The problem is more than just one thing or another. Understand that most if not all of the VA facilities are connected to Teaching medical Universities (Calif. UC Davis & UCLA) The care givers are NOT VA employees. They are employees of the Universities. They cycle in and out of the facilities, so you may not see the same person every time. I get the feeling when I have had to do to the Hospital that I am looked at as a "lab-rat" and not a patient. They always have wanted to try the "latest drug or surgery" really without doing a thorough look at my history.
We need to have the system change, where we go to outside practioners. Local hospitals and clinics. Especially in the rural areas. Where we can establish a long term relationship with our primary and specialty caregivers.
Submitted by Bill L. (not verified) : Sep 18, 2014 2:59pm
Well, put, Bill L., and I concur wholeheartedly. Effecting your proposal would spare taxpayers the huge costs of the VA bureaucrat-commissariat (administrative, personnel, benefits, pensions, &c.) and it would put every private health care facility near to us vets who need care, and it would be a great improvement for vets to benefit from an established relationship with a local physician.
Well said Bill. I'm going to echo the same things. The Salt Lake City VA is across the street from the University of Utah and they have Med Students doing rotations.
I think they need to open the VA System to Private practitioners. You know, the ones we have been seeing on a regular basis since we left the Military, our PCP's. THEY have the best available information and resources to provide us with the best possible medicine. One of them has even told me that I need surgery on my Shoulder that is service connected. When I told this to the VA they said it doesn't matter what my PCP says, to them I am a new patient, I have been out of the Military for almost 20 years and been seen multiple times for my shoulder AT the VA, and must go through the steps so that the VA can determine if surgery is necessary.
Submitted by GL King (not verified) : Sep 18, 2014 5:49pm
In my view, the VA has more than enough staff. It's not the number that is the problem. They are not utilized well. There are too many receptionists. Most sitting around with nothing to do. The automated check-in is being better received and utilized. Cross training, with other areas ie: claims and travel pay, by the receptionists, could fill in the time.
Submitted by John Meyer (not verified) : Sep 18, 2014 3:29pm
The biggest problem I have had is the lack of personnel to get things done in a timely manner. The VA requires things to be done within a certain time frame, but with the growing number of Vets needing the same things, the VA has not add ed additional staffing to fulfill the work necessary to meet it's time frame. I am 100% service connected disability and am entitled to Special Adaptive Housing grant and have been working with a wonderful VA representative who is covering all of Ore, the lower part of WA, and some of ID, with only one other VA representative and they are over worked with all the new cases they are getting. If it is this way with them, I can only imagine it is that way in other areas. They need an improved Human Resources Department to study the time use of each job and fill where needed and reduce where not needed.
Submitted by Daniel Service (not verified) : Sep 18, 2014 4:04pm
Staffing in Nursing and Physician needs increase and most VAMC are under staff in these areas, also there are areas that are overstaff. It is poor utilization by management that doesn't have a grasp of the need and knowledge of the staff that does not have the interest in the Veteran is made to feel that the Provider has an attitude that the Veteran looking for a hand out, also it not an entitlement but We have earn that care that should be provided. It is true that the care is inconsistence due to seeing a different Provider, which everytime the Provider changes, the new Provider start over with new care plan. The shame is that the Veteran has to jump thru too many hoops to prove event that occured during military service. When a claim is made after several years of leaving the military, the Veteran is question more about the claim being legit. Injuries receive during military service become more an issue as you grow older compare being younger and putting up with injuries, this is another area that Providers needs to be less subjective and treat the Veteran with respect and the events that occurred in the military needs to be objectively treated. We have served our country with no thoughts that we be look at as charity cases.
Submitted by Mike Hovis (not verified) : Sep 18, 2014 4:05pm
The VA system is filled with such a system that it prevents efficiency in all areas. The union prevents terminating poor employees and the system may require 5 people to do a job that could be done by 2. There are many great employees that just get lost in the mess. Out sourcing to private systems would help and save money. Why does it take so long to build a facility with such major cost over runs. Its the system..
