Veterans Should Not Have to Fight This Hard for Their Healthcare…read more
I am a 100% P&T service connected disabled veteran, and my experience with the Salem VA became so frustrating that I ultimately sought congressional assistance after months of trying to resolve these issues through the VA itself.
When I transferred my care to Salem, I requested a male primary care provider but was initially assigned a female provider. I later went through the VA's provider change process, yet even that resulted in conflicting information about who my provider actually was and what was required to complete the reassignment.
I explained my history of chronic pain and GI issues, PTSD, anxiety, failed treatments, serious medication side effects, and my desire for a more holistic and preventative approach. Instead of feeling heard and supported, I experienced what I felt was a lack of compassion, including eye rolling from my assigned physician assistant while I was trying to explain my concerns. Regardless of disagreements over treatment, a disabled veteran seeking care should be treated with patience, dignity, and respect. I left feeling that my concerns and treatment goals were not meaningfully addressed.
I also spent months trying to obtain an appropriate accommodation letter related to my service connected disabilities. What should have been a straightforward request required repeated messages and follow ups.
Communication became another major issue. Because of my PTSD and anxiety, I repeatedly requested written communication for complex medical and administrative matters. Despite explaining why telephone conversations were difficult for me, I continued receiving calls and requests for phone or face to face discussions.
The final straw was my chiropractic care, one of the few treatments that consistently improved my daily functioning and quality of life. I warned Salem VA leadership in advance that my authorization was approaching expiration and specifically requested that my care remain uninterrupted. Despite those warnings, my authorization lapsed and I had to pay out of pocket to continue treatment.
I repeatedly contacted Primary Care, Community Care, Care Coordination, Patient Advocacy, and Salem VA leadership seeking answers and accountability. After exhausting those channels, I sought assistance through Congressman Ben Cline's office. Salem VA eventually responded to the congressional inquiry, but that process did not provide me with the meaningful resolution or accountability I had spent months seeking.
I hold no hatred or ill will toward VA employees. As a Christian, I believe in extending grace because people make mistakes. But grace does not eliminate accountability.
I followed the proper channels, documented my concerns, gave advance notice, followed up repeatedly, escalated through leadership, and ultimately sought congressional assistance. I still experienced conflicting information, poor communication, administrative delays, and an avoidable interruption in established care.
Veterans should not have to become their own care coordinators or fight this hard for basic communication, continuity of care, compassion, dignity, and accountability.
"Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16:14
I sincerely pray Salem VA leadership learns from experiences like mine and improves the system for the veterans who still depend on it.
God Bless America
Semper Fidelis