Patient Satisfaction Scores

I hate going to the VA hospital. 

My loving hubby has a nasty little condition called aplastic anemia and has been living with it for over ten years now.  Last week we were informed that his counts were way off again and he needed to come in for a bone marrow biopsy.  Finally we get an appointment a few days later for 0830 on Wednesday morning.  We arrive to the clinic at 0830 with Starbucks in hand, check in at the desk and then have a seat in the already crowded waiting room.  I sit through watching a really annoying talk show host and then the dredded "The Price is Right" (long story).  My butt is hurting and I really think that I might be getting a pressure ulcer.  My hubby gets up and goes to the desk to ask what is taking so long.  The response is, "  You were scheduled for chemotherapy today" to which my husband very politely replies, "No ma'am, I was scheduled to have a bone marrow biopsy done this morning".  The disgruntled person at the desk informed my hubby that he is waiting so long because HE DIDN'T TELL THEM HE WAS THERE FOR THE BONE MARROW BIOPSY SO THEY DIDN'T KNOW!  Really?  So an hour and a half after that was all cleared up we finally went to the back to meet another oncologist that has never seen my hubby before so that she can do the biopsy. 

Every time I go to the VA with my loving hubby I am horrified at how they are running things.  Not only are they inefficient but, in our experience that goes on for more than ten years, it seems that they leave much to be desired in the way our vets are treated as people.  These men and women served our country and for whatever reason they choose or must have medical care at the VA.  They deserve more respect.  I was more impressed with the nursing student that had to draw his labs.  She obtained his blood in one stick, which many have tried and failed miserably. 

I'm not saying that every VA hospital is like this.  I am not saying that every person who works for the VA is like this.  I am saying that I was very dissatisfied with my husband's treatment and from past experience, it is not going to get any better. 

Oh and his primary oncologist scheduled him the week before for chemotherapy (before bone marrow biopsy was obtained) and has him scheduled for chemotherapy in two weeks.  My loving hubby asked the disgruntled desk person to please change the schedule so it would reflect that he is just coming in to see the oncologist and obtain test results.  He received the big passive aggressive sigh and not so passive eye roll.