Phoenix VA Health Care System

2^nd visit and starting to find the glitches.
First of all, most of the offices are named after precious stones… jade, turquoise, ruby etc. instead of numbers. I’m guessing to help vets remember where to go. Though the signs are clearly labeled some offices are located in obscure places and easy to walk right by which is what happened to me. I walked the entire length of the hospital only to find that the office was behind a wall next to the entrance where I came in.
After a short wait was able to see my assigned Dr. for my physical. He was very thorough and was constantly typing while asking me questions. Slight language barrier, I think he is of Russian descent. He scribbled some info on a piece of paper and I was told to give it to the receptionist who assured me he could translate the scribbles.
He got everything wrong and I had to correct him! If he had any sense he should have spoken directly to the doctor! A mistake here would definitely cause some serious problems! My next step was to get my blood drawn and my lungs x-​rayed.
It went smoothly until it came time to go to my follow up 8am appt. 2 weeks later. Parking was a nightmare and had to park in a no parking zone, ran in to check in then parked in the adjoining Indian School park.
My Dr did not say anything about my blood or lung X-​ray until I questioned him to which he responded by saying, «if I don’t say anything about your blood or lungs you are fine. To be continued…
My thumbs are tired so I’ll quit for now.

Where to even begin… I guess we can start with the parking, there isn’t any available unless you get there before 7:00AM or you follow some poor soul who just had the life sucked out of him back to his car.
Wait times just to get into the actual waiting lines are ridiculous, let alone the time you will spend waiting for a provider. If you do or dont have an appointment, more then likely your visit to VA hospital is going to be half day to an entire day event depending on what you need. I even had a doctor tell me today that «I was lucky I could just walk into a hospital and see a doctor with out an appointment». This doctor has spent her entire life in government healthcare and clearly hasn’t visited a private practice at all during her professional adult life.
The biggest tragedy involves the same doctor I mentioned above named Dr. Donnely. Long story short is I have been on a maintenance medication for close to seven years now. I was diagnosed with this dis order three times, two times by civilian doctors and one time by the Army. One would think that three diagnosis and paperwork to support that would warrant evidence that you do in-​fact suffer from the said disorder. Well it turns out it does not for the VA or Dr. Donnely who proceeded to interrogate me about my past and why I was on the medication. Not one time did she ever ask me «whats wrong and how can we help you today». It felt as if I had committed a crime of some kind and was being investigated and then told I didn’t know what I was talking about and that my past doctors didn’t either. Needless to say I was refused a refill of my prescription until I was «re-​diagnosed» for the same disorder I have had for a decade. Being upset I went to the patients advocate and filed a complaint. Literally all the patient advocate did was send the very same doctor that I clearly had an issue with and had no desire to actually help me a message on the computer. Of course her response was the same she gave to me.
Now I am stuck in a situation where I cant even apply for civilian based medical assistance because I am eligible for VA benefits. However the VA system cant provide the medical care that I need. I ended up having to pay a ridiculous amount of money to see a civilian doctor and get the prescription filled that route (which took only an hour from the second I walked into the door until I was out the door with exactly what I had asked the VA for over a two day span).
If your thinking the VA healthcare system is a good alternative to private practice medicine, your dead wrong. I would strongly advise you only sign up for VA medical benefits if you have absolutely no other options. Even if your work has a high copay or a deduction plan for their healthcare, it will make up for it ten fold in efficiency and quality of care you receive.

I went there because I applied for a government job and they wanted some clarification on my medical history. I brought the paperwork over and the nurse copied it and said like «I will copy it and give the originals to the doctor, because we often lose these kinds of papers.» Sure enough, three weeks later without hearing anything, I call and complain and find out the doctor was on vacation and that the ORIGINALS are lost. Great. A week later I get a call to bring the copies. A week later I get a call to come in and discuss it. This is how things move, they operate on a weekly time scale. Things moved so slowly, that I lost the job because I couldn’t bring back the paperwork in a timely manner.
Besides this, I have had a lot of setting up appointments where the office has to call me to make an appointment. They 100% call around 9am while I am at work and leave a message to call them back. Good luck, I have never gotten through on those numbers to a human. It is always a machine and they always take 5 – 7 days to call me back. So, if you are in pain like me, good luck getting appointments done in a timely manner. If you call and try an alternate way to get that appointment scheduled, the call center people often get upset and rude. After telling one that I was in a lot of pain and waiting a month for an MRI, he said «come on man, they are very busy,» and proceed to make a lot of sighs and lip noises like I am bothering him.
This place has a bad reputation for a reason. People have died waiting for treatment and they DO lose paperwork and mess up scheduling on a consistent basis. If you have the ability, avoid them like the plague.

I am a vet and this place still sucks after the scandal. They put things in your record that you did not say. So you have to constantly check it and it’s takes work just to get it removed. The parking is ridiculous. I drove around for an hour to avoid valet parking still nothing. Then finally had to use valet just to wait another hour. It’s very unorganized. The doctors and staff can be rude and non caring. The only doctor that has shown genuine care for her patients is Dr. Solomon in Neurology. She is the greatest. This place really need to be more organized. I wasted a half tank of gas just trying to find parking.

