VA Fails the Veterans Again.
What ever happened to all the big promises that all the wheeler and dealers in Washington made during the Walter Reed crisis a few months ago? Many of them now want to be our next President. Promises were made that the American Veteran would receive care second to none. The VA Medical Centers would have the finest staff available and in adequate numbers to treat all their current patients and those who would be entering the system as they are discharged from the service.
Well, like everything else those in Washington says, it comes down to letting the people think the problem has been solved. Now word comes out of Seattle, VISN (20) which serves includes the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, most of the state of Idaho, and one county each in Montana and California that the physicians are not happy with the way VA is changing their patient care staffing.
The VA administrator high in their Puzzle Palace have decided that the physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners at multiple clinic sites will no longer work hospital shifts which that have helped to reduce the strain on the hospital’s house staff. This will result in the medical staff at the hospitals having to stagger their hours to provide care. The administration feels that by making these changes “will give the growing number of veterans seeking care better continuity with their doctor or other health providers.”
This plan has upset a number of doctors who feel the VA needs to hire more clinic doctors and keep the hospital rotation as is. Of course, administration disagrees. The hospital hopes to hire 3 new physicians by this time next year. This would give them a total of seven. Seven physicians for a 46 bed hospital and 38 bed nursing home. One has to wonder how they can possibly give the best care with seven physicians. In the VA system each physician gets at least 5 weeks vacation, 104 hours of sick leave plus 10 paid holidays and time for continuing medical education.
What is even more interesting is that on their “VA Careers” website, they only list 4 positions at Spokane. Walla Walla list only one position. The Alaska VA Health care site list shows 3 positions So, where are these 3 hospitalists coming from?
“When physician recommendations go unheeded by VA administrator, our patients may suffer the fallout” Dr. Yurasek reported.
A figure of note is that Rob Van Bommel from the Spokane VAMC reported that the number of patients in 2007 jumped by 13% over 2006. And why was that? Well, seems there was a bit of public outcry after the hospital closed it’s emergency department! Overall, the patient population has doubled during the past decade.
Just where do the people who control the purse strings in Washington and the VISN’s think our returning Veterans are going to get the medical care they deserve? How thin can you stretch the staff before accidents and deaths occurr?
One of the cleaver tricks the VA uses to fool the inspection groups is show full staffing on a ward when in reality several staff members are out on extended sick leave or light duty. I can remember times when I had to cover a 12o bed nursing home plus two 30 be psychiatric in-patient wards at one time for weeks because the staff was so short. The VA never ceases to amaze me.
Where are all the promised changes made to the American people and Veterans? Why haven’t any of the bandits in Washington who were so outraged about a hospital that was scheduled to close, was found to be in need of repair, They all screamed and fought to get in front of the cameras and tell the American people that they were not going to let this outrage happen to “our” Veterans! Exactily what changes for the better have been made? The answer is simple, few if any improvement in the Veteran’s health care system have taken place. It is but a distant memory now to those in power.
I just hope the American people will remember our Veteran’s come election time. Let’s put this loud mouth politicians in their rightful place… THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE!