The VA is understaffed. It is also plagued with people who are not performing to standards. Thirdly, VA Administrators telling employees to hide numbers so they can get bonuses. With the latest Congressional and GAO investigations. Each Administrator who has done this needs to be sued by the Government for ALL bonuses received, dismiss them from Government service (no retirement or benefits) Conviction to defraud the people and send them to jail. Without exception as to who they are. Any person who assisted will face the same punishment. Hire people who are willing to do the job right and for the right reasons. I also believe that VETS should be allowed to choose what Dr. they see (Like the TRI-Care system for retirees have. This will lighten the load from VA centers and give Vets medical treatment locally and with people they can trust. Any referrals would be scheduled by their Dr. and if possible/cost effective they would use VA hospitals for special exams. The overall cost to the VA, I am sure will drop slightly, would be governed like the TRI-Care system.
These are my thoughts and my words. I am responsible for what I have written.
the problem is not lack of staff as much as why is there a lack of staff. untell you find out why administrators have not hired to back fill posisions vacant you will not unders stand why the Va is under staffed. why was it nessary at the VA I'm fameraler with to since late 90's save a years worth of salery dollars before replacing any posision. all posisions at the Hot Springs SD facality have to revewed before back filling. this process dosen't start untell after the posision is vacated. it takes 90 days to revew the need for the posision. then it's anounce on station for the max amount of time then opened up for national wide applacants. all in all after the prosegar and interviews each posision is vacant for a year before being filled. if there is a pressing need it can be accomplished in only 6 months. this for a posision the is knowen that it's going to be vacated long before it is. this saving the dollars by not filling the posision is for what reasion. maybe a bigger bonus??
Submitted by john e renstrom (not verified) : Sep 18, 2014 6:25pm
After 19 1/2 years in the VA system, the problem I have found to be the most glaring, and most dangerous to Veterans, is the inconsistent quality of VA staff.
I've had some great doctors at the VA, and have maybe not an equal number, but certainly 60/40, of doctors who are useless. The same applies across the board, to nurses, lab and radiology techs, and support staff.
Part of this crosses over into the VA partnership with medical schools. In the Atlanta VA, I had an Emory plastic surgeon who wanted to do an unnecessary surgery, that would not have come close to solving the problem, on my hand. I explained to him, in detail, that he was wrong, based on my symptoms. His response? "I think we'll proceed with my plan". I never saw him again. I got a second opinion, from an actual hand surgeon (who is also from Emory, and only there every other Monday for 1/2 a day), and she was horrified that a board certified surgeon would do this.
Personally, I feel sorry for all of you who do not have the medical background to know when you have a VA doctor who is useless, and who end up having unnecessary surgeries, only to find that you still have the same problem.
Ultimately, my problem wasn't solved by the hand surgeon either. It was solved by a good massage therapist, who was able to free the nerve entrapments causing my numbness, pain, and loss of strength. After only six visits, I was 90%, and by the time of my follow up with the hand surgeon, which was probably around the 10th visit with the massage therapist, my hand was 98%. Seven months later, it's 99%, and I haven't needed to see anyone for it in months.
The VA needs to find some way of weeding out the bad providers, not only those currently on staff, but those interviewing, and not just hire everyone who is qualified on paper because they're in a rush to staff up. They also need to look at branching out, especially in areas of pain management, in "alternative" therapies. There is a big push, at least in some facilities, to get chronic pain patients off of narcotics. A big step in that direction would be to bring in chiropractors; massage therapists; more physical and occupational therapists, allowing them to actually spend the necessary time with all of their patients; acupuncturists, which apparently is available in Charleston, SC (I moved recently, and it was offered, but time will tell); homeopaths, natural doctors, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and other non-traditional providers. We are rapidly learning that there are benefits to all of these alternatives, over Western medicine, and the VA, if they really stopped and thought about it, has the perfect environment to be studying these things, in a closed system.
If they started offering weekly Yoga and Pilates classes, they dramatically improve the health, and daily lives, of all who attended. I would be going to Pilates classes two or three times a week, if I could afford it. When I was, I weighed less, I was more flexible, my pain was greatly reduced, and I had an overall sense of wellbeing that I didn't have before, or after.
The VA needs to be looking at the future, not just the present, in addressing the needs of Veterans.
