RATE your Va hospital thread (1 Viewer)

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I use the one at American Lake Lakewood Washington. I have used the services paringly but its a really nice campus that has LOTS of large trees, a large golf course Vets can use and a nice view of American Lake. The campus also has a VASH program where homeless vets can stay for up to six months. I rate is a 7-8. The center does not have emergency services. For that I would need to goto to VA hospital in Seattle.
 
In Little Rock we have two facilities; one at Ft Root is the Regional office and treatment center and the other is also a hospital with ER facilities as well as out-patient and in-patient treatment.

I rarely go to either but I think they are over staffed in certain areas. However the treatment has vastly improved in the last 8 months. Trump has them up and running. I get really depressed every time I go either one so I use private physicians and private medical care.

All three of my sons served but my youngest son returned from Iraq a wreck. We had to spend over $122,000 of our savings to get him proper treatment for his issues. The VA was basically worthless. He is now a 100% disabled veteran due to his inability to work.
 
Since I got out of the Army I have used the Boise Idaho Veterans Hospital. I received injuries in Afghanistan and the hospital has been super for my needs. Never had to ask for anything, they always asked me what I needed with a 100% support. It's a busy hospital as many folks such as myself travel from a grate distance to get there but worth it. It has emergency services and a good help line for vets in need.
I go there also when I can to help support the veterans when car shows are offered and other special occasions for the vets that are hospitalized there, some WWII - Korean - and Nam vets. I have 25 years in the Army and they are all family to me, they have great story's of life if one listens. The parking is the only pain as they don't have the room to expand the parking lots. :cheers:
 
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I must add to my original post that since President Trump got the new VA Secretary in and the congress passed the law to allow the VA to fire inept employees the treatment for my son has vastly improved. I went with him recently for his appointment and the attitude has shifted 180* from what it was. I hope it continues as the Vietnam vets were basically treated like second class citizens, not only by the VA but the general population as a whole.
 
I would rate my local VA hospital as LOL. I am in San Antonio and, as you can imagine, the mil population is huge. There have been a couple occasions that I have had to visit the ER (one time with open wound on my hand, dripping blood on the floor) and I spent HOURS waiting in the waiting room. VA is my last resort.
 
Did you fill out a ticket on this when at the hospital or did they even offer you a "how was our service" ticket. I hear a lot of VA hospitals are now offering to hear from the veteran when care is given. I have been in that hospital and it is very very busy place. That's to bad.
 
Did you fill out a ticket on this when at the hospital or did they even offer you a "how was our service" ticket. I hear a lot of VA hospitals are now offering to hear from the veteran when care is given. I have been in that hospital and it is very very busy place. That's to bad.
never filled out a ticket, never been asked about service. I was most recently there about 3 weeks ago following a concussion.
 
The Dublin, Ga. VA, called the Carl Vinson VA, has outstanding service to the veterans that they serve. They serve all of the middle Georgia area, plus some other areas, and, they are busy, but they always treat me like the prodigal son coming back home. It has reached the point with me that I had rather go to the VA than I had to any private doctor. I know for a fact that I get quicker service. If i have an appt. at a certain time, I had better be there, because they will call me within about 5 minutes of my appt. time. ALL of the staff at the Dublin VA is helpful, courteous, kind, and very proficient at what they do. I am proud that this facility is my primary VA medical contact. It is about 40 miles from my home, but when I have an appt. and go, I get mileage pay. And, even as busy as they are, they still take up the time with me that I need. I, for one, am a proud veteran of my facility. I just wish all VA facilities were as proficient as the Dublin VA.
 
The VA in Augusta, Ga has great service according my my 90yo grandad. He is there often and he and my grandma are always talking about the excellent care that he receives.
 
I use the Boise VA, and they have always treated me well. Only bad thing is parking, but should be a limited problem when they finish the parking garage.
 
I recently moved from NC to San Diego, Cali. NC Va wasn't that great, was not impressed with the quality of care or the Drs. The Mission Valley VA is much better. The Drs are more responsive and the facilities are updated and modern. They actually call and setup apts.
 
My dad had amazing care at the VA hospital in Birmingham, AL...UAB (University of Alabama Birmingham) doctors/surgeons help out at the VA. Believe they use this as a teaching hospital as well.

Dad had a blood clot in his noggin the size of a small tangerine that they cut out. He's still tickin, but he's lost some short term memory and balance due to the location of the clot and what they had to remove.

I was in the hospital for a week during his surgery up until his checkout. Great service at the VA hospital in Birmingham.
 
Good thread.

I'm a Heinz 57; did 10 yrs active, 10 yrs reserve, so I'm a grey area retiree as well as a veteran in the eyes of the VA. On top of that I'm a VA hospital employee too.

If you're getting bad customer service, say something. If you can't bring it up with the person at the time, you will want to seek out the Patient Advocate or Patient Rep is a common term. ...as an exercise, I just took a walk through my hospital and could not find the Patient Rep number posted anywhere. Which is BS. I finally found it by asking one of the ER employees, who called the operator to get it. I'll be bringing that up at my facility. If you have difficulty finding that info at your facility, I suggest you doggedly pursue it. Also from speaking with my ER people, the reports from the Patient Rep personnel are collated and distributed at the directorate level for action. I'm assuming this is another metric for how the hospital is graded and with rumors of closures of VA hospital and clinic facilities based on performance scores, valid customer service complaints will factor in heavily.

A quick Google search for "how do I report my VA hospital" brought up a Patient Advocate page. There was a link for "I'm dissatisfied with my Patient Advocate...what is next step...". That link recommends contacting the hospital/facility director in writing. There are ways to report bad service, those of us towing the line on the inside want you to report it too.
 
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Good thread.

I'm a Heinz 57; did 10 yrs active, 10 yrs reserve, so I'm a grey area retiree as well as a veteran in the eyes of the VA. On top of that I'm a VA hospital employee too.

If you're getting bad customer service, say something. If you can't bring it up with the person at the time, you will want to seek out the Patient Advocate or Patient Rep is a common term. ...as an exercise, I just took a walk through my hospital and could not find the Patient Rep number posted anywhere. Which is BS. I finally found it by asking one of the ER employees, who called the operator to get it. I'll be bringing that up at my facility. If you have difficulty finding that info at your facility, I suggest you doggedly pursue it. Also from speaking with my ER people, the reports from the Patient Rep personnel are collated and distributed at the directorate level for action. I'm assuming this is another metric for how the hospital is graded and with rumors of closures of VA hospital and clinic facilities based on performance scores, valid customer service complaints will factor in heavily.

A quick Google search for "how do I report my VA hospital" brought up a Patient Advocate page. There was a link for "I'm dissatisfied with my Patient Advocate...what is next step...". That link recommends contacting the hospital/facility director in writing. There are ways to report bad service, those of us towing the line on the inside want you to report it too.
I needed to see a social worker...twice the front desk agent said they would call me..never did. Went to see patient advocate not there left a voice mail...never returned. Services are good but I am stuck in finacial limbo and housing...well that needs to improve.
 
Overall I would rate the Fresno VA as good. I had some problems in the beginning, and the patient advocate was more of a complaint deflector. Nothing got done. But a few years later I heard that provider had so many complaints that they suggested he find somewhere else to work, and he did. I’ve had a lot of very caring, competent providers there. Some things it takes a long time to get an appointment, other things not. And the Vet Center is very good too.
 

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