VA visit

[The Wiz]

I went to my local clinic for my annual and a couple of shots. I was a little anxious given what has been going on. I was correct in my worrying. First thing I noticed was the vibe of the staff as I checked in. No smiling or friendly greeting just business. Next was the waiting room that was full of vets waiting to seen. Usually 25% occupied. Then the ticket for lab work. I was ten away. Usually 3 or 4. One lab guy taking blood. Usually 2. My wait was longer than usual, 30 min. While getting my vitals check I tried to engage the nurse in small talk as usual. She was having none of it, other to scold me for not taking my meds that morning. Saw the doc who has been taking care of me for about 5 years. I have a good relationship with her. After the exam, with another scolding, I asked how things were. She told me that everyone employed by the VA now had to fill out a form every day or week (not sure of time span) explaining what they accomplished. If they failed to do that, it was considered they have resigned their job. Considering the amount of employees in the VA the volume would be over whelming. She says nobody believes any body is reading those. Just a way to get rid of staff without actual doing the firing. That would be the logical conclusion. She said people have all ready lost their jobs and the clinic was short staffed. As there are vets on this site, I thought you would like to know. Notice I did not name the clinic or location.

[BrokenolMarine]

All federal employees were supposed to fill out similar forms, that was posted a couple weeks ago. I have two visits to the OKC VA in April and my local clinic in May, I'll let you know how those go. My local clinic has always had crappy service. The receptionists are rude, the nurses curt. The doc was always nice and helpful, but he QUIT just before Christmas.

They have assigned a new doc, but I haven't seen her yet.
This is a contract clinic, and even my daughter down at the OK/TX border has heard how bad our VA Clinic here is.

[Sir Henry]

It could be worse. The VA Hospital in Seattle was closed for three years during Covid.

[The Wiz]

I to have numerous visits coming up this summer at different clinics and the main VA hospital in Durham. Should be interesting to see how things progress. I am not optimistic.

[RetiredSeabee]

I have a very much positive experience. In the VA hospital and clinics here everyone has been great. Even when walking hallways any employee I see smiles and most ask if I need help or just ask how I am doing. Must be something good in the water here in North Carolina.

[Sir Henry]

I have a very much positive experience. In the VA hospital and clinics here everyone has been great. Even when walking hallways any employee I see smiles and most ask if I need help or just ask how I am doing. Must be something good in the water here in North Carolina.

Seattle was that way and so is Madison. I know someone that works in the Milwaukee VA hospital and she said all the layoffs were from high office management and the nurses and doctors are all there. She has been a nurse for 40 years and doesn’t need management telling her what to do. She also said that five nurses might have three managers that do zero for the patients and those are the people getting laid off.

Also any VA Hospital connected to a university is tops because the specialty doctors all work for the university and not the VA. My kidney doctor was that way. He taught and did research at the University of Wisconsin.

Then you have the dentists and optometrists. I think I’m better off seeing private doctors and have the VA pay for it closer to home. I’ll drive 280 miles for kinder surgery but not to get my teeth cleaned.

I don’t expect my health care to change.

[Sir Henry]

This was happening back in 2014 at the VA. I experienced some of it. The VA would make an appointment out a few weeks then the day before call and cancel it. Then I would make another appointment and the same thing would happen. This might go on five or six times and take months.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Vete ... ontroversy

[The Wiz]

Well, I had two visits since my first post, one to a clinic and one to the VA Hospital in Durham. The clinic was in and out,just a cognitive test. 15 minutes and the PA said I still have my marbles. The hospital was a different story. I had an ultrasound done in Radiology Dept. They were running about 35 minutes behind. At one point a staff member came out and asked how long people had been waiting. She was not happy. One vet said his wait so far was 45 min. She was not very happy. She left and returned shortly with a tech and got him in before others in line. Nobody mine because his legs were really messed up. Here is a caveat. I haven't been in Radiology for over a year so I don't have any thing to compare it to. Once I got in my tech apologize for the wait and got down to business and i was out in about 30 minutes. So I'm just reporting what I observed.

In two weeks I am going back to the hospital's ENT Dept, which I am very familiar with as I go there every 4 months for treatments. I know the staff very well. It be very interesting how things have changed.

[Hatchdog]

Nice to hear that the staff was so helpful and concerned with the wait times. Hope your ENT visit goes well.

[The Wiz]

Well, I had my ENT visit today at 8 AM. The reception area was dark and no clerks present to check in with. Sat in the dark for a few minutes until a nurse came out and saw no one was there. Asked who I was and told me to come in and we could get started with out the check in. After the prelims, went back out to wait for the doc. Still no staff at the desk except a very large man standing behind the desks looking very P.O. Time was 8:20. A couple of minutes later the doc came out to get me, did her thing and I was out in by 9:00. Desks were now occupied by two clerks and the very large man standing behind them. Reception was not full, just one vet in a wheel chair. I don't know what happened. I am just reporting what I observed. This was a the Durham VA Hospital.

