By Rick Kelley
Staff Writer
Brownsville Herald
The VA Health Care Center at Harlingen was the only veterans medical facility in the state that received a lower score on care factors from the previous year, records show.
The Harlingen facility, one of eight VA hospitals in the state, earned the lowest possible score of a “one” rating in rankings known as Strategic Analytics for Improvement Learning, or SAIL.
The VA regularly scores and compares 146 medical centers across the country based on dozens of quality factors, including death and infection rates, instances of avoidable complications and wait times. The agency uses a five-star scale with one being the worst and five being the best.
The VA ratings system was virtually unknown outside the VA until last year when USA Today published the list in December. After that, the VA committed to releasing the ratings to the public.
Last year, VA officials in Harlingen blamed the facility’s low rating — a “two” — on long-running vacancies in key management positions at the medical center. They also mentioned difficulties with nursing staff retention.
The VA Health Care Center at Harlingen was the only veterans medical facility in the state that received a lower score on care factors from the previous year, records show.
The Harlingen facility, one of eight VA hospitals in the state, earned the lowest possible score of a “one” rating in rankings known as Strategic Analytics for Improvement Learning, or SAIL.
The VA regularly scores and compares 146 medical centers across the country based on dozens of quality factors, including death and infection rates, instances of avoidable complications and wait times. The agency uses a five-star scale with one being the worst and five being the best.
The VA ratings system was virtually unknown outside the VA until last year when USA Today published the list in December. After that, the VA committed to releasing the ratings to the public.
Last year, VA officials in Harlingen blamed the facility’s low rating — a “two” — on long-running vacancies in key management positions at the medical center. They also mentioned difficulties with nursing staff retention.
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17 comments:
Overall medical services in the valley are very poor. If I suffer from anything other than a hang nail, I'm going to Houston.
I have a service connected disability and have been a patient at the Harlingen VA for over 4 years. If you look at the patient priority policy, veterans with service connected disability (e.g. the Purple Heart) have priority over veterans who do no suffer a service connected disability. Due to the number of veterans we have in the Valley, appointments often have to be made months ahead; just like local civilian doctors, especially specialists. And when I go for my scheduled appointment with my primary care doctor, I often wait but again no more than waiting to see a civilian doctor. At the VA I have had excellent care in the various clinics. I have the ability through MyHealthVet on line to communicate with my doctors and nurses, check my appointments, check my lab results, refill prescriptions (which are mailed to me) and other administrative actions with the VA. While I have had a very positive experience with the VA, I know there are many who complain. Many of those have no patience; they want instant gratification, instant solution to their problems. Many of those that complain do not have a service connected disability and many just do not understand the VA process for getting medical care...and refuse to take the time to learn. There are advocates to help them and they should take advantage of that service.
The veterans who complain are often those who skip appointments and then they can't get reschedule for weeks or more. Some just walk in and expect service without an appointment and then get pissed off if they have to wait. Guys like Fred Rendon, who writes nasty letters about the VA regularly for the Herald, just has a hard on for the VA because he can't get free care. The way he rants he probably has some degree of PTSD. He and others who complain because they don't qualify for VA care, ruin the process and clog the process for other veterans.
Have been going to the VA clinic in HARLINGEN for years. No COMPLAINTS.
My experience at Va clinic has been excellent overall and I am thankful to the doctors, nurses and staff for being attentive to my health and other concerns. I think they deserve more credit for taking care of veterans from the rio grande valley.
Good for you. Let me guess on the government's dine right?
I pay my own bills and i see my colleagues when I am I'll.
Valley Md
Ese Fred as poor in. Typical Pocho. Think they're entitled. Grew up on welfare a d still wants more. Never paid an income tax ese vato.
Go to any hospital in the Valley and you will wait. Go to any doctor and you will wait. If you need specialty care you will wait even longer. If you need to see a neurologist or a neurosurgeon, you will wait longer because there are so few here in the Valley. Its not just veterans who have to wait for health care.
