VA hospital veterans affair .......horrible ER treatment?

The VA hospitals all over are pretty much the same. You have to realize that most are interns just doing thier time and have no compassion or interest in your situation. The quick fix would be to employ only Vets through training programs and incentives. However liberals would cry discrimination!

You have to make a complaint to Veterans Affairs because they are Vets who are concern with our welfare. The reason why the VA is so screwed up is because civilians run it and have never worn the boots of a Vet. Not all, however a majority.

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Emergency means imminent threat to life, limb or sight. Anything which doesn't fit that category is not an emergency. A quick review of the yellow pages shows two VA clinics in the area, but both appear to be 18 to 25 miles from West Palm Beach. Still, those are the facilities designed to handle non-emergent medical cases.

I have had doctors like this before but also have had some that treat me very well. Also, you have to remember that the veterans have the choice to go to any hospital they want. My dad is a veteran and does not go to a VA hospital. My husband who is active also complains about getting the same prescription for any ailment he may have, he is active duty and does not have as many choices of where to go. I would say, just try a different hospital if there is one close to you. Good luck.

you need to write your state rep, your senator for the most part its sad some VA hospitals are like this but the political climate is hostile towards below par care to military veterans. You need to make sure people look into this, its disgusting if it is a department wide issue within that VA. Then again I am not a doctor and that may have been the only thing you needed. But they should have gave you more information so you were better informed of the situation.

I'm a Viet_nam veteran, awardee of three Purple Heart Medals and am 100% disabled. The treatment from VA when I first left the Army was much as you say now. I utilize Altoona VA, James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center and University Hill VA in Pittsburgh and the local clinic in DuBois, PA They treat me with the utmost concern, check on me on a regular basis, prescriptions, when needed are either mailed immediately to me or filled on the spot, schedule regular check-ups and when in pain listen to me because they say that I know my pain better than they do. Thanks to our government, all VA hospitals are under enormous stress, not only in getting good to excellent people to treat veterans but being able to keep the facilities, programs, etc, needed for treatment. Sad but true, some people are just plain ***** but I overlook them and focus on the good stuff and people. Yes, I'd start with the hospital administrator, then work up the chain of command if you are being negleted in treatment. You've earned proper medical treatment and respect but on the other hand treat and respect others even if they don't deserve it in your eyes. I hate to crowd but "Yo! Jar-head!" Contact your congressman about your medical records. They are out there and push to get them. A lot of Marines in my PTSD group have gone/going through the same thing. Another route is to become a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. They do more than the VFW's, American Legions, Disabled Veterans, etc. I fought for disability benefits for years until I was steered to them. One week, 100%. Of course, don't lie, show your DD214 or whatever you have, etc. They are worth it and are all veterans who have experianced the unjust and ungrateful system established by our representatives. Oh yeah, the jarhead remark... two sons, one grand-daughter served in or are serving in the USMC. I guess everyone is entitled to one mistake. Only kidding. God bless you both for your service to your nation and I, for one, say, I'm proud of you and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

You are right! I'm out of the Marines now (from 10 years of service)...and I was injured in Iraq. Well anyway, the VA I go to 'lost' my medical records, then on top of that tell me that I never gave it to them. I cannot claim my VA disablilities until I have proof of my injury, and being from a recon detachment from Force Recon, they weren't responsible for scanning my medical records, plus the Corpsmen told me that the VA will resolve on the issues.

Well, I am stuck with medication (have malaria too) that I have to pay out of my own pocket just because the VA can't handle their own correctly. Piss poor performance!

It isn't just the West Palm Beach VA, it is like it all around the the U.S. I am always constantly having to bicker amongst the staff on my prescriptions and my lost records. But they consistently tell me that I never gave them my records.

It sounds like you're using the ER as your personal doctor's office. That's not what an ER is for. My guess is that if you arrived on their doorstep with a real emergency you'd get good treatment.

Unfortunately, I don't think this is limited to the VA.

But, as noted above, what are the ER visits for? That may indeed be a factor.

When you go to the ER is it for a real emergency? If not, you're going to be the lowest priority.