The recent concerns voiced about the Washington, D.C. Veteran Affairs Medical Center (DCVAMC) in an inspector general’s report are echoed by some veterans. However, staff members say they are committed to providing top-notch service to the nation’s warriors.

The Washington, D.C. Veteran Affairs Medical Center is located in the northwest quadrant of the District of Columbia. (Courtesy Photo)

On April 12, the Veteran Affairs Office of the Inspector General issued an interim summary report citing management practices and staffing deficiencies that were present at the facility located near the Washington Hospital Center in the northwest quadrant of D.C. The backlash from the report prompted U.S. Sens. Mark Warner, Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Jon Testor (D-Mont.) to write Veteran Affairs Secretary David J. Shulkin demanding immediate action.

Since the report’s release, retired Army Col. Lawrence Connell has been named the acting director.

A spokesman for D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) told the AFRO that she is aware of the situation at the center and will respond appropriately in due time.

Veterans receive free treatment at VA hospitals. Health professionals who work at VA hospitals tend to specialize in diseases and ailments that are unique to veterans. Dental and mental health services are also available.

Jacque Patterson, retired Air Force veteran and president of the Ward 8 Democrats, told the AFRO that he is not a fan of veterans’ hospitals. “I try to avoid them if I can,” Patterson said. “If I had medical needs or had to have medical attention, I would not go to a VA hospital. The service is poor and it is hard to get an appointment.”

Stanley Ray served in the Army and Navy and has visited the D.C. VA Hospital. He wasn’t impressed, either. “They need to improve,” Ray told the AFRO. “They don’t treat veterans with the type of respect that they deserve.”

Ray is aware of the inspector general’s report critical of the way the D.C. VA hospital was run. However, he said, the Trump administration is likely to enhance VA hospitals financially, but the D.C. hospital has issues that need addressing. “There needs to be a strong emphasis on customer service,” Ray said. “It seems like when you are visiting there, they are doing you a favor when you they serve you. That’s not the case. This is a service that you have earned.”

Ray made it clear he was so turned-off by the service at the D.C. VA hospital that he pledged “never to go back there.”

That hasn’t been the experience of the Rev. Scott Bostic, youth pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church in the District. “My experience at the DC VAMC has been good overall,” Bostic, a 2005 graduate of the United States Military Academy West Point, told the AFRO. “I am seen there for my primary care but not for much else since overall I’m in good health. When I first moved to D.C., I had a routine surgery done at the VAMC and that went very well, and my follow-up was also handled well.”

Bostic did cite a problem seeing a physical therapist and said that experience “was disappointing.” Nevertheless, Bostic, who served in Iraq as a health care administrator from 2009-2010, is upbeat about the center. “I have recommended and referred people to go to the D.C. VAMC because they have a lot of resources there which can make a significant difference to veterans in need of care,” he said. “However, I do warn people that they will need to be persistent and advocate for their care, so as to make sure they don’t fall into one of those cracks and get forgotten about.”

Despite a few positive reviews, any unhappy veteran concerns Gloria Hairston, director of public affairs at the D.C. VA Hospital. “We are committed to caring for all veterans,” Hairston told the AFRO. “I don’t want veterans leaving the hospital feeling that our customer service wasn’t satisfactory. We are not looking to be rude to people.”