“The medical care of our veterans is a national disgrace,” says Colonel (Ret.) Dr. Sanders, who has been giving medical care to vets for over 50 years and is still treating patients. “If they were treated this way in the private sector, there would be a slew of lawsuits for negligence and malpractice.” On my radio show recently, Colonel Dr. Gloria Sanders exposed the terrible care vets receive in North Carolina where she practices. She described one case:
“A veteran experiencing pain in his heel came to me with x-rays showing a distinct avulsion fracture, yet his doctor in the Veterans Administration did not recognize it. The veteran had waited 6 months for an X-ray, and then 4 more months for a referral to me, so his condition had been untreated for 10 months. I saw a fracture: a big chunk of bone was pulled away from his heel. Surgery would be needed to reconnect the bone to the heel if not properly managed. The radiologist in the V.A. [Veterans Administration] claimed there was no fracture! I sent the X-ray to an orthopedic surgeon at Duke University faculty and he confirmed what I saw.”
Speaking as a provider at a civilian clinic, Colonel Dr. Sanders described some of the difficulties helping veterans. “We usually have to wait 3-4 hours on hold to talk to the Veterans Choice Program about paying a medical bill for treatment we gave months ago. Also, when you do get someone on the line, they will only discuss 3 visits. If you have 7 visits to discuss, you have to call back 2 more times, so you could spend 9-12 hours on hold to discuss the 7 visits. What providers are going to put up with that?”
“Veterans get so upset, they say ‘I go to war for my country, and this is how I’m treated!’ They are distraught. Recently one veteran was so frustrated at poor treatment in our county, he attacked the doctor.”
What’s frustrating is that we could provide quality care for veterans. According to Colonel Dr. Sanders, “It all can be fixed! We need to lay down the law. If people don’t step up in quality care, then they need to go home.”
“The lack of good care for our veterans is a national tragedy. It’s a poor testament to the heart and soul of this country. Every member of Congress should be ashamed. What is this government thinking to treat these people so badly? Our veterans are getting third world quality medical care, and personal abuse. As a military officer, I am sick of seeing it. It breaks my heart.”
Colonel Dr. Sanders’ description of poor treatment is corroborated by others, like the CBS affiliate WNCN in North Carolina that reported a veteran died after a medication error by the V.A. hospital. (http://wncn.com/2017/02/28/veteran-dies-after-medication-error-at-nc-va-hospital/)
Three years after a scandal erupted over the veterans hospitals, and nearly a year after the Congressional commission delivered its recommendations for the Veterans Affairs Department, the problem continues.
Some people blame bad treatment of veterans on government-run medical care, but the V.A. used to provide quality care. When Colonel Dr. Sanders was a young intern taking care of soldiers wounded in Viet Nam in 1966 at Walter Reed Medical Hospital, the Army’s main center for medical care, the care was excellent. “Walter Reed Hospital provided top of-the-line medical care and was so clean you could eat off of the floor,” she said. “They used to have white glove inspections for cleanliness.”
But by the time Colonel Dr. Sanders returned in 1990 to care for Iraq war veterans, Walter Reed had gone downhill. Here’s her description of her return:
“The hospital was filthy. The receptionist was rude to patients. The prosthetic devices were 30 plus years out-of-date. I said, ‘You must use the best available for our veterans!’ and they banned me from the amputee clinic. An Iraqi veteran at Walter Reed was given a prosthetic for his lost leg. He could barely walk with it. Eventually he paid a private doctor for a modern prosthetic: then he could walk comfortably, jump and even run. When a physician was asked why they hadn’t given the veteran the better equipment in the first place, she said, ‘We don’t want to waste the taxpayers money.’ Colin Powell heard about it, went on site and she was soon discharged from the Army.”
As an American, I am angry that the men and women who fight for our freedom are mistreated so badly: they deserve the best care possible! We need more attention to this issue. Here are some actions we can take:
· Pressure Congress, particularly the Armed Services committee members, to demand better management and funding for veterans care.
· Pay careful attention to what the recently appointed new head of the VA does and ensure progress is being made.
· Hire a new head of the North Carolina region Veterans Administration. (I nominate Colonel Dr. Sanders!)
It’s up to all of us to speak out. Let’s defend those who defend us. Contact your Congressmember today!
To hear the full radio interview with Colonel Dr. Sanders, go to: http://prn.fm/?s=LeCain