Submitted by Jon M (not verified) : Sep 19, 2014 1:39pm
In my opinion there are a more than just a few problems. One of the problems is the Active duty Military is using the VA hospitals as a dumping ground for injured Reserve and National Guard Forces returning from deployments. That way they don't have to keep them on orders. Another problem is the lack of Veterans being hired by the VA. VAs are being staffed by people that do not understand the Military, or the way things work in the Military.
Submitted by Paul Hassing (not verified) : Sep 19, 2014 3:34pm
Lack of adequate staffing is problematic, but certainly not the genesis of VA issues. The problems of the organization are longstanding, systematic, and endemic. The VA has been riddled with care and backlog challenges since its inception and still uses the same inept excuses to prevent an effective and complete change in paradigm.
Management practices must change and those not willing to abide should be fired. Additionally, industry best practices should be explored and implemented to favor our veterans and their families as much as is possible. Moreover, a respected third party such as the GAO, should have authority granted to validate the VA metrics before presented based upon the GAO's proven history of exposing that VA's statistical obfuscations, false reports, and management blunders s.
However, these are very broad strokes when what we need now are: More VA Hospitals in certain regions; Firing of VARO directors and staff that refuse to follow VA regulations for claims and/or healthcare; Proper and timely claims ratings and immediate and just handling of appeals; and accountability for an entity that was still awarded $360 million for management bonuses after this latest scandal was exposed (Boston Globe, Aug.1,2014;senate-gives-final-approval-bill-improve-health-system). That means that comprehensive change management is needed but our national legislative oversight will likely make that effort untenable and/or a surface repair.
Submitted by Jennifer L. Smith (not verified) : Sep 21, 2014 4:53pm
The VA has had so many unsolved problems for years. I have many family members who are vets. Ihave 5 members serving today who will be vets. I love the military and VETERANS. W eowe them Honor and Respect beyond words!I have noticed under the obama administration hter seems to be LESS concern and care for the Veterans . This ad ministrtion hates the military and does not want it to do what they are trained to do. Obama changed the rules of engagement proves this point. I work with the Gop and I know how much they do love the MILITARY and want to restore it to greatness. Vetrerans mean so much to them also and they have bills that will help veterans but Harry Reid will not bring thenm to the floor. I just hope in this election cycle you Veterans vote for Republicans that do care and will see that you are cared for as you deserve the best care in the world!
Comments
The problem is more than just
The problem is more than just one thing or another. Understand that most if not all of the VA facilities are connected to Teaching medical Universities (Calif. UC Davis & UCLA) The care givers are NOT VA employees. They are employees of the Universities. They cycle in and out of the facilities, so you may not see the same person every time. I get the feeling when I have had to do to the Hospital that I am looked at as a "lab-rat" and not a patient. They always have wanted to try the "latest drug or surgery" really without doing a thorough look at my history.
We need to have the system change, where we go to outside practioners. Local hospitals and clinics. Especially in the rural areas. Where we can establish a long term relationship with our primary and specialty caregivers.
Well, put, Bill L., and I
Well, put, Bill L., and I concur wholeheartedly. Effecting your proposal would spare taxpayers the huge costs of the VA bureaucrat-commissariat (administrative, personnel, benefits, pensions, &c.) and it would put every private health care facility near to us vets who need care, and it would be a great improvement for vets to benefit from an established relationship with a local physician.
Well said Bill. I'm going to
Well said Bill. I'm going to echo the same things. The Salt Lake City VA is across the street from the University of Utah and they have Med Students doing rotations.
I think they need to open the VA System to Private practitioners. You know, the ones we have been seeing on a regular basis since we left the Military, our PCP's. THEY have the best available information and resources to provide us with the best possible medicine. One of them has even told me that I need surgery on my Shoulder that is service connected. When I told this to the VA they said it doesn't matter what my PCP says, to them I am a new patient, I have been out of the Military for almost 20 years and been seen multiple times for my shoulder AT the VA, and must go through the steps so that the VA can determine if surgery is necessary.
In my view, the VA has more
In my view, the VA has more than enough staff. It's not the number that is the problem. They are not utilized well. There are too many receptionists. Most sitting around with nothing to do. The automated check-in is being better received and utilized. Cross training, with other areas ie: claims and travel pay, by the receptionists, could fill in the time.
Not necessarily "adequate
Not necessarily "adequate staffing" but more like "adequate motivation". Just sayin'.....
