VA Town Hall Allows for Direct Questions, Responses
After national focus on the Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities and the resignation of Secretary Eric Shinseki earlier this year, veterans in Grand Island had the opportunity to voice their concerns and ask questions face to face with local officials on Thursday.
The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System had a town hall meeting at 9 a.m. at the United Veterans Club.
The meeting was supposed to include the organizations senior leadership and other experts on specific subjects, but most were unable to attend due to the weather. The full meeting will be rescheduled, Public Affairs Director Will Ackerman said.
The goal, however, was the same, he said.
The whole focus is to talk to veterans about whats going on with VA health care and also to answer a lot of the questions they may have, he said.
Panelists on Thursday were Kent Engelhardt, a patient advocate in Grand Island; Dr. Moncarm Fouche, the associate chief of medicine for the Grand Island VA; and Angela Williams, the Grand Island site director.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald asked that VA medical centers and regional offices have quarterly meetings. Ackerman said this was the second one for their system, and the meetings rotate between the campuses in Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island. The first meeting, which took place in August, was in Lincoln.
On Thursday, many in attendance asked questions or shared opinions about the online system, the process of scheduling appointments and what situations and services would be covered, especially when immediate care was needed. Many expressed frustration about the difficulty they had gaining quick access to some services and about communication between doctors. Some even raised complaints about the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs.
Jim Curfman is the post service officer for District 11, and he is involved with a group called VETS, or Veterans Education, Training and Support.
He raised concerns about the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs, but he said he was also at the meeting to get answers.
There are many roadblocks to helping people, he said, and some things need to change.
People need help, and there are some people here who arent getting help, he said.
Thats what brought Ronnie Edson of Shelton to the town hall meeting.
He said he has dealt with health issues for years and cant find answers to his questions. During the meeting, he said he was concerned about being billed for unexpected services at hospitals and having trouble getting in to see a primary physician. He said he was hopeful that the town hall meeting would help him work through his situation.
Both Fouche and Williams told him to speak with them after the town hall meeting so they could better address his issues.
Ackerman also took comment cards from attendees to pass along to the appropriate specialists to get the correct answers.
Building from that feedback is important, Williams said. She said she and the staff in Grand Island want to work to improve in any way they can.
The process is broken. We know the process is broken, she said. And thats why we have a new secretary of the VA, and theyre looking at all processes.
Fouche, too, said providing the right services for veterans is important to him.
Were here to have an open discussion and to see what we can do to improve the system to get you the health care you deserve, he said.
Both he and Williams said their doors are always open.
Dave Davis of Grand Island said he thinks that will help. He said he has attended a town hall meeting before, and he thinks getting that face-to-face interaction, and knowing concerns are being heard, matters.
It does help the veterans air out their frustrations, he said.
He also said he hopes the meetings will help with the main reason he came to voice his opinion to see change.
I think eventually it will, he said. With the VA, change is always slow.
Tags: Veterans News