[5shot]

My recent VA visit down in Green Bay went well and I really didn't notice any issues.

[Sir Henry]

The VA called today and told me my appointment in July was canceled because the doctor left the VA. I was able to reschedule with another doctor the same day.

[CT_Shooter]

The VA called today and told me my appointment in July was canceled because the doctor left the VA. I was able to reschedule with another doctor the same day.

And the fact that your doctor left may or may not have anything to do with the VA.

I have an appointment in two weeks with a doctor I haven't yet met. He's replacing my regular doctor, who left ProHealth Physicians. I'd been seeing him since 2018, when my dear family doctor (for more than forty years) retired. I had absolute trust in that young retiree. I'm pretty sure I'll never feel that way about another doctor.

This is just my opinion, but doctors used to practice medicine according to strict scientific, moral, and ethical codes. Now, it seems that corporate lawyers and insurance executives review every decision and (maybe) then the doctor's considered diagnosis and prescription will be approved. It has to be hard for some of them to be subject to that. Sigh.

[cooperhawk]

I use the VA very little because I have very good health ins and can go to any provider I want.
I have a little Philippine guy who has been my Doc for 15 years now. He has his full citizenship and loves the
USA with all his heart.

He's one of those Docs who will sit down and discuss your problem and work out solutions with you. We talk
about our families and how we feel about what's going on. He's great.

For serious problems he refers me to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Mn which is about an hour south of us. I have
it set up so that all tests and procedures the Mayo does he has full access to. He loves that because he learns from
whatever they do.

BTW, at the Mayo my surgeon is from Brazil. A very nice young man with a green card working on full citizenship. He
says the day it comes through he's going to raise an American Flag in his front yard. I like him a lot as well and he's
done surgery on me that was very ahead of the times.

I do go to the VA for hearing aids, but I will not get in line with vets that don't have the health care I have, and take
a slot that one of them needs.

From what I see the VA Hospital in Minneapolis is first class and many of the doctors are pro bono from the Mayo.
I've had friends that were treated there and it was first rate.

[cooperhawk]

Speaking of Veteran's affairs, I had Malaria many years ago when I came home from the little jungle trip courtesy of Uncle Sam. It gave me trouble for a while and then went away. They told me not to give blood but after so many years consider myself cured if it doesn't come back.

Yesterday I came home in the afternoon and got the cold sweats and severe stomach problems. I was pouring sweat. This went on for a few hours and then for a while I felt better only to get uncontrollable shivering from the chills.

Carol had me in bed with a sheet and four blankets over me and I couldn't get warm. Finally this morning I woke up and started to feel normal again, but weak as a kitten.

Anybody else had this happen?

Being 84 and a half it makes me worry a bit.

[CT_Shooter]

Anybody else had this happen?

Sounds awful. I hope it passes quickly.

I'm "only" 74 and I keep my house at a toasty 75* year round. Even still, in the winter, with long sleeved shirts, socks, and jeans, I often feel cold anyway. And, in the summer, I regularly turn the AC off.

I wasn't always like that. Change happens; it's hard to believe now, but I actually had hair on my head and legs once. Maybe that's why I'm cold. I'm just noticing the effects of formally having fur.

[Sir Henry]

Speaking of Veteran's affairs, I had Malaria many years ago when I came home from the little jungle trip courtesy of Uncle Sam. It gave me trouble for a while and then went away. They told me not to give blood but after so many years consider myself cured if it doesn't come back.

Yesterday I came home in the afternoon and got the cold sweats and severe stomach problems. I was pouring sweat. This went on for a few hours and then for a while I felt better only to get uncontrollable shivering from the chills.

Carol had me in bed with a sheet and four blankets over me and I couldn't get warm. Finally this morning I woke up and started to feel normal again, but weak as a kitten.

Anybody else had this happen?

Being 84 and a half it makes me worry a bit.

I had falciparum and was hospitalized for about two months in Cam Ranh Bay. I recovered and have not had any issues since. We had to take the white pill weekly and sometimes another pill daily.

[cooperhawk]

I had falciparum and was hospitalized for about two months in Cam Ranh Bay. I recovered and have not had any issues since. We had to take the white pill weekly and sometimes another pill daily.

Oh yeah, that hated pill. Take it and spend the rest of the day in the latrine.
They sent me home with a big bottle of that. I quit taking it the day I got home and two day later I passed out.
I started taking it again.

[Sir Henry]

I had falciparum and was hospitalized for about two months in Cam Ranh Bay. I recovered and have not had any issues since. We had to take the white pill weekly and sometimes another pill daily.

Oh yeah, that hated pill. Take it and spend the rest of the day in the latrine.
They sent me home with a big bottle of that. I quit taking it the day I got home and two day later I passed out.
I started taking it again.

I was going to mention the latrine thing but didn’t. If I remember we took the pull on Mondays. The daily green pill didn’t have any after effects.

[cooperhawk]

We got the pill on payday and you took it before you got paid. Don't take it, no pay.
Kinda like the flu shot when I got back to the states.