The biggest problem I have
The biggest problem I have had is the lack of personnel to get things done in a timely manner. The VA requires things to be done within a certain time frame, but with the growing number of Vets needing the same things, the VA has not add ed additional staffing to fulfill the work necessary to meet it's time frame. I am 100% service connected disability and am entitled to Special Adaptive Housing grant and have been working with a wonderful VA representative who is covering all of Ore, the lower part of WA, and some of ID, with only one other VA representative and they are over worked with all the new cases they are getting. If it is this way with them, I can only imagine it is that way in other areas. They need an improved Human Resources Department to study the time use of each job and fill where needed and reduce where not needed.
Staffing in Nursing and
Staffing in Nursing and Physician needs increase and most VAMC are under staff in these areas, also there are areas that are overstaff. It is poor utilization by management that doesn't have a grasp of the need and knowledge of the staff that does not have the interest in the Veteran is made to feel that the Provider has an attitude that the Veteran looking for a hand out, also it not an entitlement but We have earn that care that should be provided. It is true that the care is inconsistence due to seeing a different Provider, which everytime the Provider changes, the new Provider start over with new care plan. The shame is that the Veteran has to jump thru too many hoops to prove event that occured during military service. When a claim is made after several years of leaving the military, the Veteran is question more about the claim being legit. Injuries receive during military service become more an issue as you grow older compare being younger and putting up with injuries, this is another area that Providers needs to be less subjective and treat the Veteran with respect and the events that occurred in the military needs to be objectively treated. We have served our country with no thoughts that we be look at as charity cases.
The VA system is filled with
The VA system is filled with such a system that it prevents efficiency in all areas. The union prevents terminating poor employees and the system may require 5 people to do a job that could be done by 2. There are many great employees that just get lost in the mess. Out sourcing to private systems would help and save money. Why does it take so long to build a facility with such major cost over runs. Its the system..
How about "All of the above."
How about "All of the above."
The VA is understaffed. It is
The VA is understaffed. It is also plagued with people who are not performing to standards. Thirdly, VA Administrators telling employees to hide numbers so they can get bonuses. With the latest Congressional and GAO investigations. Each Administrator who has done this needs to be sued by the Government for ALL bonuses received, dismiss them from Government service (no retirement or benefits) Conviction to defraud the people and send them to jail. Without exception as to who they are. Any person who assisted will face the same punishment. Hire people who are willing to do the job right and for the right reasons. I also believe that VETS should be allowed to choose what Dr. they see (Like the TRI-Care system for retirees have. This will lighten the load from VA centers and give Vets medical treatment locally and with people they can trust. Any referrals would be scheduled by their Dr. and if possible/cost effective they would use VA hospitals for special exams. The overall cost to the VA, I am sure will drop slightly, would be governed like the TRI-Care system.
These are my thoughts and my words. I am responsible for what I have written.
Larry W. Sheppard
Yelm, Washington.
the problem is not lack of
the problem is not lack of staff as much as why is there a lack of staff. untell you find out why administrators have not hired to back fill posisions vacant you will not unders stand why the Va is under staffed. why was it nessary at the VA I'm fameraler with to since late 90's save a years worth of salery dollars before replacing any posision. all posisions at the Hot Springs SD facality have to revewed before back filling. this process dosen't start untell after the posision is vacated. it takes 90 days to revew the need for the posision. then it's anounce on station for the max amount of time then opened up for national wide applacants. all in all after the prosegar and interviews each posision is vacant for a year before being filled. if there is a pressing need it can be accomplished in only 6 months. this for a posision the is knowen that it's going to be vacated long before it is. this saving the dollars by not filling the posision is for what reasion. maybe a bigger bonus??
After 19 1/2 years in the VA
After 19 1/2 years in the VA system, the problem I have found to be the most glaring, and most dangerous to Veterans, is the inconsistent quality of VA staff.
I've had some great doctors at the VA, and have maybe not an equal number, but certainly 60/40, of doctors who are useless. The same applies across the board, to nurses, lab and radiology techs, and support staff.
