PDA

View Full Version : Some VA Hospitals In Shocking Shape



usmc4669
04-09-04, 10:46 AM
ABCNEWS.com <br />
April 9, 2004, <br />
<br />
<br />
Fourteen years ago, an ABCNEWS hidden-camera investigation ignited a firestorm about conditions and competence inside Veterans Administration hospitals. <br />
Recently,...

usmc4669
04-09-04, 10:53 AM
One More Problem
When confronted with these details, Perlin said he shared the outrage and promised to look into fixing these things.
But there is one more problem. Many whistle-blowers and critics say if you try to expose the truth, VA managers don't want to hear it.
Charles Steinert, who worked for Billik in Charleston, says he felt pressure to leave after he complained about some of the building projects and how he was being treated by supervisors.
Nurse Melissa Craven, who also worked at the Charleston VA, says she suffered retribution for two years after spoke out about some of her supervisors.
Perlin said it is easy for patients and their loved ones to lodge complaints about VA care. "That's important to us, because if there are concerns, we want to address them," he said.
But many patients and their loved ones told ABCNEWS that wasn't their experience - and even worse, many of the families are afraid to speak out.
"They're afraid to say what really goes on, because they're afraid any little benefits that they have are going to be taken away from them," said Denise Soles.
Improvement Efforts
The day after Primetime presented its findings to the VA's Perlin, he ordered inspections of the facilities Primetime investigated.
They found a number of problems at the Temple, Texas, VA, including poor hygiene, insufficient staffing and low satisfaction among patients and their families.
The VA announced it would bring in new supervisors, reassign some personnel, train others, and begin recruiting additional staff.
Inspectors who went to the VA in Cleveland said it was in good condition. However, after their visit, Primetime received phone calls from several sources saying that the hospital had advance warning of the so-called surprise inspection.
And to those patients who accuse the VA of assembly-line care - that patients go through a succession of doctors - a public relations officer for the VA said it tries to ensure continuity of care, but that may not always be possible.
As for Dean Billik, he has now retired. In a phone conversation on Wednesday, he said he disagreed with the VA inspectors, saying their report was "an opinion."
Billik said he relied on his staff to supervise nursing and recommend budgets, and if he had renovated some buildings that then were closed it was because he didn't possess 20/20 hindsigh and made the best decisions at the time.
Rep. Ted Strickland, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, called for the White House and Congress to approve enough money to ensure that veterans get the care they deserve.
It's a "situation that's crying out for change," the Ohio Democrat said after viewing Primetime's tapes.
Veterans and their families agree they deserve better. "They were good enough to go fight for their country," said Melba Bell. "They deserve to have the best treatment that they could get."
Denise Soles says that before her husband died he asked just one thing of her: to speak out.
She said Terry Soles told her, "If we can help one other veteran from going through the hell ... That's what we have to do."

Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion

OLE SARG
04-09-04, 11:09 AM
I THINK A GOOD OLD BLANKET PARTY WOULD BE IN ORDER FOR THIS MAGGOT!!!!!!!!!!

SOME OF OUR VA HOSPITALS ARE A DISGRACE AND IT IS DISGRACEFUL HOW OUR VETERANS ARE TREATED IN SOME OF THEM!!!!!:mad:

IT I TALK ABOUT IT ANY MORE I'LL GO POSTAL!!!

CAS3
04-09-04, 11:31 AM
Hey Guys,
I am not defending the VA.
Not all facilities are the same!
check out the letter I got from my boss:

April 9, 2004

To: AMVETS National Officers
Past National Commanders
Department Commanders
Department Executive Directors
National Service Officers
Ladies Auxiliary National Officers

From: Jim King, National Executive Director

Subject: “Primetime Thursday”

Tonight at 10:00 P.M., EDT, the ABC Television Show “Primetime Thursday” will air an investigative report on the VA Health Care System. As of this memo, we do NOT know the content of the report, but we are aware that ABC had hidden cameras in some VA Medical Centers that have allegedly obtained film clips concerning quality of care and questionable management practices.

We believe that many of the issues that may be raised in this report have already been brought to the attention of the VA and corrective action is in progress.

Secretary Principi has continually pledged that any and all issues pertaining to quality of care and patient safety, as well as management issues, will be acted upon and those responsible will be held accountable. We believe the Secretary’s pledge and have witnessed him taking corrective action as needed.

The entire reason for this notification is to let you know that while some VA Medical Centers may have issues that need to be addressed, television news shows tend to report only the negatives while ignoring the positives. A second tendency is for these types of programs to find issues at a small number of locations and apply them to the entire system. The correct way to address these issues is to bring them directly to VA upper level management for corrective action.

