to health care for veterans utilizing the health care sector outside the Veterans Administration until the VA can provide health care in a timely manner.” AMA also urged Congress to rapidly enact long-term solutions so eligible veterans can always have timely access to entitled care.
As part of that plan, TMA was one of the first state medical societies to estab- lish a physician registry to share with VA authorities. At press time, despite the well-known problems of working with VA, more than 350 physicians had signed up.
“Our veterans are special. They al-
ready made their contribution, and it’s incumbent on us [physicians] to the ex- tent we can to do our best to provide some interim bridge to relief while per- manent solutions are being crafted,” said Asa Lockhart, MD. The Tyler anesthesi- ologist and AMA delegate spearheaded the AMA resolution along with the Flor- ida Medical Association and helped fa- cilitate talks between TMA and local VA leaders. “This is very much something private-sector physicians could play a very meaningful role in — if we can find a mechanism that is not bogged down in bureaucracy. There are some obvious impediments that need to be overcome. But my guess is we [physicians] can help find a solution.” Wendell Jones, MD, is chief medical officer for VA region 17, the VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network, one of three VA regions that encompass Texas. (See “Map of Texas VA Regions,” page 37.) Re- gion 17, the largest in Texas, stretches from the Oklahoma border to the Lower Rio Grande Valley and includes about 1 million veterans. Dr. Jones acknowledges physicians’ frustrations and the need for certain improvements. But not unlike access- to-care issues that exist outside the VA, the bottom line, he says, is the VA needs more doctors.
“Overall, we do provide good access
to care for veterans,” and good quality care, Dr. Jones said. “There are definitely some red-tape issues [Congress] is trying to make easier. And all of us get frus- trated with red tape outside of VA and inside of VA. But you can only put in so
Average Texas VA appointment wait times
Appointments scheduled more than 30 days out Dallas
San Antonio Temple
7% 2% 6%
Texas Valley Coastal Bend* 6%
New patient average wait times (days): primary care Dallas
San Antonio Temple
60 37 50
Texas Valley Coastal Bend* 85
New patient average wait times (days): specialty care Dallas
San Antonio Temple
59 43 54
Texas Valley Coastal Bend* 145
Established patient wait times (days): primary care Dallas
San Antonio Temple
6 3 8
Texas Valley Coastal Bend* 12
Established patient wait times (days): specialty care Dallas
San Antonio Temple
6 1
5
Texas Valley Coastal Bend* 1 * Harlingen, McAllen
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs VA Access Audit & Wait Times Fact Sheet from June 9, 2014, data release, Region 17,
www.va.gov/health/Access_Audit_Data_Archive.asp
September 2014 TEXAS MEDICINE 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60