Part of this crosses over into the VA partnership with medical schools. In the Atlanta VA, I had an Emory plastic surgeon who wanted to do an unnecessary surgery, that would not have come close to solving the problem, on my hand. I explained to him, in detail, that he was wrong, based on my symptoms. His response? "I think we'll proceed with my plan". I never saw him again. I got a second opinion, from an actual hand surgeon (who is also from Emory, and only there every other Monday for 1/2 a day), and she was horrified that a board certified surgeon would do this.
Personally, I feel sorry for all of you who do not have the medical background to know when you have a VA doctor who is useless, and who end up having unnecessary surgeries, only to find that you still have the same problem.
Ultimately, my problem wasn't solved by the hand surgeon either. It was solved by a good massage therapist, who was able to free the nerve entrapments causing my numbness, pain, and loss of strength. After only six visits, I was 90%, and by the time of my follow up with the hand surgeon, which was probably around the 10th visit with the massage therapist, my hand was 98%. Seven months later, it's 99%, and I haven't needed to see anyone for it in months.
The VA needs to find some way of weeding out the bad providers, not only those currently on staff, but those interviewing, and not just hire everyone who is qualified on paper because they're in a rush to staff up. They also need to look at branching out, especially in areas of pain management, in "alternative" therapies. There is a big push, at least in some facilities, to get chronic pain patients off of narcotics. A big step in that direction would be to bring in chiropractors; massage therapists; more physical and occupational therapists, allowing them to actually spend the necessary time with all of their patients; acupuncturists, which apparently is available in Charleston, SC (I moved recently, and it was offered, but time will tell); homeopaths, natural doctors, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and other non-traditional providers. We are rapidly learning that there are benefits to all of these alternatives, over Western medicine, and the VA, if they really stopped and thought about it, has the perfect environment to be studying these things, in a closed system.
If they started offering weekly Yoga and Pilates classes, they dramatically improve the health, and daily lives, of all who attended. I would be going to Pilates classes two or three times a week, if I could afford it. When I was, I weighed less, I was more flexible, my pain was greatly reduced, and I had an overall sense of wellbeing that I didn't have before, or after.
The VA needs to be looking at the future, not just the present, in addressing the needs of Veterans.
In my opinion there are a
In my opinion there are a more than just a few problems. One of the problems is the Active duty Military is using the VA hospitals as a dumping ground for injured Reserve and National Guard Forces returning from deployments. That way they don't have to keep them on orders. Another problem is the lack of Veterans being hired by the VA. VAs are being staffed by people that do not understand the Military, or the way things work in the Military.
Lack of adequate staffing is
Lack of adequate staffing is problematic, but certainly not the genesis of VA issues. The problems of the organization are longstanding, systematic, and endemic. The VA has been riddled with care and backlog challenges since its inception and still uses the same inept excuses to prevent an effective and complete change in paradigm.
Management practices must change and those not willing to abide should be fired. Additionally, industry best practices should be explored and implemented to favor our veterans and their families as much as is possible. Moreover, a respected third party such as the GAO, should have authority granted to validate the VA metrics before presented based upon the GAO's proven history of exposing that VA's statistical obfuscations, false reports, and management blunders s.
However, these are very broad strokes when what we need now are: More VA Hospitals in certain regions; Firing of VARO directors and staff that refuse to follow VA regulations for claims and/or healthcare; Proper and timely claims ratings and immediate and just handling of appeals; and accountability for an entity that was still awarded $360 million for management bonuses after this latest scandal was exposed (Boston Globe, Aug.1,2014;senate-gives-final-approval-bill-improve-health-system). That means that comprehensive change management is needed but our national legislative oversight will likely make that effort untenable and/or a surface repair.
The VA has had so many
The VA has had so many unsolved problems for years. I have many family members who are vets. Ihave 5 members serving today who will be vets. I love the military and VETERANS. W eowe them Honor and Respect beyond words!I have noticed under the obama administration hter seems to be LESS concern and care for the Veterans . This ad ministrtion hates the military and does not want it to do what they are trained to do. Obama changed the rules of engagement proves this point. I work with the Gop and I know how much they do love the MILITARY and want to restore it to greatness. Vetrerans mean so much to them also and they have bills that will help veterans but Harry Reid will not bring thenm to the floor. I just hope in this election cycle you Veterans vote for Republicans that do care and will see that you are cared for as you deserve the best care in the world!