We all understand that VA Health Care is not perfect and issues do exist, however, overall the quality of care received by our veterans exceeds that received by most other Americans. Those veterans who have contacted us with complaints also praise the system overall and are heavily outnumbered by those who have found VA Health care to be both efficient and professional.

We are concerned that some veterans, or their family members, may see this report and worry, unnecessarily, about the medical treatment received. If you are called, please reassure the caller that the report deals with isolated issues and is endemic to the entire system.

Although funding is a major issue for the Veterans Health Administration, not all issues can be resolved with an influx of dollars. Some issues will pertain to management. AMVETS is a strong proponent of Mandatory Funding for Veterans Health Care and is one of the primary authors of the annual Independent Budget. We strongly advocate responsibility and accountability in management of VA resources, whether they be financial or physical. We will NOT tolerate any issues dealing with substandard health care for veterans, those currently serving our Nation, or their dependents.

usmc4669
04-09-04, 12:41 PM
Hey Guys,
I am not defending the VA.
Not all facilities are the same!
check out the letter I got from my boss:

The entire reason for this notification is to let you know that while some VA Medical Centers may have issues that need to be addressed, television news shows tend to report only the negatives while ignoring the positives. A second tendency is for these types of programs to find issues at a small number of locations and apply them to the entire system. The correct way to address these issues is to bring them directly to VA upper level management for corrective action.

This I agree with, the program ABC 20/20 never put any of the positive report on any of their shows, always only the negatives reporting. Then the VA Hospitals have had a bad repetition for years. Doctors who cannot past a State exam to become a qualifling Doctor. Most are from another country, you cannot under what most of them are saying , their english is very poor, doubt that they can read english. Some of them are very good, only you can never know whitch ones are. I do see the same Doctor here in Abilene when I go to the clinic and I don't have to wait a long time to see him.

CAS3, I use the VA Hospital in Big Spring TX and the VA Outpatient Clinic in Abilene, TX only because that I have to in order to keep my VA compensation up to date. Now for myself I do not even plan to go to any VA Hospital for any inpatient operation no matter what the problem may be. The VA Hospitals have had a bad repetitions for as long as I can remember, my wife worked at the VA Hospital in Miami, FL back in the 70's , it was screwed up then and from what I hear they still work about the same now. True not all of the VA Hospitals are like the 20/20 program made it sound, the ones that they talked about should be closed and the Vet's sent to a private hospital for their medical needs, fire the Hospital Administrator and if they find that he misused his authority fine him and give him prison time.

CAS3
04-09-04, 02:59 PM
Hey Gunny
First,
According to CARES, hospitals are going to be closing in rapid numbers. Clinics are going to be the main focus.
Second,
The problem with the TV program is that it upsets a lot of veterans. Most are paranoid already. I have to answer phone calls from them! They wonder what happens to them when they get put into the system.
Third,
You never have to go to the VA hospital for treatment. If you have a service connected disability and want a private physician to see you by all means, go. But the VA won't pay for it. In order to maintain your disability rating, just submit all progress reports to the VA regional office. Your rating has nothing to do with the VAMC.
Now the issue with docs and interns,
I get so frustrated with that. You are right most don't speak English. They know absolutlely nothing about what it means to be a veteran and can't relate to us. The majority give us a feeling of being lesser people because we haven't gotten a medical degree.
Just my thoughts!!

usmc4669
04-09-04, 03:30 PM
According to CARES, hospitals are going to be closing in rapid numbers. Clinics are going to be the main focus.
Now the issue with docs and interns,
I get so frustrated with that. You are right most don't speak English. They know absolutlely nothing about what it means to be a veteran and can't relate to us. The majority give us a feeling of being lesser people because we haven't gotten a medical degree.
Just my thoughts!!

Now CAS3, I didn't say that all of the VA Doctors couldn't speak english, we do have some who have lost their license to practice medicine or who cannot get malpractice insurance working for the VA and they do speak very good english. We also have some good doctors working for the VA. the VA is so large that it is impossible to keep the best Doctors for what the VA pays them and also the location that they have to work at. I don't mind going to the Clinic to get my blood test, to keep my records up to date, that way I can get my 90 day prescription medicine refilled and mailed to me from the VA at no cost. I am not knocking the VA as a whole. Here in Abilene they try to give you the best service that they can. I live 5 minutes from the clinic so going every 6 months is a snap for me.