J.D. Collier’s Post

For my fellow veterans, struggling with the VA, please reach out. You can contact the Veteran's Crisis Line by calling 988, and then pressing 1. Also, if you know a veteran in crisis, you can call that line and give them his or her number, and they will call the veteran directly. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD can be enough without canceled appointments, administrative dead-ends, and all the difficulties that accompany working with a government agency. For administrative dead-ends, I know a magic question that resolves things faster than you ever thought possible!

Very sad to see, and been this way for a long time. I've worked to improve radiology service lines for the VA via teleradiology over the years. Two important notes; 1.) the RFP/Contracting process is a nightmare, turbulent, and the government will always make awards to the lowest bidder that is (in their mind) technically capable or a mandated set aside. I can't tell you how many times a "set aside" was selected only to have that same set aside call me the next day requesting help as they have almost no clue how to put it together (small caveat, some try and do well). 2.) the physician staff (at least in radiology) is commonly temporary. When they pay 2/3rd the market rate, what do you expect, creates a revolving door. We can and should do better.

This is UNSAT and infuriates me. Trying to schedule an appointment is sometimes so difficult it’s easier to just deal with the issue. And to be honest Tricare is just as bad. The difficulty in scheduling or rescheduling an appointment has to change. These are my experiences with both VA and Tricare as they pertain to appointments: 1. There’s no appointments for over a month or two and they’re more than likely video appointments before in-person. 2. The website doesn’t allow for scheduling or rescheduling based upon the specialty. 3. You wait on hold for sometimes as long as an hour or more before someone answers the call, and even then, sometimes after waiting, I’m asked to hold or transferred or I get the answer germane to point 1 above. Is it inadequate staffing or inadequate technology? Is it updating systems without proper staff training before roll out? We need to do better. Reach out to your Representatives and Senators and let them know, repeatedly, that this is a problem.

This is how Va got bad name post Vietnam. It appears technology and surveys won’t fix bad habits and ideas. Please note there is a lot of pressure on each person they are all unique many have some similarities the VA should be doing pattern analysis by state and location. I would be something will emerge. In relation to hours, staffing, technology available and experience or training. There may be relation to funding hours. All can be interpreted by analysis by ORSAs.

I do agree on the problem. The issue is not directly the VA… it’s the optical illusion that they have control. You have to break this problem down into resource management. From that end, we need to question who is signing the checks, because money buys more doctors, nurses, health professionals and facilities. So I would argue beating on the door of the va is the incorrect move. The correct play from the veteran community comes from veterans and trained warriors coming together and demanding more from the political elite and corporate entities that have experienced amazing and successful growth at the hand of the veterans and there service. The VA is not the problem, it’s the lack of funding and support by the political parties that’s causing the problems the VA itself is plagued with currently. The resolution is voting for political candidates that can have assorted power to change the laws and funding system to ensure the VA is being audited and then also ensuring they are with correct resources and capability to make decisions and efforts that most effectively benefit the veteran community. Your vote and voice matter, but online social warrior mode doesn’t do good unless it’s constructive and effective towards the solution of the problem. So let’s focus on empowering the VA and using the system in place built by veterans for veterans. Rather than attacking the thing that was built to protect and support our community.

Respectfully, Your wait times are out of control. The bad actors and their actions as highlighted by the OIG have added to these wait times. Recommendations: Train and insist that your scheduling staff to automatically refer all appointments that cannot be scheduled within 30 days of the date #veterans attempt to schedule appointments. This simple action aligns with the spirit of the Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act.

Veterans deserve healthcare that speaks to their unique experiences and honors their service. At Kaiser Permanente, we're transforming how we deliver value-based care by integrating deep cultural understanding of military service into every aspect of our healthcare delivery. The strength of our approach lies in our community of veteran clinicians and staff who bring firsthand understanding to veteran care. Their insights help shape our evidence-based protocols and inform our comprehensive support services. We're actively innovating programs that bridge military and civilian healthcare experiences. Our 26,000 clinicians, including proud veteran healthcare providers, deliver culturally responsive care that addresses the unique needs of our veteran members and their families. We're sharing our knowledge, protocols, and technology platforms to help other healthcare providers deliver high-quality, culturally competent care for all. As we look to the future, we're committed to being a leader in veteran healthcare innovation. Together with our veteran staff, members, and partners, we're creating a healthcare system that truly honors and serves those who have served us. Deb Friesen MD, MBA, FACP, Yvonne Lovejoy, MSN, RN, Katy C., Matt Pasiuk, Armando DelToro MHA, FACHE, Adamantine (Amanda) Gougoumis, PMP, Cynthia Cifuentes, MBA #VeteranHealth #CulturallyResponsiveCare #ValueBasedCare #VeteransCare #HealthcareInnovation #KaiserPermanente

Learn all about the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including eligibility, cost, coverage and more. https://ow.ly/hrfG50SUbi2

Among the 18 million veterans in the U.S., less than half are enrolled in VA healthcare, with only 6 million actively using these services. Jenn Kerfoot, a former Navy corpsman and current Chief Strategy & Growth Officer at DUOS, unpacks in a recent article featured on STAT the bureaucratic maze veterans face post-service, from shocking statistics to sobering realities. The suicide rate for veterans stands alarmingly at 72% higher than that of non-veteran adults, reflecting a deep and pressing need for better access to mental health and medical care. In the article, Jenn advocates for systemic changes to bridge this gap, including automatic VA enrollment for all honorably discharged veterans, streamlined communications between health agencies, and a simplification of the processes that currently hinder veterans from receiving the care they deserve. 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/g7cm94Kv As part of our ongoing support for our veterans, DUOS is proud to partner with Humana in a newly launched initiative aimed at enhancing healthcare experiences through technology, improving access and outcomes. This meaningful partnership reaffirms our commitment and dedication to improving the well-being of our veteran communities. 🇺🇸 #VeteranHealth #VeteranCare #HonorOurVeterans #Veterans #Healthcare #SuicidePrevention

Want to learn more about your VA. VetResources is a weekly newsletter published by the Department of Veterans Affairs for Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. You can sign up to receive this useful information by going to va.gov/vetresources and providing your email address. #VetResources