[luvbach1]

I'm on a waiting list for an appointment with a podiatrist at a VA health center; that is, I have an appointment but it's not until October. But I have no reason to doubt it's a real appointment and that I will see a doc in October. It is true that VA hospitals often can not keep up with the volume of patients in certain departments.I suppose the obvious remedy would be to enlarge the hospitals and add staff if existing staff are making a good-faith effort at serving the vets but fall short due to an ever-increasing number of patients.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

I suppose the obvious remedy would be to enlarge the hospitals and add staff

The answer is market-based. Give vets insurance or treatment vouchers that they can redeem with the insurance company or hospital of their choice.

Government operations are always inefficient. Always.