Now, think about coming home after a years of combat. You try to reestablish yourself in a society that lacks the capacity to see the value of freedom. The patriotism that once bled through from the bottom of the soul seems to have disappeared. And you ask yourself was it really worth it? Well, the men and women that serve in our Armed Forces sure think it is.
Fast forward to now being a patient at your local VA hospital. But you never can get the right information. You are often transferred to someone else that equally has no answer and keeps sending you on an endless circle. You finally get to the right person and get an answer, after several hours and calls. You need care; you need the right care and attention to detail. You're running out of time and are completely reliant on the VA system to do what’s right
There is no hiding the fact that our VA system needs help, and in a big way. With an aging database system, lack of procedure and accountability, many veteran cases are overlooked and improperly addressed.
In my father’s case it took no less that 4 years to get him to a specialized care facility after the VA hospital he was in didn’t properly address an obstruction in his airway. He choked for over 30 mins until he fully coded. There were indications that something was very wrong, but no one paid attention. I was told as I stood in his room before he coded that he was stable. His life is forever changed, and he will never be the same. He sustained an Anoxic Brain Injury from this event. I was told that they would make it right. I trusted them to do the right thing. What happened afterwards was rollercoaster unlike any other.
The first issue to is process and procedure. Each Veteran’s health issue needs to be addressed uniquely. No two people are alike. We cannot assume that one method will work for everyone. We need to be sensitive and listen to each Veteran; do the necessary testing and be informed. Reading their case file and having access to their information is imperative. The VISIN data systems are outdated and don’t always to communicate with one another. If you want doctors to correctly assess a situation with a patient, they need access all the records.
Second, is education and access. VA Social workers and staff need to be educated on all the potential programs the VA has. I can’t tell you how many times I was told, “that doesn’t exist, or we can’t help you.” Trust me there are programs out there for Veterans and their families. They range from Caregiver Financial Support to Veterans getting allowances for clothes or a voucher for a place to live. “User friendly,” is a term the VA needs to get familiar with. Veterans mentioned to me getting frustrated because they were unable to attain the right information.
Third, accountability and transparency. There’s no secret the recent scrutiny the VA has been under by Congress is making an impact. As of October 2023, a report was released that revealed the Hampton Regional VA had mishandled hundreds of veteran cases. In an article by 13 News Now Patricia Beckford and Catherine Rogers on July 24, 2024 highlighted the “widespread failures and deficiencies.” The report revealed the “failures of facility leaders to ensure that the required processes were appropriately implemented and also a lack of leaders’ basic understanding of the processes that support delivery of safe health care at the Hampton VA Medical Center.”
In my father’s case, the Hampton Regional VA was my point of contact. On more than one occasion, I experienced all of the above when it came to “failures and deficiencies.” Even when we transferred to the Richmond VA Healthcare system we experienced similar, “failures and deficiencies.” Time and time again his rights were violated, and he was denied the specialized care he needed. The Richmond VA even violated HIPPA with my father’s medical record, which I reported to Congressman Rob Wittman’s Office.
The Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations for the House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs is working to eliminate these deficiencies. But this is only the first step. Finally, collaboration is key. The VA must recognize the need work with local care facilities that provide a wider range of specialized care. This will ease the pressure on the system. Some community facilities are better equipped to handle specific needs including TBIs and Anoxic Brain Injuries like my father has.
In my father’s case, the VA wanted to send him back to a facility where he was mistreated and that did not have the capacity to provide the supportive care he needed. The list of facilities the VA provided had numerous APS and complaint cases against them. After many of the VA’s roadblocks and after much research, I was able to locate one unique facility that could provide the care he needed. It is the only one like it in the state that had a contract with the VA.
My father's story encapsulates a period of almost six years of trying to get the right kind of care for him. As of late, he is now in another facility closer to home that provides the right care and support he needs.
Marie Proffitt @marproffitt
VFAF Veterans for America First Ambassador @VFAFWarroom
VFAF interview: https://vfaf.us/vfaf-vet-force-marie-proffitt-interviews-with-stan-fitzgerald
