VA field examiner showed up today

[RetArmySgt]

Civilians will always run better care. Military providees both on post and contracted are close to going to planned parenthood and asking for medical care. People on obamacare probably get better service and real doctors who didnt get their degrees from online.

I disagree with the on post providers portion of your statement. Some of the best treatment I have ever received was from active duty military personnel on-post in military hospitals.

 

[Texas42]

I just wanted to add my 2 cents.

I did some training both at as a medical student at a large VA hospital and an active duty hospital in a large metropolitan center and as a resident in a smaller VA "hospital." In fact the smaller hospital was no longer a hospital but an urgent care center and a long term care center.

The VA hospital system is different that the State system, meaning you are licensed by the Feds, not that state. Some providers couldn't get licensed by the state. They also pay quite a bit less. I've been told they have good retirement benefits.

Some of the MD's I worked with were first rate. Others weren't. Frankly, not completely different that other systems. The system is a huge government organization. It actually had some good points. The social workers were active in trying to help homeless and drug abusing vets than in other systems. There was some attempt to not have things fall through the cracks. The visits were long. Frankly, the veteran population has more medical and social problems on average.

The medical records are archaic, but functional. Shared across many providers.

The other staff, like nurses and such, the VA tried to hire veterans, and really doesn't want to fire them. The organization is set up that physicians have less impact on how things are done. (they hired more LVN and CNA's with fewer RN's) Other hospitals, the nurses would complain about doing some work. There they just wouldn't do it at the VA.

My one month at one of the active duty hospitals was very different. The nurses were active duty military, most of the MDs were too. The patients were less sick, and generally more affluent.

The laboratory test thing, I'm not sure what you mean. Every hospital has test they can run, and test they have to send out. There is only so much space in the lab to have the equipment for every test. Even in large hospitals, a radiologist isn't on site 100% of time. There is someone on call, and services that will read radiographs and send a preliminary report.


Good people are more important that equipment 99% of the time. VA, active duty military, and civilian, big city, and rural. Good people make the difference. They seem like they are harder to find.