We don't have a Veterans Hospital in the Valley because this is a Republican State and the Valley votes la palanca for the Democrats. No vote, no hospital.
From this vet you'll hear no complaints whatsoever about VA clinic in Harlingen because they have always been responsive, transparent and very pro active in making sure I received the best possible care whether it was through timely reminders to get a flu shot to guiding me step ny step through a colonoscopy. Dr Gogia, my VA physician, has always been very thorough to make sure I understand what's going on. The VA facilities are top of the line and I wish I could complain about waiting times but they actually call me up to make sure I get my annal checkups on time.
Must be related to Filemone Vela. Where has he been lately? Working deals for oil and gas companies?
People are confusing the medical care with the administrative care. The PCPs are for the most part the best doctors in the LRGV. Myhealthyvet is an amazing tool. But there are a lot of older vets who do not know how to use it.
Because of the admin side, the new doctors are not getting trained. Veterans who are being assigned to the new doctors cannot get their non-formulary medications. I had to walk my doctor through the process and teach him because the admin side did not. He is a great doctor.
The pharmacy I am willing to bet is faster than any private pharmacy. Yes veterans complain about stupid things. First they complain their doctor did not finish with them, and then they complain the doctor is running too late. Newsflash, the doctor can take a 30 minute appointment and turn it into an hour because he/she hears a possible heart or lung problem with another vet so they have to order a lot of tests.
The admin side is making the doctors look bad. Yesterday I was called in for a quick walkin because the latest cervical MRI indicated surgery is needed. They ran a bunch of bloodwork at 9 and I saw the doctor between patients a 1 p.m. But the fact of the matter is we only got to this point because the admin side was forced to listen to the doctors instead of overruling them when they are not even doctors. And that was only after I called the White House hot line. My doctor was great it is the paper pushes who make it a nightmare.
I see a private endocrinologist and I can tell you I never get out of there under 3 hours.
But to say there are no problems is to have your head in the sand. It took Washington to make them stop allowing paperpushers to overrule my doctors. Even today he called me to ask if I would agree to the surgery at the VA SAn Antonio - I said hell yea. But again we are only at this point because the White House complaint line people had to call Harlingen and tell the admin to stop playing games.
The poor doctors hit road blocka for the dumbest thing. How is it possible a physical therapist can tell the neurolgist his patient cannot get an EMG as part of the presurgery process. Yes Washington had to call again. They actually said to me I was mistaken. I offered to email or fax the note from the physical therapist. Again this is an admin problem not a medical problem. We fix the admin problem and our system will be the best healthcare facility south of San Antonio.
TO THE NO NOTHING REPUBLICAN
Newsflash the VA is a federal system. The Republicans control the White House, the House and the Senate. They were asked to budget for a VA hospital in the LRGV. The Republicans said no. You need to learn how things work.
Further, a VA hospital means being treated by doctors in training and not fully licensed doctors. Maybe it is just me but I prefer a real licensed doctor.
Also a VA hospital means the federal government subsidizing the state medical schools instead of using the money for veterans.
We do have some good specialists in the LRGV. But in neurology they are the bottom of the barrel and the PCP's do not understand neurology. A general neurologist cannot ID a specialzed problem. Specialist neurologists only work in certain areas - the head, maybe just the cervical spine but not the lumbar spine. The VA admin once sent me to a neurologist who only treats dementia. She had no idea why I was sent to her for a lumbar problem. The paper pushers have no training and the admin people have no desire to train anyone.
Bobby WC
I have nothing but good things to say about the Dr's, Employee's, and Medical Staff at the Harlingen V.A. They have always been professional and very helpful. Say, How the hell do you get PTSD when you were a Refrigeration Mechanic in Nam Fred Rendon ?
People like YOU, strain healthcare for REAL vets.
If I were to answer your call on the complaint hotline, I'd hangup on you. You damn sham; you make me sick!
Shut the fucking fuck up, Blimp! You're the problem, apestoso!
The HARLINGEN VA Red Team is AWESOME.
Viva La Raza give them a taco and sent them home...
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