Posted on 06/27/2009 7:31:18 AM PDT by WVKayaker
The Department of Veterans Affairs is at the center of a growing controversy over the improper treatment of veterans at VA hospitals. On June 16, CNN noted that a report released in June by the VA’s Office of Inspector General showed only “about 42.5 percent of 42 VA facilities inspected without warning in May had standard operating procedures in place for the equipment being used and could demonstrate that their staffs had been trained to use the devices.” In other words, more than half of the institutions (57.5 percent) had improper procedures or training...
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewamerican.com ...
After a major accident with critical injuries, and no health insurance, the VA hospital in Manhattan, New York has provided all my post-surgery medical care, and continues to.
My experience there does not match at all with the impression given in the report.
I can see how in any large institution many processes and procedures can be handled properly, without formal documentation in place to attest to the skills and training of those performing the procedure.
Of course, in government, everyone working in the bureaucracies are treated as infants, unable to think or do the smallest task unless written instructions are in place and followed to the letter.
Fortunately, at the VA in New York, it is not staffed by infants.
The VA makes the case that their system affords the best healthcare available to the average (non-politician) American, and their records are more secure that the insurance company-run system now in place.
I did have one poor experience with an eastern European woman Doc in the ER. The orderlies were busy talking on the phone, and she did a piss poor job on a wound. All she needed was another hand to rinse while she sewed me shut. I had badly cut my hand with a kitchen knife, and wrapped it. It bled profusely.
I have had MRI's, X-rayed Lower GI, Lyme Disease treatment, incessant poking prodding, blood and urine work-ups, and appreciate every bit of the humiliation. They keep me kicking pretty high for an old fart!
But, the theme of the posted article is clearer. It portends the results of the gum't trying to run health care. It is overseen by a beaurocrat committee, pares away services, and has a grossy high price tag... and in the end, is just another tax and ration. We need to save the spotted owl!
I was not trying to present the VA as a health care model, or a financial or organizational model for health care, for the entire country.
There are plenty of reasons why it would be some combination of worse care and/or more expensive AND worse care than the present care provided to most people now by private care.
It has a special mission to a select clientele and I am grateful that I earned the benefits for its services; as it became essential to my post-surgical care in the circumstances I found myself in two years ago.
On the other hand, the VA “system” is pretty good - operating in a manner much like an HMO - and it has a complete medical-patient electronic information system that helps insure patient care, diagnosis, treatment and coordination of care is greatly coordinated throughout the system (to the extent that the “primary care” doctors and the speciality clinics have diligent doctors working on your case).
What the VA “model” may be a better approach than is the current Medicaid system (government health “insurance” for very low income persons with no insurance). Medicaid is filled with fraud, whereas the VA system receives not very much greater income simply by performing more procedures on someone. The VA system is most efficient when and how it works to prevent and diagnose problems before conditions make the problem critical.
Knowing that a sudden major accident and work conditions at the time placed me on their door step for my post-surgical care, and knowing my situation my have me in their care for some time, they have run all the major “getting older” blood tests and diagnostic procedures, including things like colonoscopy and prostate tests, just to see what if anything presents a situation that early treatment or medication could help resolve sooner, and lessen the financial impact from later (including what may be more future costs to themselves).
When it is necessary, due to circumstances, that the government and only the government HAS to provide care, I think the HMO system, with all its faults, is preferable to the fee for service system like Medicaid. That’s not a statement of belief that it is the best “universal” model - it is not. It is the best model when “charity” by forced taxation is paying for it.
It is not the best model otherwise and were my circumstances different at the time of my accident two years ago, I would not have chosen the VA system for my care, even if I had already known all I have learned by using it for two years now.
It does a good job for the mission it has, for the people for whom that mission is needed, given all the factors and limitations that go along with a huge government care program.
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