Shout out to the V.A. Healthcare System
Just out/back from another week long stay at the Robley Rex V.A. Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. As always I'm humbled by the care shown me by ALL the employees there. I was and have been treated like a King during my stays there. ALWAYS! (which as I get older seems to be much more frequent lol)
I know you Doctors/Nurses/Orderlies/and general staff don't get much love from ..... well, anyone , so I'm taking this opportunity to personally thank you for all the kindness and care shown me and the other veterans under your care. I've made use of many different V.A. Hospitals across the country and have unfailingly been treated with respect and dignity. You have no idea how the simple things like that helps when you are ailing. So , THANK YOU !! You are the BEST! Thank you from this old veterans heart for being there for us, it IS much appreciated.
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I worked 7 years in HR at the VA, hiring nedical staff. It was the best job of my life because I knew it was our Vets that I was working for. I met and worked with so many great people there, all devoted to serving those who served and their families.
Thank you for sharing your experience, and thank you again for your service.
Some good, some very good, some bad, some very bad. I am a service-connected disabled vet due to a military surgeon who was not too good. I use Asheville VA which is supposed to be one of the best.
Best of socialized medicine. 
on prevention but 
on some care. Other people with similar medical issues at the Medical Center got things easily that I had to fight for because they got to see other providers that did so much more for them.
My VA Primary Care doctor gives me short refusal to requests with no explanation. His nurses are a gem but he is too busy he says. My outside (on Medicare) doctor is 100 times better and she really wants to help me.
Can't even get some of the medication my outside doctor requested from VA in spite of the fact that the VA authorizes it. They don't want to spend the money in spite of the fact that what they give me is what the manufacturer said is "off label use" and "we are reporting it to the FDA".
Urologist is absolutely wonderful as is Audiology and eye care. People are nice, friendly and helpful but Patient Advocate was worthless when I needed help the most. Physical Therapy, Orthopedic Supplies people are great. The nurses are truly outstanding. Apnea people are also fabulous.
Nice that medications are so inexpensive but VA gets cheap on the stupidest things - they want me to split pills that cost $4/month at Walmart but can't be split with a splitter because of shape or by hand because at my age, that has become difficult. I had to fight with them over that and got some changed.
Getting outside community care referral from VA is harder than pulling teeth.
Because of the distance, the only reason I go to the VA any more are the Urologist, the cost of medication, Apnea supplies, hearing aids and glasses. All other care is outside as with Medicare and Medigap, I don't need the VA for much. But I have to see my doctor annually or lose my eligibility even though it is mostly a waste of time.
