The Dallas Morning News‘ Doug Swanson wrote in January 2005:
The Dallas veterans hospital is so dirty, dangerous and poorly managed, federal investigators have found, that it ranks as the worst such medical center in the country.
It has been almost a year since I had to visit that so-called “hospital” so I have no idea how dirty it is. But I can almost bet that it remains dangerous and can attest to the fact that it is poorly managed. I have used five different VA hospitals since receiving veterans health care over the past 20 or so years and Dallas clearly is the worst of the five. It wouldn’t surprise me if it still remains the worst in the country. It’s certainly the worst in my eyes.
How long should it take someone to get information about a billing matter at a hospital? One day? Two? Three? Four and counting? It’s like a box of chocolates at the Dallas VA.
How long should you have to wait to talk to someone or even have your call answered at a hospital? One minute? Two? Ten and counting?
With our country putting our young men and women through the needless sausage grinder in Iraq, they are soon disposed of by the military and thus face “care” by the Department of Veterans of Affairs. It is a system that already was bulging at the seams and operated with the typical cheapness of this Republican administration. Oh the top VA officials and Bush administration will tell you they have funded the VA more than adequately. But they speak with forked tongues and cooked books.
On top of the system itself failing, you have components of the system that are drowning in a never-ending sea of incompetence. The top administrators of these hospitals don’t talk to the patients, at least not those in the large hospitals. People who answer the phone at these facilities actually sound scared when you tell them you want to speak to the head man. I mean, how can some — oh my God — patient — dare to speak to the director of a major VA hospital?
My latest rant comes about because the Dallas VA caused the U.S Department of Treasury to steal $110 from me that I didn’t owe. They had no reason whatsoever for taking it. I am exempt from debt at that facility. And so since they took it, it’s incumbent upon me to get it back. When will I get it back? One week? Two weeks? Three? Six?
Perhaps I am just angry over nothing. I mean, pretend you’re me. Okay, that’s a little harsh. But pretend some company or government entity took $110 from your bank account for absolutely no reason. Also pretend, if you can, that you have maybe $10 total to make it five days until payday. Then pretend you have to fight like hell to get the money that was taken, back, if you can even get it back, and if you get it back it might take six weeks. Pretend that and tell me you’re not mad after such pretense.
So, yes, I am a little pissed off. Maybe I’m overreacting. I’ve been known to do that. But this time, I don’t think so.