Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Medical Clinics Found Lacking

August 4, 2010 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs several polytrauma rehabilitation centers across the nation. Recent visits to some of those centers have revealed the VA is lacking staff in some very vital, and specialty areas. The VA is going to have to make an effort to fill these spots. Not doing so may force the hand of veterans to step outside the VA health care system for help.

This is the VA's predicament as it was presented to a House of Representatives subcommittee 2 weeks ago. The testimony came from Denise Williams, Assistant Director of the American Legion's Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health. Williams testified the VA must correct shortages in essential areas such as: 

• Physical therapy;
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation;
• Speech and language pathology; and
• Certified rehabilitation nursing.

According to Williams, the VA's health care system lacks more than just people at certain positions. The VA's medical centers are unable to provide the state-of-the-art prostheses many veterans require, which are readily available at Department of Defense (DoD) medical centers.

Williams concluded his testimony by reinforcing how much the VA needs the funding to fill these needed positions, and be able to adequately respond to veterans whose needs include prosthetics. Unfortunately amputations and prosthetics are more necessary than they should be and the VA has a responsibility to veterans to ensure they are able to provide support for such services.