VA is too busy to get appt

[skippy13]

I just called the number for my local clinic to try and get an appointment. I was told that at this time I cannot get an appointment to see my care provider and they don't know how long it will take, but I will be placed on a wait list. I have to go seventy miles away to get care at the nearest ER instead if I really need it.

There is a shortage of care providers at this CBOC in the best of times with waits of more than a month to get in, but there are some providers who are on leave. I do not begrudge them their time off as some including my provider is on a medical leave, but why can't there be a backup plan for places like my CBOC?

I will use my medicare again. I think it is getting to the point where I will be using it for everything soon.

I am in some serious pain because of a recurring inflammation that causes radiculopathy from the C-7 nerve root. It is causing my arm (which is my most affected already) to be weaker by far and the burning fire dripping pain from neck to fingers with a quick hard kick to the funny bone and my shoulder joint is getting stuck on adduction and grunching (combo of grinding and crunching) and the hand spasms are driving me around the bend.

So, to drive the seventy miles one way, or just tough it out? Give up and go to medicare again?

[Donno]

If you are a member of PVA, you might get in touch with them and see if they can advocate for you. If you are not a member, you should join - lifetime membership is free.
http://www.pva.org/site/PageServer?pagename=memb_main

[SCI-Nurse]

Contact the patient advocate for this VA. They have a direct communication line with the office of the hospital Director. Ask them why they have such a long wait, and how they are managing the mandated priorities for service connected Veterans. Ask about how Rapid Clinic Access (RCA) works (or does not) at your CBOC or local VAMC.
Contact your PVA NSO and ask them to file a complaint for you about this issue.
Contact the office of your local Congress person. Ask them to file a "Congressional" (inquiry about a problem from a Congress person's office) with the Director of the hospital. These must be answered back to the office of the Director and to the Congress person's office in less than a week. It is amazing the action that one of these can generate!
(KLD)

[skippy13]

#1 thing is that there is simply not the staffing available at this CBOC. Nothing will change that. They do not have the room to provide for more care anyway. It is a very small clinic serving a very large area. Eugene is not a large city, but we have vets returning from Afghanistan and other war theatres in record numbers after multiple deployments.

They do not even have a patient advocate at this location. The nearest ones are in Portland/ Vancouver or Roseburg. The closest one is in Roseburg which is 70 miles away.

As far as the Oregon chapter of the PVA goes, well...they are a social organization and also about seventy miles away.

I have asked the local CBOC about priority groups and how they handle them given their total lack of space and providers. I always get the same look and "huh?". Never heard of it. As far as anyone can tell, the service is is available first come, first served.

They are just so completely overwhelmed with all of the new guys returning. Oregon has sent quite a lot of reservists to war in ratio to our population, and most for multiple deployments.

There are future plans to move to another location (a former hospital, now clinic for Peacehealth) but cannot possibly be fulfilled until 2012 at the earliest. The problem right now is that they simply do not have the capability of delivering care to all of the vets in their service area.

I have the ability to use Medicare for treatment that I need right away and I will for this problem I am having, but what of those who do not? I worry about them.

[SCI-Nurse]

#1 thing is that there is simply not the staffing available at this CBOC. Nothing will change that. They do not have the room to provide for more care anyway. It is a very small clinic serving a very large area. Eugene is not a large city, but we have vets returning from Afghanistan and other war theatres in record numbers after multiple deployments.

That is true of most VAs, but not an excuse, nor does it let them get a free pass from following VA regulations about wait times for clinic appointments.

They do not even have a patient advocate at this location. The nearest ones are in Portland/ Vancouver or Roseburg. The closest one is in Roseburg which is 70 miles away.

Call them. You don't have to see them in person.

As far as the Oregon chapter of the PVA goes, well...they are a social organization and also about seventy miles away.
The PVA chapter has little or nothing to do with the PVA NSO (National Service Officer). They work for the national office, not the chapter, and they are accountable to the national office. Call them. They should be able to handle this by phone, or come to you. Ours travels many miles every week to meet with veterans over a large geographic area in their homes.

I have asked the local CBOC about priority groups and how they handle them given their total lack of space and providers. I always get the same look and "huh?". Never heard of it. As far as anyone can tell, the service is is available first come, first served.
You are not talking to the right people then. Ask to talk to a social worker or case manager and also talk to member services (not the clinical staff or clerks).

#They are just so completely overwhelmed with all of the new guys returning. Oregon has sent quite a lot of reservists to war in ratio to our population, and most for multiple deployments.
Again, not an excuse. Living in the San Diego area, with the heavy population of Marines and Navy, I can tell you we have been forced to ramp up our services too, and have implemented the even more strict requirements for providing timely appointments for all our veterans.

I didn't see that you planned to contact your Congressional representative. Remember that they vote on the budget for the VA. If they don't hear from constiuets that they cannot get the services, they are going to be less willing to increase the VA's budget.

#I have the ability to use Medicare for treatment that I need right away and I will for this problem I am having, but what of those who do not? I worry about them.
If you can get them to put in WRITING that they cannot provide you with the services you need in a timely manner, you can use this to (through your PVA NSO) request that the VA pay for fee-basis (non-VA) care for you for service connected conditions.

(KLD)