Posted on Dec 28, 2015
Have any of you Veterans being seen at the different VA Hospitals and Clinics seen any changes to their Operations?
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The claim by Congress and the new ID cards all of us got mailed have not changed anything that I can tell. Am I the only one that has seen no change?
Posted in these groups: 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Disabled Veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Disabled Veterans
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 16
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More bureaucrats. They added more offices, making waiting areas smaller, but then put in bureaucrats rather than more therapists. My therapist (she is superb, 12 on 0-10 scale) now makes appointments 60 days out although she thinks I should see her way more often. She understands vets with combat-related PTSD. The new bureaucrats understand CYA and tend to look down their noses at patients.
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MGySgt Fred Stammer
Agreed, all of my Dr's are complaining of having more patients added with less Staff. VA budget is getting cut at Clinic Levels. In VA Pensacola JACC, they have ha a Pain Management Dr on Board for 9 months but hasn't seen 1 patient. Due to not having proper equipment that he wants. Meanwhile MY CHOICE refuses to send patients to a Dr locally that meets the requirement.
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I hate to constantly "hate" Augusta but here goes. We got cards mailed to us? No! Neither my FIL nor I got the new cards. When asked "oh you need to set up an appointment to get the new cards". That was what a year ago? So the cards make absolutely no difference. I found what does make a difference is standing up to the idiots from doctors on down. Prove that if they do not want to do their job that you will do it for them. I fired one doc for incompetence. I now have a good working relationship with my primary because I tell him what he needs to know and what I expect from him.
We, most of us, had to fight to get in the front door so keep it up. If you are not able, take an advocate to fight the good fight. Little known fact every time you send an email by "secure messaging" it is then in your file. Use healthevet to your advantage. If you have a procedure done track the results. Give the docs 14 days and then start asking for the results. They found cancer but no one was going to tell me in a timely manner so I bugged the crap out of them until they scheduled the surgery. In so doing I shaved a month off the wait time.
We, most of us, had to fight to get in the front door so keep it up. If you are not able, take an advocate to fight the good fight. Little known fact every time you send an email by "secure messaging" it is then in your file. Use healthevet to your advantage. If you have a procedure done track the results. Give the docs 14 days and then start asking for the results. They found cancer but no one was going to tell me in a timely manner so I bugged the crap out of them until they scheduled the surgery. In so doing I shaved a month off the wait time.
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LTC Martin Metz
When I came back from Kuwait in 2007, I didn't have to "fight" to get in to the American Lake facility by Joint Base Lewis-McChord. In fact, they seemed to be fairly quick and thorough. However, the lines and wait seemed to get longer and more congested within a couple of years later. I try to use other facilities as a retiree including Madigan Medical Center over trying to use the VA. I still have my same VA-issued picture ID they issued in 2007. Nothing newer has ever been offered. Maybe it's because we're only about 25 miles away.
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SrA Chris Garrison
I use to work for CAVHS (Central Alabama). Except for a new out patient clinic at Fort Benning, there has been no improvements or changes since I left in 2005. I do have the advantage of knowing the polices and procedures, but still have to stay on them.
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SFC Joseph Vega
It has gotton worse here at the elpaso,texas location that the security has gotton tight and all people are suspect after the shooting here that I don't care to go tried to get a referral but they said they had a doctor there and they di an old guy that must have needed the job so that's the last time I,Ve gone I go outside as I have two health benefits medicare and triwest so I don't bother them and it will never change .
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SPC Jeff Paulsen
I go to Hines VA, I am fortunate to not have any issues with them in the last few years. It has been much better, for me, since the 90's. Maybe cuz I have a service connected claim?!
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I moved during all of it. But the clinic I go to now is worse that the one I went to in the past. :/
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SSG Ronald Rollins
I think the VA clinic here in Camp Hill, PA is horrible. It took them 7 months for them to get me a dental appointment. They do not seem to take anything I say serious. They just seem like they dont care. But the VA hospital in Lebanon, PA is really good. The people there seem to care. They are very nice, helpful, and do what needs to be done. They take their time when they are with you. They do seem to get behind on their appointment because they take so much time. But it is worth the wait. The most i have waited past my appointment time is 45 minutes.
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