Goose
Well-known Member
I didn't want to hijack 37's thread.
Yesterday I had my semi-annual physical at the Nebraska/Western Iowa VA outpatient clinic in Lincoln, Nebraska. It went well, and I really like my new doctor there. No new surprises. All in all, over the years, I've had mostly positive experiences there.
HOWEVER, for the last 2 or 3 years, I was assigned to a lady doctor from India. Last year, after the debacle with my back surgery and subsequent Sepsis infection, I had a routine appointment with her. She refused to even discuss my most recent health problems, and even though I offered her her own copy of a flash drive with some 1600 pages of medical records, she refused to even look at them. I said, "This is going nowhere", and walked out of the appointment. I stopped at a nurse's station and picked up a form to request a "Change of Providers". I filled it out and submitted it. For a reason for the request I put, "I no longer have confidence that Dr. S___ has the slightest concern for my physical well-being".
I also wrote a letter of complaint to Director Don Burman of the Nebraska/Western Iowa VA Center in Omaha and forwarded a copy to VA Director Bob Wilke in Washington DC. I also communicated by email with U.S. Senator Ben Sasse's Director of Veteran Affairs. I have no qualms about using political connections if it seems productive.
I was immediately reassigned to a Doctor H___, the fellow I saw yesterday. He's everything Dr. S___ wasn't. Great personality, 50ish, we have good rapport, and at a "get acquainted" appointment last July he had no problem with discussing my entire medical history back to when I first injured my back in the Marine Corps in 1961.
I then received a follow-up letter from Director Burman's office asking if my complaint had been resolved satisfactorily, which it seemed to be. I also received follow-up communications from a couple of Senator Sasse's minions. As far as I'm concerned now, six months later, it's all history and behind us.
All in all over the years, except for this one glitch, I've had care from the VA on a par with private health care. Granted, I'm fortunate to live no more than a half hour from the VA outpatient clinic so it's basically as accessible as our family doctor. I still use our family doctor for primary car, and use the VA as a safety net under it all.
So, am I satisfied with the VA care? Definitely! They've offered me free hearing aids, which I don't need, I can get free eyeglasses every two years, etc. I get all of my prescription meds free with no copay, although this is related to my back problems being service connected. The bottom line is the VA is a resource that's been very beneficial over the years.
Yesterday I had my semi-annual physical at the Nebraska/Western Iowa VA outpatient clinic in Lincoln, Nebraska. It went well, and I really like my new doctor there. No new surprises. All in all, over the years, I've had mostly positive experiences there.
HOWEVER, for the last 2 or 3 years, I was assigned to a lady doctor from India. Last year, after the debacle with my back surgery and subsequent Sepsis infection, I had a routine appointment with her. She refused to even discuss my most recent health problems, and even though I offered her her own copy of a flash drive with some 1600 pages of medical records, she refused to even look at them. I said, "This is going nowhere", and walked out of the appointment. I stopped at a nurse's station and picked up a form to request a "Change of Providers". I filled it out and submitted it. For a reason for the request I put, "I no longer have confidence that Dr. S___ has the slightest concern for my physical well-being".
I also wrote a letter of complaint to Director Don Burman of the Nebraska/Western Iowa VA Center in Omaha and forwarded a copy to VA Director Bob Wilke in Washington DC. I also communicated by email with U.S. Senator Ben Sasse's Director of Veteran Affairs. I have no qualms about using political connections if it seems productive.
I was immediately reassigned to a Doctor H___, the fellow I saw yesterday. He's everything Dr. S___ wasn't. Great personality, 50ish, we have good rapport, and at a "get acquainted" appointment last July he had no problem with discussing my entire medical history back to when I first injured my back in the Marine Corps in 1961.
I then received a follow-up letter from Director Burman's office asking if my complaint had been resolved satisfactorily, which it seemed to be. I also received follow-up communications from a couple of Senator Sasse's minions. As far as I'm concerned now, six months later, it's all history and behind us.
All in all over the years, except for this one glitch, I've had care from the VA on a par with private health care. Granted, I'm fortunate to live no more than a half hour from the VA outpatient clinic so it's basically as accessible as our family doctor. I still use our family doctor for primary car, and use the VA as a safety net under it all.
So, am I satisfied with the VA care? Definitely! They've offered me free hearing aids, which I don't need, I can get free eyeglasses every two years, etc. I get all of my prescription meds free with no copay, although this is related to my back problems being service connected. The bottom line is the VA is a resource that's been very beneficial over the years.
