The new website to track wait times: http://www.accesstocare.va.gov
Interesting site, but I doubt its accuracy so far. I noticed that at my nearby VAs the wait times for new primary care patients are much worse than for established patients. I think this is because every new patient must make a request for an appointment that is recorded, keeping the longer waits ‘on the books’.
Many established veterans have given up trying to contact their primary care physicians for non-scheduled appointments because they are so often told that they won’t be seen for weeks to months. Not to mention that they often can’t get through to the clinic in the first place to even request an appointment. That decreases the number of return visit requests ‘on the books’.
I suspect if everyone who needed an appointment actually successfully called to request one, the wait times for established patients would be much worse. As it is, there are many not counted who have just given up trying and go to the ER or outside providers.
Now that numbers are being tracked, veterans should make it a point to call and make a primary care appointment when needed. If they need to be seen elsewhere in the meantime, they can later cancel the appointment unless they still need it for continued follow up of the issue. Then hopefully the numbers will begin to accurately reflect the actual problem.
My 2 cents,
O2