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Virginia And Dc Vamcs ?

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I don't mind traveling some to a 'good' Virginia VAMC or Clinic. Anybody have any input on their experiences with Roanoke, Richmond, Martinsburg WVA, or DC VAMCs. Also, what about the DAV or other SOs at those locations. Any 'great' SOs out there??? Lastly, the VET Centers there - praises or complaints???

J.

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I don't mind traveling some to a 'good' Virginia VAMC or Clinic. Anybody have any input on their experiences with Roanoke, Richmond, Martinsburg WVA, or DC VAMCs. Also, what about the DAV or other SOs at those locations. Any 'great' SOs out there??? Lastly, the VET Centers there - praises or complaints???

J.

JRiverman, I feel like I answered this before, but maybe i tried and I lost it. Don't know where you are, but the Roanoke VA is pretty decent. I've never been to Martinsburg. Richmond is nice in the fact that they have valet parking, but depending on what problems you have, they have a lot of "student" doctors that rotate through. Case in point, I had a nerve conduction study done at Richmond last month. It took two hours for the Dr. to do it. Just last week I had another nerve conduction study done at Salem VA and it only took 20 minutes for the same results. You may have to ask and ask for the proper treatments at Roanoke, but in my experience the people are very nice.

Service Officers in Roanoke, Bob McClure with the Purple Heart. Stay away from the DAV in Roanoke, totally worthless. If your near Staunton, John Layman is pretty good. He is with the Dept of Vet. Affairs for the Commonwealth. 540-332-7840.

As for Vet Centers, Lynn McGhee is a MSW at the Roanoke Vet Center and also does a group down in Martinsville. The Vets in Roanoke like Lynn a lot, as do I. The other guys in Roanoke are pretty good to I believe but Lynn is real good. Just my opinion, but I find the services in Roanoke / Salem to be a little better, maybe just because of the people, coming from a more relaxed area. Richmond is very standoffish in my opinion.

80% SC/100% TDIU

70%PTSD All the rest is Back problems.

10th Mountain.

God Bless the Troops.

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I use the VA in Hampton and I am very happy with it. I use them for testing and stuff. Theu are the ones who told me about my asbestoes problems. Now if I am sick then I just use my familly doctor.

Jim

PS Only took 3 weeks for a specialist

Delay, Delay, Delay another thousand Vets will die today. This has been almost a 9 year trip thru the VA maze.

Jim

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I would like to respond to the question concerning the Vet Center in Roanoke, VA. Don't know much about the other Licensed Social Workers there, but Dan Karnes is super. He has more concern and compassion for the veteran than anyone I know. As far as the SO's in Roanoke, VA., I will leave that question alone. At the Salem, VA. VAMC, I guess it is like any place else. Depends on the department which you need medical care as to the type of treatment you get. My husband is currently on fee basis for dermatology because they no longer have a dermatology department. Audiology department has been great. Eye clinic is so-so. Don't really tell you anything, but if they do find something, they seem to downplay it because you may have a claim and they don't want to say anything which may help you. The lab has really improved as far as blood work is concerned. Time spent waiting has really decreased, which has been a great improvement. Primary care depends on who you are assigned to. If you do not like a doctor who is treating you and you go to the patient advocate, they tell you to first try and work it out with the doctor and if that doesn't work, then come back to them. Duh! Why do they think you came to them in the first place. Have tried to use the patient advocate route twice with no help. In fact, the first time we used them, the information they sent to the doctor concerning the problem was no where near what we had stated to her. So, instead of assisting us with our problem, she managed to get everything blown completely out of proportion. We could have done better than that without her help.

Hope this information helps.

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I would like to respond to the question concerning the Vet Center in Roanoke, VA. Don't know much about the other Licensed Social Workers there, but Dan Karnes is super. He has more concern and compassion for the veteran than anyone I know. As far as the SO's in Roanoke, VA., I will leave that question alone. At the Salem, VA. VAMC, I guess it is like any place else. Depends on the department which you need medical care as to the type of treatment you get. My husband is currently on fee basis for dermatology because they no longer have a dermatology department. Audiology department has been great. Eye clinic is so-so. Don't really tell you anything, but if they do find something, they seem to downplay it because you may have a claim and they don't want to say anything which may help you. The lab has really improved as far as blood work is concerned. Time spent waiting has really decreased, which has been a great improvement. Primary care depends on who you are assigned to. If you do not like a doctor who is treating you and you go to the patient advocate, they tell you to first try and work it out with the doctor and if that doesn't work, then come back to them. Duh! Why do they think you came to them in the first place. Have tried to use the patient advocate route twice with no help. In fact, the first time we used them, the information they sent to the doctor concerning the problem was no where near what we had stated to her. So, instead of assisting us with our problem, she managed to get everything blown completely out of proportion. We could have done better than that without her help.

Hope this information helps.

Thanks everybody for all the Virginia info. I appreciate it. Aren't we lucky to have the HadIt website to share our info. Thanks again!!!

Riverman

;)

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