VETERANS CORNER: VA Togus short on help as experienced staffers are leaving

Veterans Administration facility at Togus. (Internet photo)

by Gary Kennedy

Last week we talked about Labor Day as it is part related to VA. It caused me to think and wonder why we veterans are now being asked to take outside of the system referrals; some of which are more than a hundred miles away, I was speaking with a dentist in Concord, New Hampshire, and he told me that he had patients from the County, attending his clinic. We talked a little about the expense of such a relationship and he expressed his desire to help veterans and how he and a nearby surgical facility were working hand in hand.

You have probably seen the advertisements on TV where a tremendous amount of work can be performed in one day. Although VA pays far less than those doing only private; I guess volume can narrow the monetary gap. This doesn’t satisfy V.A.’s promise of sending you out but limiting the distance one has to travel. The quality of the work is yet to be ascertained but I will fill you in on that shortly.

Unfortunately, our new Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs has taken over what many of us believe to be a severely broken system. Secretary Collins has much pertinent experience but has never worked in the VA system. I don’t think he can move at the speed of Trump. Togus being the first VA system should be where he begins. I and many others are firm believers there is some swamp water here. I do remember when VA was a logical venue; now it has become complex, diverse and a difficult place to navigate. Some people are in fear and have become introverts; that certainly doesn’t encourage growth and well being. Those in relatively safe positions have become lax, it’s quite evident. In the past five years we have gone downhill like a skier in white powder, blind and fast, with only memory to guide us.

A few good examples would be all medical specialties. Orthopedics is missing at least three doctors since the golden days, as I like to refer to them. Rheumatology is empty; the only qualified person is playing Oncologist, I believe. Dermatology is a joke as you take off your affected areas clothing and a picture is taken with a camera and sent away. Last month X-ray department was operated by a part time X-ray tech from another hospital. So they had to close it to normal traffic. Podiatry is down one doctor perhaps even two.

Even so that is one of the best run/managed departments in the entire hospital. I will take one step back on my last statement as Neurology is a fantastically functioning department with quality staff and expertise as is Podiatry. In any case Neurology is down at least one doctor maybe two. Pain clinic is short staffed. They need to work hand in hand with physical therapy which is always short staffed. Prosthetics is another great department. Kim just retired which leaves Michelle in the driver’s seat, a seat she has always been able to handle but still short a person or two. I am not sure about the shortages in Pulmonary and Cardiac care. I guess I will have to wait for my first heart attack. Urology is short at least one doctor.

Why are so many being fired, quitting and early retirements? Employees use to stick around as Togus was considered a great place to work with fair wages. We always had a good share of military veteran employees. No one understands a vet like another vet. I have mentioned the lacking of professional position but I haven’t mentioned the medical clerical. I don’t know the count but I believe every department is missing at least one. A medical record which is a very important department in our system is very short on staff. As they supply medical documents to staffs, doctors, veterans and administration.

The pressure in that department I have been told can be tremendous at times. If they are near retirement, they will leave. Do you know who isn’t short on staff? If you haven’t guessed, it would be what remains, the administrative side of things. I mentioned in one of my articles, “The Peter principle”. This is the area where that begins. I will give you one good example and a personal loss to me and that is my friend Jeff Walawander, chief of staff in Dentistry.

He was a wonderful dentist and person. Everyone loved him, vets and staff. He was taken from his position on the medical/dental side and made chief of staff of the hospital. He knew nothing about the job but said he’d give it a try. He ended up leaving, after only a few months. He told me the VA dental position was a good fit for him and he planned on making it his home. We lost a great doctor because of the management style of our director. If you’re not happy you will leave. Other countries have some great doctors who would like to come here but they pay their money and wait for years.

We need some change and that is not only locally but districtly. Let’s hope that Secretary Collins comes on board and up to date soon. We are losing our medical side very fast. Some of you have already experienced a loss in doctors. Now we have nurses performing functions that only doctors performed in the past. Don’t take me wrong, some nurses are great but they don’t have the skills of doctors. The reasons are pay rates, time constraints between doctor and patient, peer pressure which can affect outcomes, overall stressful environment, brought on by ones superiors. Outside losses of doctors is primarily a lack of consensus regarding fees. You can’t consistently pay doctors offices at a one-third rate.

We will talk more next time. Thank you for your participation and support. God bless and have a great weekend.