience I find it hard to relate. I guess the hyper-liberal Seattle atmosphere infects even VA docs.

[BobR]

In the VA system we are really trying to make it work, and work well.  This article is dated, but it shows how the VA  is trying to become a trend setter.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1376238,00.html

Right now the VA is pushing a MRSA initiative, every person who gets admitted to a VA hospital gets a nasal swab for MRSA. If they are transferred within the hospital they get another one. The VA is spending millions of dollars to do this. It will help in the long run because if we know someone is colonized with MRSA, we can take proper precautions. Those include a private room and contact precautions with the patients. Hopefully we can slow the progress of MRSA within the vet population. You won't find a single civilian hospital doing the same.

There has been a recent hiring boom within the VA, many new nurses have come aboard. A lot of those are in the primary care clinic setting, trying to help whittle down the backlog, and helping vets with their problems before they have to make a visit to the clinic. By helping some people on the phone, it will open up appointments for those who need them.

The VA isn't perfect, but we are trying to make it a better experience for the many vets who use the VA as their only health care. This includes both sexes, however they got that way, all ages and all levels of disability. We see from 0% non service connected to 100% service connected. We don't care what your level of disability is, we only care that you are a vet and now we are taking care of you in a caring and respectful way. At least that is how it should be working and is how it works in Eastern Washington.

bob

[Grandpa Shooter]

BobR,


My personal thanks to you for your willingness to make a difference in the lives of veterans of our Armed Forces.  I declared I would never seek help at the VA even though I was medically retired and entitled to the services.  Time and age overcame my objections and I live a much better life now with the help of the system.  I could never have afforded two surgeries and the continuing regimen of medications I am on without the VA Healthcare system.

I usually walk in and notify the intake person on the clinic that I am present, and before I can get seated, they call me in to an exam room,  They have been unfailingly professional, warm and caring at the same time.

I won't spoil this thread by telling you what I think of the pension and compensation division of the VA.

Grandpa

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

my experienes were with walter reed in the 92-94 period. i took my vet roomate there with trepidation having heard some stories about militart medicine. i was floored with how well they cared for him. and he was a troublesome combative sometimes violent patient.  the worst person there was adequate with the level of compassion and care given by several rising to the level of care a loving brother would give to his sick brother.one nco in particular was so outstanding all 7 of us wrote and commented to the co about how he cared for our friend. the co sent us a short note with the clipping of him being awarded nco of the year

[wmenorr67]

I know my grandfather started going to the VA in KC to help get his meds cheaper.  He has been happy with the care he has got.  I hope to never need them but thankfully they are there if they are.