Posted on Jul 13, 2021
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I would have to ask the director why still haven't improved the time it takes to get appointments at the V. A. I would like to mention first that I have only ever had a couple complaints about the Medical Center I go to but this specific event was particularly aggravating.
Background: I went back in for my appointment on 8 March of this year to get new hearing aids. The earliest they could see me to to give me the new set was 15 April. I called them on the 16th to tell them there was a problem; they had feedback and was ringing in my ears so I had to teach that day without them (my students might have liked it because they could yell at me!). I went back to my old set while I waited for them to get me back in. They did some adjustments and I tried them out for a couple weeks but they still were not right so I went by the hearing clinic while I was there for another appointment. On 21 May they finally got me in for another appointment to do adjustments. Still having problems on 7 June was my next appointment and I went to see them again. They needed a technician to see me, I might need different manufacturer, another appointment was set for 8 July. Four months for hearing aids? Ridiculous! I'm still not sure if they are right. They work OK at home but I will have to get back in the classroom to see if they work like I need them to.
Background: I went back in for my appointment on 8 March of this year to get new hearing aids. The earliest they could see me to to give me the new set was 15 April. I called them on the 16th to tell them there was a problem; they had feedback and was ringing in my ears so I had to teach that day without them (my students might have liked it because they could yell at me!). I went back to my old set while I waited for them to get me back in. They did some adjustments and I tried them out for a couple weeks but they still were not right so I went by the hearing clinic while I was there for another appointment. On 21 May they finally got me in for another appointment to do adjustments. Still having problems on 7 June was my next appointment and I went to see them again. They needed a technician to see me, I might need different manufacturer, another appointment was set for 8 July. Four months for hearing aids? Ridiculous! I'm still not sure if they are right. They work OK at home but I will have to get back in the classroom to see if they work like I need them to.
Veterans Affairs (VA)
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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Cpl Vic Burk I am sorry to hear of your situation and certainly hope it is resolved soon!
I have had my share of issues with the VAMC most recently the total lack of care after cancer surgery which caused me to drive myself (two hours) home... I would like to know why the VA employs personnel who don’t like ir care about Veterans
I have had my share of issues with the VAMC most recently the total lack of care after cancer surgery which caused me to drive myself (two hours) home... I would like to know why the VA employs personnel who don’t like ir care about Veterans
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Cpl Vic Burk
SPC Nancy Greene My situations certainly isn't as bad as yours Nancy but I really need these hearing aids to perform my job. I am just frustrated over what appears in this case to be since it isn't life threatening they don't think timely appointments are necessary.
Generally I have found my V. A. Medical Center to be caring folks. I am lucky in that aspect. Sorry yours is lousy.
Generally I have found my V. A. Medical Center to be caring folks. I am lucky in that aspect. Sorry yours is lousy.
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I would ask him how the hell the VA can say my TBI is not service connected when it happened in Iraq and I received a Purple Heart for it.
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First, try the Patient Advocate. Plan B, call the VAMC Administrator. Finally, file a beef online with VA. I doubt you'll need constituent support from your US Congressman. The time frames are not good, but sound about like the norm. Use Vet's Choice all you can to get farmed out. I started on a knee consult in January, and finally got a VC consult on 1 July, so I understand.
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SPC Michael Terrell
The Patient Advocate can be a big help! I had a Physical Trainer refuse to order the right size of Surgical stockings for me. He also insulted me, claiming what I was wearing was made for women, because the thigh band was smaller than the ones marked for men.
He told me that he knew what he was doing. He said, "No self respecting man would ever wear anything made for women! Id lose my legs first!" I told him the package did not say they were made for women, and that I wasn't as stupid as he was.
I put on a pair of what he gave me. I took one step, and the thigh bands fell below my knees. he just shrugged and said, "Tough shit!"
When I went back, I went to the Patient Advocate's office to get his supervisor's name and phone extension. He turned pale as as sheet, when he saw them on my appointment sheet. I gave him a nasty smile. He was polite, and ordered exactly what I was supposed to have.
He told me that he knew what he was doing. He said, "No self respecting man would ever wear anything made for women! Id lose my legs first!" I told him the package did not say they were made for women, and that I wasn't as stupid as he was.
I put on a pair of what he gave me. I took one step, and the thigh bands fell below my knees. he just shrugged and said, "Tough shit!"
