Complaints against VA hospital

[Boomerang]

Long story short, I've been in a dark place for a while.  In a 10 day span I told 3 VA providers (one mental health) that I was in a dark place, meds weren't working, I wasn't sleeping, and needed some help.  I was extremely frustrated with the fact that no one cared or did anything, but I told my family they needed to keep a close eye on me and they got me through.  Because I was angry at being ignored, I called the Patient Advocate office several times.  I left them a voicemail message, and it's now been one week since I left that message and no one has called me.  I did what I was told to do and reached out to my providers when I knew I was going downhill, but all they had me do was fill out a 'coping skills' sheet and sent me on my way.  This anger towards them is feeding the darkness, and I really don't know what to do.  If I go to the ER for this they'll have me hospitalized, only to be billed for it and have that as an extra issue to feed my problems more.  

When you do a search on how to file a complaint it tells you to call the patient advocate, but I did that and even they don't give a s***, so what do I do?

[kanewnut]

How about contacting your congressman? How about calling the White House hotline and telling them this story? How about the IRIS system to ask about what you should do? Don't give up, keep fighting them!!

[Berta]

I had a major problem with the VAMC one day-I called  my husband's shrink there,first,  then I called the VAMC director, ( they refused to admit him) and then , when I called my Congressman -the problem was resolved immediately. My Congressman called the VAMC. He was admitted  into their 6-P ward. Kanewnut is right-

 

That was before we had a WH Hot Line 1-855-948-2311

But this sounds like you have a crisis situation-I dont know- 

If so go to https://www.va.gov/ and click on the Crisis hot line on top of their main page.The crisis people can help you-

BUT  do all of above as well---

Some PT advocates are great-some aren't- I have a Vietnam vet friend who is a very difficult Pt to deal with-

( SCed for 1151, GSW, PTSD) and he has given the local Patient advocate permission to talk to me-

I only had to intervene for him that way a few times- and fortunately I know his complete medical situation.

The PT advocate solved the problems he had right away. I think it is often the way the PT advoates are approached.

My friend gets angry so fast that he needs someone to speak for him.

Maybe a family member could intervene for you-that way -

what is it that you feel you need -from the VA? 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2018 by Berta

[Buck52]

I kinda had words with a Female VA Dentist she made me some partials and when she made them she was rough just mixing up the molding clay  (or what ever that stuff is called) to get an in-print of my existing teeth..she just crammed that in there and I thought then this will never work,, when I stop out front to make next appointment to come back to be fitted, the girl said I need to go to the restroom and wipe my lips and mouth off I had that mold butter all over my face,  the Dr never bother to tell or made an attempt to wipe my mouth off  neither did the assistant   grrrrrr I had to go to the rest room and clean myself up  then I just went on home....pissed off all the way home. grrrrrr

 one day they called me  for me to come in an be fitted, I did and the partials were very uncomfortable , They would fit in my mouth ok but I could not put any pressure when I bite down  ouch hurt bad  just a little pressure  I thought I can't eat with these things  damn...ect,,ect,,,

I have had partials before that did fit ok and I could eat with them and was happy I got them  but this time after I had two more teeth extracted I had to have new ones made so I know how to wear partials and how they need to fit.

 and I told the Doc this I been making partials for 20 years, she said well they won't feel like your real teeth I said I know but these don't feel right they hurt and vary uncomfortable when I bite down.,.she said well wear them and get use to them.

..I said Doc come on now I can't they just don't fit right I can tell,   she took them out in a rough manner and buff them off some and made adjustments several times  but they still was uncomfortable and hurt when I applied just a little pressure biting down..she said wear them or don't wear them I don't care what you do Mr Buck...I Said I don't want to file a complain on you Doc ,  the Doc said go ahead who do you think they will believe  a Dr OR YOU  man that made me so mad,,I just left went straight home.

Now

I can't wear these partials but I have not put in a complaint  if you complain to the OIG  who ever gets the complaint  will release all the information to the VA Hospital that you put in your complaint in to and doing this the clinics will sure be notify that you are a complainer and they can really make it hard on a veteran then..

like scheduled all your appointments way out and cancel some appointments and reschedule them at a later date..they can and will make it very inconvenience!

.when you file an official complaint against the VA Hospital and the Dr's  your information is not private  the OIG releasing this information back to the Hospital   they can do what they want to do with your information..if you don't believe me  go to the OIG Web site look under complaints to the VAMC and you will see just what I am referring to here.

think twice before you send in a complaint to the OIG....as for as a lot of Veteran sending  complaints  In personally  don't think that would do a bit of good..

You can send complaints to the Hospital  Patient Advocate but its useless. or the Hospital Director...and don't threaten them with OIG

So in all reality this means were screwed all the way around..unless you can call the POTUS yourself and talk with him personally  then may be he can get things done and  there won't be any retaliation on the Veteran

I believe they do have a disclosure about not wanting to be Identified  that the Veteran needs to sign it  so he can keep his name out of the complaint.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2018 by Buck52

[kanewnut]

5 hours ago, Buck52 said:

she said wear them or don't wear them I don't care what you do Mr Buck...I Said I don't want to file a complain on you Doc ,  the Doc said go ahead who do you think they will believe  a Dr OR YOU  man that made me so mad,,I just left went straight home.

I totally disagree with this.

You let something like this stand and it will just snowball on down to the people that follow along behind you. I think you should have went immediately to the Patient Advocate to get this worked out. If the Patient Advocate was busy I would have bided my time by calling my congressman. I would have spoke to the Patient Advocate and my congressman before I left that VA. These people are not there for you to service, they are there to service us veterans. If they don't want to they need to be employed elsewhere. When I discovered my Patient Advocate at Kernersville was as useless as tits on a boar hog I just started bypassing her and going straight to my congressman. 

I had and issue getting assigned a new PCP. I filed the piece of paper work, but was denied. I wrote my congressman. I called my congressman. I called my congressman again. Within the hour of the last call to my congressman the director was calling me to get me assigned to a new doctor. 

I had an issue one day when I went for an eye check up. I signed in at the kiosk and printed off the appointment. At the desk there were two individuals that I told I had checked in at the kiosk and they said fine have a seat. I set about reading and waiting. My appointment time came and went. Didn't think that much about it at the time. Later I get up and ask about my appointment.  Only one of the guys is back there now and he tells me I didn't have an appointment. I showed him my letter and the kiosk print off. Too late to do anything about it now. How about travel pay? No. Now I am getting pissed. I headed downstairs. I ran into a volunteer that steered me to the check in area of people. I explained what my problem was and they got someone else. She looked at my stuff and told me to follow her. We went back to the eye clinic. She started asking the individual about things. Then she goes behind the counter. She started berating him for not being on the right screen. She tells him to print me out my travel pay. 

I have another appointment a few days later. One man in there that is top rate and works very hard at helping vets asked if I needed anything or how I was doing, I forget. I said something about not getting jerked around today and he asked if I had the eye clinic problem the other day. I told him that was me. He laughed and said you know people, people in high places. Apparently someone had straightened out some of the people there. 

When you leave like you did Buck, everyone thinks everything is perfectly fine. Except you. And you are the one things should have been changing for the better for. 

[Buck52]

Well I;m not finished with this Dentist, She will be reported  from what good it will do IDK. but I think my congressman could care less . but I m getting my partials fiited correctly if I have to get them to choice card me out ,if they don't have another dentist that does partials.and make them right.

I can't stand to talk to negative people  my PTSD COMES OUT FULL THROTTLE AND GETS ME IN TROUBLE. so  I leave the situation before it does. 

Edited August 4, 2018 by Buck52