Don’t trust them! I’ve had 2 family members part of the VA Hospital and neither have come out alive or healthy. They are part of depopulating humanity by targeting the elderly. «Drug them up and send them home» should be the motto. No actual health care being done anymore! Such a Shame we can’t even trust our own health care system! Once again, thank you Obama Care, for being absolutely worthless!

I have been here twice now and have decided to make it my regular clinic. All staff members, nurses and doctors have been amazing each visit and I felt valuable and cared for by everyone I met. I totally recommend this clinic to all vets.

This is an honest review, I am not just jumping on the «screw the VA» bandwagon. I showed up for a blood draw at 7:00AM, before the lab even opens and there was a gigantic line. First you have to draw a number to even be checked in and then you have to wait until your number is called to go back and get your blood drawn. From 0700 to 0723, I waited to check in. Once that was done I waited from 0723 to 0952 to be called back for my blood draw. The blood draw itself took under 40 seconds total.
On February 17^th, 2015 I called and wanted to schedule a Dr. appointment because I was not feeling well. They called me back and said that the next available appointment was today, April 1. I accepted this appointment, having no other choice. As I pulled in this morning and experienced a minor miracle, finding a parking space, I received another call that said that she had called in sick, no I could not see another doctor but her next available appointment was April 22. Having no other choice I accepted this new appointment.
I receive prompt, good-​quality mental healthcare at the VA from the OIF/​OEF/​OND clinic but the rest of the hospital is poorly organized, poorly run, and overwhelmed. If this was a civilian doctor, I would be finding another healthcare provider.

If only we could give zero stars for the awful care we received at the ER yesterday. We arrived at 1pm hoping to be seen and out of they in 2 – 3 hours. But due to their inefficiency we didn’t leave until 9:30Pm. The wait was intolerable due to the lackadaisical, uncaring attitude by all staff, medical and support. The only cure for this place is to close it down and start over with something new! And please get rid of these employees who feel entitled and that they have their jobs for life. And for God’s sake treat these Vets with the respect they are due and not like brand new recruits!

–Medical practitioners get 4 stars.
–Whoever is accountable to the hospital’s organization sadly get 0 stars. I wish I was exaggerating but I waited 4 months for an MRI on my leg injury, and 7 months for a consultation on my thumb injury.

Well at least they are trying. The clinics are always packed, even with an appointment (that you obtained a month in advance) you will wait an hour or more to be seen. As for parking, forget it. They are constructing a four story parking garage on site, but until it’s done, good luck. The staff seems to treat everyone nicely, so that’s a plus.

Faster and easier check-​ins for your appointments.

Second appointment at the ENT, both times I waited 45+ minutes past my scheduled appointment to be seen. After that wait today the doctor tells me that there is nothing they can due about my chronic sinus congestion and has me leave after 2 minutes. So glad this is the care we give to our veterans. This place is an absolute joke. More employees bullshitting in the halls then helping patient waiting for care.

The PCT clinic is great. The rest of the VA is maybe slightly at or below the care you’d expect to get if you went to the Maricopa humane society.

I’ve never been to a worse medical facility in my life. Over two hour wait EVERY TIME. I came in to the er one specific time for severe back pain due to fractures, the «Dr» was a tall goofy Fuck with blonde hair, he accused me of being a liar and implying I was hunting for pill prescriptions even tho I hadn’t had any meds for over a year and a half, I’m glad my wife was there so I have someone who was by my side to verify what that Fuck said. Parking is terrible the employees are fucking lazy and act like YOU’RE the problem not the system. Fuck the va. Fuck the employees. And a huge FUCK YOU to the drs. You should be fucking embarrassed of yourselves.

Maybe my expectations haven’t fully evolved since entering the VA system but so far, after two Dr. Appointments 2 visits to the lab and today’s visit with a nutritionist, I am impressed. No significant waiting. Painless needle sticks. Wonderful volunteers. While it took a very long time to finally get into the system, so far I have nothing but good things to say about the staff and service. The VA here serves a huge population and seems to be very considerate of patient needs. Thanks guys for your care and attention.