When I went back, I went to the Patient Advocate's office to get his supervisor's name and phone extension. He turned pale as as sheet, when he saw them on my appointment sheet. I gave him a nasty smile. He was polite, and ordered exactly what I was supposed to have.
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Why do VA staff continue to refuse care for veterans? I can’t even get into the VA. I called my local VA clinic trying to register to be seen. The guy on the phone told me I needed the appointment line, despite my attempts to stop him transferring my call, he didn’t listen to me and transferred me anyway. Appointment line tells me that they can’t help me, I need to register first. Information I already knew and tried to tell the guy before. So they transfer me back to the same guy. I tell him what I need. He tells me do it online (I have issues with the online portal due to a break in service and two different last names while in). I tell him that I can’t, he asks where I am located and tells me there is a VA office in the city I was in and yo go register there and then hangs up on me. There is no VA on the city I was in, that why I was calling the main clinic. I have severe anxiety, making phone calls is incredibly difficult for me. It was hard for me to make that call that day. It’s now been a year and I am still working up the courage to make another call. So it’s been over a year since I’ve been seen by a VA doctor and I don’t even know if I can anymore. How many other people behave like this guy? How many other veterans are disregarded and made to feel stupid by VA staff? How many can’t get registered or get appointments because people like him are too lazy to do their jobs (he works in the patient registration office)? After dealing with sexism at my last clinic and now refusal to even register me, it’s no wonder so many vets go without care. How do they plan to fix it?
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Cpl Vic Burk
SGT Erica Smith I went through all this bull when I registered years ago except it was by mail. I finally went there in person and they took care of it. You need to go over their head and contact a elected representative to get involved. Document everything well so you have a complete list and what happened.
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SPC Michael Terrell
When I registered for the VA, you had to go to the nearest hospital to get yor photo ID made. I couldn't use the DAV transportation without the ID, so I had to get my dad to drive me an hour to the hospital. (My problem was that I was losing the feeling in my hands, after driving five minutes.) Once I got it, some ass working there told me that I couldn't even use the Emergency room until I was assigned a Primary Care doctor, and the waiting list was over two years. I had to see a Physician's Assistant, for an intake physical. Then I got yelled at and cursed out when I asked the intake doctor about the VA's policy on disabled parking. (I had fallen already several times, due to a bad knee.) He screamed, "I wouldn't give one to my own mother, even if she lot both of her damned arms and both damned legs!"
I had barely made it home when he called and started cursing that I was Diabetic, an I was obviously 'Too F@#$%^&*( stupid to know what to eat.' He told me that Ihad to see the dietician, which took 14 months. I took her all the meals that I prepared, with detailed numbers per meal. He comment was, ""Other than being 50 calories low on carbs per
day, I couldn't have given you a better diet." That was the first good vA doctor that I met.
The problem with my hands turned out to be Carpal Tunnel and nerve damage in my hands and left arm.
I had barely made it home when he called and started cursing that I was Diabetic, an I was obviously 'Too F@#$%^&*( stupid to know what to eat.' He told me that Ihad to see the dietician, which took 14 months. I took her all the meals that I prepared, with detailed numbers per meal. He comment was, ""Other than being 50 calories low on carbs per
day, I couldn't have given you a better diet." That was the first good vA doctor that I met.
The problem with my hands turned out to be Carpal Tunnel and nerve damage in my hands and left arm.
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Ok as a VA audiologist let me explain a few things about hearing aids.
Getting a hearing evaluation and getting your hearing aids in about a month post hearing evaluation is very good especially in the VA. If there were custom earmolds or these were custom in the ear style hearing aids they take the vendor around 2 weeks to make plus time for shipping your impressions to vendor and shipping hearing aids back to VA.
All hearing aids through VA come with a 6 month trial period. This is 5 months longer than you get in the private sector when your self purchase hearing aids.
Hearing aids are not like eye glasses. We are really retraining your brain to hear again rather just making things louder. It takes time to adjust to hearing aids even if you were a previous user. Usually about a month of 6-8 hours of average daily usage is required. As for demanding listening environments a classroom is probably one of the most demanding situations second maybe to church or a crowded party for a hearing aid to perform in. Perhaps your audiologist didn’t discuss some of the realistic expectations for hearing aids and communication strategies to employ.
