Gibson, Sloan D

Acting Secretary of Veteran Affairs Sloan D. Gibson

Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan D. Gibson today announced immediate actions taken to address the recommendations outlined in the recent interim Office of Inspector General report.  He made the following statement in Phoenix, Arizona:

“No Veteran should ever have to wait to receive the care they have earned through their service and sacrifice.  As the President said last week, we must work together to fix the unacceptable, systemic problems in accessing VA healthcare.  I believe that trust is the foundation for everything we do – VA must be an organization built on transparency and accountability.”

Read the full statement here.

 

 

 

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11 Comments

  1. Bryan A. McGowan June 12, 2014 at 20:55

    Hey Mr.Gibson, It would be nice if the VA actually took care of the people it took an oath to help. How bout we get rid of all the GS employees at the VA with the attitudes and have contractors take care of us? I bet our Care would be a lot better. Also how is it when you sign up for Benefits Delivered at Discharge you you get no benefit until 8 or 10 months later? I’ve had 2 marines kill themselves over the last 2 years waiting on that benefit. Remember we can’t get our Care or even looked at until your people figure out if we are service connected. I’ve been told no one can tell me when my BDD package will be answered because no one knows. That tells me no one cares. Your people told me that exact statement less than an hour ago. No one can tell me cause no one knows. Haha haha. Have a great day.

  2. Terrill T. Crookshank June 12, 2014 at 16:45

    I remember when I was in Arizona my self when making way back to california .While there immediate action was tooken come spirits of this country coming into a Serious operation come building up lives and not tarring them down… My life being the target of this victimizing… As soon as the Ignagaration was handed to the country here come Our First African American President editorial edition come me pretty much sitting down with President Barracks Obama us both on the same shift when he was State Senate there in 1996 come when I was Campus Police Aide there in Pleasant Hill California in 1996. And me going forward from there also to television to inspire as well as by way of newspapers and community events…. Still coming threw then during Ignaguration….. The Holy spirit showed in disrciption come when it’s not the Human,better so the Citizen being disrespected, but when the whole Idea of response to someone’s need in urgency are out is being disrespected. Terrill T.C. a.k.a Relic

  3. RC June 11, 2014 at 08:21

    I forgot to mention that this untrue documenting of saying patient cancelled apptment was Not in Phoenix. It was in Missouri so I’m sure there is alot of false documents at alot of va facilities but how will all this get fixed if what they are reviewing is not true? I always wondered why they would put on paper and even on benefits website stating false information about patient cancelled appointment I guess that’s another way of meeting there Bonus goals? One more suggestion I think the va should be able to schedule your follow up visit right when your done seeing the doctor but they always tell me they can’t make appointment 3mths out now. that I will receive something in the mail in a couple months. The problem is I fall through the cracks and never get anything about appt in the mail. So my wife makes sure she writes it on the calander and then she calls them to remind them i need apptment but if they would schedule it before you leave you wouldn’t fall through the cracks.

  4. RC June 10, 2014 at 20:27

    Another thing that needs to be looked at is when there appointments show cancelled by patient when the va doctors/scheduling are the ones who cancelled the appointment. I have address this issue a couple times and they say “Oh it dont matter what it says” I know this has happened a few times with me and I’m sure if other veterans did some research they would also find out there appointments will show cancelled by patient when in fact the patient either never knew about it or the va cancelled it. I really think its going to be hard to find all the facts when the records are not true. I hope this will also be looked into and help in correcting things that are unjust.

  5. patrick jahnke June 7, 2014 at 01:53

    U know any veteran are using any narcotic drug out their BIG BROTHER sent out a memo TOO all doctors va and general doctors IF THEY GIVE ANY NARCOTICS TOO ANYONE THEY WILL LOSE THIER LICENSED TO BE A DOCTOR ANYMORE, ER same boat. So why did they make one 10x stronger ? The people who needed it the most live in pain . and the antidepressant drugs are a joke, they give more side effects some make a person to die before any of those drugs. I’ve try them make me have more problems, feeling weird things and can not cope with who outside , turn us in zombie s so I guess DEA who ever put the memo out hurting more people veteran included and I guess will more veteran died by doing harm to them selve. They say ever min a vet kill them delve government knows it and when a vet or person in pain they only one way see the end. Live no more!

  6. patrick jahnke June 6, 2014 at 12:19

    You veterans I and 20 other vet are dealing after our doctor retired the nurse practitioncut change all meds service suck after that it been 3 month no change and still in pain. No one will look in records to c what u try for pain what did not work, and what did work . narcotic or not . antidepressant drugs do not work on burns. Dr refused to send me to Ccc specialist. Why. Then 4 more dr retired why. Someone tell them what they can not do or give meds out like narcotics. Top secret memo to all VA’s to their doctors . no more narcotics.

  7. John B Korte June 6, 2014 at 11:22

    How long has the acting sec. been working at the VA? Is he a political appointee? Did he come up through the ranks? If the answer to any of these are Yes he is part of the Problem. Only in Washington would this be allowed!
    Lt. John B Korte
    Passed USNR 63/69

  8. David La Rochelle MD June 6, 2014 at 10:22

    The major task ahead for VA Health and Benefits departments seem to be pointed at honesty in reporting by employees. If the problems are not reported, they will not be fixed.

    • Dan Flynn June 6, 2014 at 10:40

      Here is a real simple solution. Do a patient satisfaction survey on every patient for every visit. In going to the VA for 7 years and having scores of visits, I have received only one survey. Auto manufacturers send out customer satisfaction surveys to every customer they sell a car, not for every 100th or 200th. Also, the survey would have to be about the total experience the vet received, not just about the appointment and asking questions which have little to do with the particular appointment. For example, how long did you wait for this appointment, how far did you travel for this appointment. how long did you wait after your scheduled time. were you treated courteously by the check in clerk, check out clerk, did the doctor spend enough time with you, did the doctor explain to your satisfaction what your condition is, was the doctor courteous, could you easily communicate with the doctor, did you receive a prescription, how long did you have to wait for the prescription, did you have contact with any other physicians, departments or employees during your visIt and a host of others which after a few hundred returns would tell you real quickly where the problem areas were. One, last thing the tabulation would have to be done by an outside company, and surveys must be posted at the front door of all VAMCs and Clinics and on line. Patient satisfaction surveys of Radiology, In-Patient care, Urgent care, ED, Physical therapy, etc., as well as individual doctor surveys should be posted on the web and in the hospitals. Go ahead VA, I dare you. If you don’t know what is going on, you can’t fix it.

      IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE DOING, ASK THE PATIENTS – NOT THE EMPLOYEES

      • USN 72-75 June 6, 2014 at 13:45

        Fracking A buddy. You hit it exactly right!

  9. Pat June 5, 2014 at 23:57

    Good news! My father will be very happy if this is acted upon…

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