JIM STRICKLAND'S MAIL BAG: VOLUME #19 FOR 2009 --

Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland answers questions

from VA Watchdog dot Org readers.

Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland provides regular columns for VA Watchdog dot Org.

If you would like to contact Jim about his columns, you can email him here...

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by Jim Strickland

NOTE:  Letters in my mailbag are reprinted just as they come to me. Spelling and grammar are left as is and only small corrections are made to improve readability, ensure anonymity or delete expletives that may offend some readers. This is not legal advice. You should always seek the advice of an attorney who is qualified in Veterans' law before you make any decisions about your own benefits.

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Jim;

Based on the advice given on VAwatchdog, I went in today and asked for a blood test at VA Roseburg. This is after a ENT scope I had back in November of which I was sick for two weeks after. You would have thought I was asking for a million dollars instead of a blood test and the look from the clerk was priceless.

At first I was told I would have to see the nurse. I thanked them and set down to wait. After about a hour and a half I noticed that there was no one coming in or out of the clinic. I asked the clerk if I was still on the list. I was then told that all the nurses had gone to lunch and would be back a 12:30. I didn't say what I was thinking and went back at 12:30. I was a few minutes later I was escorted in the by nurse and I explained what I was wanting and why. She began to explain that even private hospitals have problems. I informed her that my problem was the illness after my test and family members expressing "concern" when around me, along with the growing issue of contamination. Finally she agreed to "let me" see the doctor. After a few more minutes she informed me that my PCP was not available but took me to another who was very understanding and put me in for the tests. THEN, the lab said they couldn't do it until I saw the Social Worker. It seems that they have to "consel" you before they give you a blood test of that sorts. I told her why I was wanting the test and that I had only been with one woman, my wife, since we were married sixteen and a half years ago but she still had to give part of her session. Anyway, final they were able to draw blood.

I guess that everyone is going to have to have a bucket load of patience went they go, especially, if it is not one of the hospitals that have already gotten ding over this. All of you at VAwatchdog, keep up the good work.

Reply;

Thanks very much for sharing that. Yes, "a bucket load of patience" will be just the thing to have along when you go.

This is really too bad. We're seeing VHA pass up a real opportunity to be proactive and timely. OK...the word is out, there may be some problems. Veterans would like a blood test for hepatitis and HIV. Whether it's really necessary or not really isn't the point. Veterans and families are frightened by what they've heard and they would like to know that the VHA wants to solve the problem as much as vets do.

The additional costs in sort term testing can't possibly be worth the angst and arguing and defensive posturing.

I'll accept that a quick counseling may be in order prior to an HIV test. I do mean quick though, these aren't the circumstances where dragging this out for 8 weeks waiting for an appointment will work.

If the VHA continues down the path of avoidance of the issue and goes into the standard DVA "Duck & Cover" routines, you may have to push a bit to get it done.

Be persistent, be polite, be prepared to wait...this is not an emergency. It is an urgent need however. If you have suspicions about your health history, get your questions answered.

                            click for more information -- a disabled veteran owned business

NOTE:

An update to my article of Monday March 30th 2009, here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfmar09/nf033009-3.htm

I received an email from a VHA gastroenterologist today. I know the doctor very well. I trust the judgment I've known for years. The doctor had kept up with the recent VHA problems where certain facilities had problems keeping scopes cleaned. Excerpts from the email follow;

"I understand and acknowledge your concern. All I can say is that although I didn't always watch them clean every single scope, I did observe the cleaning process intermittently (the LPNs who clean at the VA teach us to do it also). They follow SGNA guidelines on cleaning the scopes and use a Steris machine which was always serviced by the manufacturer (the Steris representative would come out and check up on the machine often). The machines worked well and there was a pre-packaged cleaning material container (called Reliant, if I remember correctly) which has been approved for deep cleaning scopes and the machines would wash the scope. I do not remember them EVER cutting corners; if a machine was broken, we would send to scope to the VA equivalent of Central supply (SPD, I think) where the scopes would be cleaned using the same protocols. As I said earlier, if there ever was a scope still being cleaned, we would move on the next available clean scope. The nurse overseeing the VA endo suite is one of the best nurses we have. She...runs the show and believe me, if I could convince her to come with me to run my future GI lab/suite, I would be ecstatic! Hope that answers your questions; I am glad attention has been placed on this as our Vets deserve the best - I think the problem may be a lack of national standards across the VHA however I can only say based on my experience that I have never worried about the Charleston VA GI lab. I would be comfortable undergoing a scope there myself if I needed one in the future."

It'd beyond my understanding to grasp why the officials of the VHA can't make a simple statement similar to that one. If that's how most or the busiest GI labs are run, wouldn't it be refreshing for our VA to tell us some good news?

Or...if the news isn't so good, why can't our VA (for once) take the lead and cut the quibbling and just assure us that we're healthy or diagnose us quickly if we aren't.

This isn't rocket science. All we'd like to have happen is for someone to look us in the eye and speak the truth. One way or the other, we'd be grateful.

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posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
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