So you’ve had 4 appointments in four months. That’s pretty good for service to be quite honest. If you had done the CHOICE program you’d have waited around 30 days for an appointment. Then as of the other day it’s 180 days before the VA office that handles the choice program orders can order your hearing aids and then another month for the choice provider to get the devices to their office and then who knows how long to get you in.
So I guess what I am saying is I get it you’re frustrated that you’re having problems with your new hearing aids, but I think your VA is doing right by you.
My previous VA has a 3 month wait for hearing aid fittings after you get your evaluation.
Why the wait? Well Congress decided to expand the choice program rather than spending the money to hire more audiologists. Most of us in audiology see about 2-3 times the amount of patients in a week than a private sector audiologist does. I do virtual appointments, remote programming, phone calls, va secure messages, all on top of my in person patients I see. Most days I eat my lunch at my desk while charting notes. I frequently stay late to work in extra patients. I am the norm not the exception in VA audiology too.
Getting a hearing evaluation and getting your hearing aids in about a month post hearing evaluation is very good especially in the VA. If there were custom earmolds or these were custom in the ear style hearing aids they take the vendor around 2 weeks to make plus time for shipping your impressions to vendor and shipping hearing aids back to VA.
All hearing aids through VA come with a 6 month trial period. This is 5 months longer than you get in the private sector when your self purchase hearing aids.
Hearing aids are not like eye glasses. We are really retraining your brain to hear again rather just making things louder. It takes time to adjust to hearing aids even if you were a previous user. Usually about a month of 6-8 hours of average daily usage is required. As for demanding listening environments a classroom is probably one of the most demanding situations second maybe to church or a crowded party for a hearing aid to perform in. Perhaps your audiologist didn’t discuss some of the realistic expectations for hearing aids and communication strategies to employ.
So you’ve had 4 appointments in four months. That’s pretty good for service to be quite honest. If you had done the CHOICE program you’d have waited around 30 days for an appointment. Then as of the other day it’s 180 days before the VA office that handles the choice program orders can order your hearing aids and then another month for the choice provider to get the devices to their office and then who knows how long to get you in.
So I guess what I am saying is I get it you’re frustrated that you’re having problems with your new hearing aids, but I think your VA is doing right by you.
My previous VA has a 3 month wait for hearing aid fittings after you get your evaluation.
Why the wait? Well Congress decided to expand the choice program rather than spending the money to hire more audiologists. Most of us in audiology see about 2-3 times the amount of patients in a week than a private sector audiologist does. I do virtual appointments, remote programming, phone calls, va secure messages, all on top of my in person patients I see. Most days I eat my lunch at my desk while charting notes. I frequently stay late to work in extra patients. I am the norm not the exception in VA audiology too.
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MAJ (Join to see)
You probably have Marvel paradise receiver in canals then. Did you download the myPhonak app? If so did your audiologist talk to you about remote support/assistance for programming and creating your own programs in the myPhonak app?Cpl Vic Burk
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Cpl Vic Burk
I didn't know there was such an app. They did set up my little flip phone for blue tooth. That was great when I got it to work but when I was using the aids for those couple weeks. It helped me hear my wife much better. (I rarely ever use my cell phone) They didn't talk to me about setting up my own programs but I take blame for that. I am not the most savy person when it comes to things like this so all I wanted was for it to work so I could hear my students.
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MAJ (Join to see)
ah that would be why. They usually can program via Bluetooth to a flip phone for phone calls, but you need an android based phone or iPhone to download the myPhonak app. If you get a smart phone you fsh download the app and it’s amazing. My patients love itCpl Vic Burk
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Cpl Vic Burk
MAJ (Join to see) I really don't want the cell phone. The only reason I have it is because back in August 2010 they pulled me out of school in an ambulance and my wife got all bent out of shape. I asked her what does it matter. I was at school and they got hold of you. Her response was, "What if you were on the road and that happened? How would you get me then?" With that, I got my first cell phone. I have NET10 and I have to buy 150 minutes per month to keep in active so it has almost 18,000 minutes on it right now.
I do have to admit it has come in handy a time or two when I needed to stop at the grocery store on the way home.
I do have to admit it has come in handy a time or two when I needed to stop at the grocery store on the way home.
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