Records Backlog at a VA Center
HISTORY
In September of 2012 this site published an article on the VA and its efforts to
improve services to veterans as well as support small business. It
was noted from personal experience that excellent care was being
received by those in the system but that there was a growing backlog
of cases and lack of an effective process to support getting a faster
rate of entrance by those returning from the battlefield.
Also
noted were disturbing trends in outlandishly expensive conferences
and ridiculous video productions, wasting funds earmarked for veteran
care. Red flags were going up in the Inspector General office
regarding mismanagement of small business set aside programs as well.
UPDATE
Much
as occurred since September of 2012.
Last
month (January 2015) I visited the VA in Minneapolis for a blood
analysis in connection with my annual physical. I marveled at the
hundreds of personnel who were going through the blood draw process
at 8AM that morning. Polite technicians handled everyone carefully
and courteously. My test results were on my doctor's computer for my
11 AM appointment that day.
In
2012 I used the VA hospital courtesy center computers for veterans,
finding them hopelessly out of date, security-bound and barely
functioning. During my January 2015 visit I found beautifully
functioning high speed computers and a courteous attendant serving
many veterans at the the center
.
On my
most recent visit I also went to the department that handles I.D.
Cards and applied for a new one, having been informed my card was out
of date. I was attended by a sharp technician who checked my
credentials, transferred by data, took my picture and processed my
application inside of 20 minutes and I was behind several others.
We
who are in the system are still receiving fine service.
But
the massive number of returning veterans has strained the VA Health
Care System to the point where the Department Secretary has been fired. A corporate executive from outside the system has been placed in
charge. The department has been massively reorganized into 5
regions across the country to deal with a scandalous scenario of wait
times and neglect in services for incoming veterans.
We
forecast the above situation. It is principally due to the fact that the 5 armed forces medical records systems are not connected to the VA Health Care
System and the government contractors who have attempted to develop a
system to connect them have failed miserably.
"Next Gov"
" Defense and VA Scrap New Electronic Health Record after estimated costs ballooned to $28 billion. By Congress’ count, the doomed effort – a result of the 2008 Defense Authorization Act – already cost taxpayers more than $1 billion. "
"Next Gov"
" Defense and VA Scrap New Electronic Health Record after estimated costs ballooned to $28 billion. By Congress’ count, the doomed effort – a result of the 2008 Defense Authorization Act – already cost taxpayers more than $1 billion. "
THE
FUTURE
Congress
is focusing on firing personnel as a remedy. In our view that is
symptom-like remedy, not a solution.
We now
have a corporate bureaucrat in charge of the department who is
running it like a corporation, reorganizing and establishing a
5-headed bureau under him. There will no doubt be 5 separate fiefdoms
to manage. Who knows what will happen to requirements for IT as
existing IT system designs get split 5 ways?
Government contracting services companies
are continuing to have a field day, growing rich and failing in the
classic fashion we saw with the Obama Care roll out. Success is not a money-making proposition for these firms. They get their monthly bills paid as they march hundreds of service workers into government buildings to catch the latest whim of the civil service program managers as they change specifications depending on which way the wind is blowing in the massive bureaucracy.
We
believe those who are lucky enough to have entered the system will
continue to receive good care.
We pity those younger or seasoned injured and ill who are knocking on the door and waiting to get in.
We pity those younger or seasoned injured and ill who are knocking on the door and waiting to get in.