I feel compelled to write this after going to the VA Emergency Room and being taken care of literally less than two hours after I went to them with my situation. I went to the ER AFTER going to my assigned Emerald Clinic, and the effiency of the ER really highlighted how poorly the Emerald Clinic handled themselves, once again. This review honestly doesn’t include the VA’s ER department. I’m not sure if the intense nature of emergency medicine puts all the most skilled doctors, nurses, and staff in that department, whatever it is, they are miles ahead of the Emerald Clinic from when you first see the person at the front desk, to when you leave.
After taking a job offer in another country, I was informed five days before leaving that I need a health examination done. I went into my assigned Emerald Clinic hoping that they could help me out. Now, I knew my situation was far from critical, but I was more than willing to wait as long as it took to get this health examination. I explained my situation to the lady at the front desk, and she told me, «I’ll do what I can.» After about thirty minutes I asked her my status, and she gave me a «thumbs up» so I was pleased that I’d be seen. After waiting another hour, I was called in back and told, «sorry, we aren’t going to help you today. You need blood work for a physical, and it’s too late to start doing that.» It was approximately 1:30pm. I mentioned the time, and said, «we literally have hours left in the day, I can go do what you need me to do right now.» She just sort of shrugged at me. I asked if we can skip the bloodwork, and just do a quick check up (I didn’t need bloodwork for the job). «Nahh. We can’t do a physical without bloodwork. And nobody else will,» (lie number 1). Her dismissal attitude, and apathy was shocking to me. What came next though really upset me. Another thing I was told was that, «your health care provider is pregnant, and not staying til we close, she’s leaving early, so even if you get the bloodwork, we still aren’t going to help you.» Unprofessional.
I asked her if she had any suggestions for me. She told me, very confidently, «oh yeah, go to the hospital on 7^th Ave, past Roosevelt, and they do physicals for vets for $ 20. They’ll have you in and out quick too,» (lie number 2). After wasting my time and gas money driving to the hospital on 7^th Ave, they looked at me like I was crazy, and said they do not, nor have they ever, done walk in physicals for only $ 20. The bottom line is that it was 1:30pm on a Friday when I was in the Emerald Clinic and they didn’t want to take a walk-​in patient after 12:00pm. So after refusing to help me, I assume the lady I saw lied to me to me to get me out of there quickly.
The person I saw at Patient Advocacy literally shrugged it off and said, «It’s Friday. They want to go home.» Like that is completely acceptable behavoir. Luckily, I got a little empathy at the ER, explained my situation to nurse Sharon (who was awesome), and like I said, I was in and out in less than 2 hours, WITH a health examination. I don’t think Emerald Clinic’s laziness is fair to the ER, who in my case, blatantly had to pick up the Emerald Clinic’s slack. Making me wait almost a hour and half just to tell me they wouldn’t help me was another upsetting fact. That’s not how you treat people, and it’s certainly not how you should treat vets in a veteran’s hospital. Thank you very much though ER department, you guys do rock!

My nurse and doctor where reprimand by receiving educational training to keep what happened to me from happening again. Hope your visit will be safer and better.

Lets take the easy one first — PARKING – I have set in the parking at 0600 for an 0800 and even a 0100 appt. but the major problem are truly non-​handicap hanger. They don’t care about taken an Van spot for Wheel-​Chair Vets and I have taken down license # and advised the VA Police; who spend most of their time around the Coffee Bar by the ER. I could not tell you the last time I ever saw a Police Office in the parking lot and one should be at each handicap area from 0530 – 1 100 and see and ticket the rum-​dumbs that take Handicap Parking – I personally am mobile for a short distant and suffer from shortness of breath-​that why I have to get to the VA very early just to get a Parking spot. There is not mobile cart running anymore, so many of us with breathing problems have to walk down the long halls, huffn & puffn!
Next appointments, I most likely have a bad name at the VA has I don’t hesitation to email Ms. Helman, Director of VA Hospital for NOW!
. I truly believe that 99% of front lines CARE-​GIVERS want to do a good job and provide good care for the Vets, but due to all the BS they can’t.
Many are so hung-​up on their stupid Secure Messaging that I had to call a number of people to advise them that «It’s VA Policy for Employees to us it or the Phone», but it’s not for the Vet-​and I try to use it when convenient.
Appt. times are ridiculous and they need to build larger Clinics and staffed with more Medical People; do more testing at the Local Level. They also need to use more «FEE FOR SERVICE APPOINTMENTS», BUT UNDERSTAND THEY RAN AMUCK, SPENDING $ 1.5M OVER BUDGET. NO ONE HAS BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND THEY TAKE IT OUR ON THE VETERANS! Most of the time they rather pay me mileage than pay $ 75. appt. where I live 4 hours out of Phoenix. Our Clinic in NE AZ is under-​staff, with one Dr. a PA who just retired so One Doctor to care for all the Vets.
Mismanagement, it a classic study on how not to run a Hospital and managing Healthcare for 81,000+ Vets ALL OVER THE STATE.

Update…711pm and still sitting I the same chair.
Update two…850pm. Just got called back!!! Yes… but wait. Just to wait in another waiting room inside the ER.
Final update, left at 1130pm without any test results. They said I can wait 3 more hours or they can call me later.
I chose to leave and they called me at 3am to give me my results.

I have almost no complaints about this hospital and the associated clinics – doctors, nurses, and volunteers work tirelessly to make sure that veterans get the care that they need, and I am seen pretty frequently here, all for free. They are also building a couple different new wings to make room for special programs and expansions of existing clinics, which is pretty awesome in my opinion.
Downfalls – the wait list for some types of care (primary care, other than critical, dental care, and one or two others) can stretch out several weeks. And the parking…
Like the other reviewers here, that’s pretty much what brings it down from five stars. There is a pretty large parking lot but so many people are seen every day that it fills up FAST. It’s worse than Wal-​Mart on Black Friday, honestly. It seems as if they are still working on that, but it’s what I dread the most about my visits – and that includes dental work and other unpleasant checkups.