Veteran applauds local VA health care experience
The formal postal mailing announcement, or was it an "invitation," pronounced my appointment of Friday, Jan. 16, 2015, with the familiar name of the MD clinician, and the 9:30 a.m. time. Great!
Upon arrival, the reception area, a typical waiting room as in most hospitals, except this one had conversational seating and all the provisions imaginable to accommodate multiple patients and applicants already ahead of us. A few days before I had visited the same facility to renew some long-standing VA-furnished prescriptions as prescribed by my local family physicians, and would be received by US Mail at my home within a couple of days. At that first visit the efficiency of those staff persons was prompt and pleasant. Only a few persons were in the waiting room.
Coincidentally, within another day's time, we received at our home a packet of information and "Your appointment details:" Friday, Jan. 16 at 9:30 a.m. was our appointment. Our arrival was timely, the parking lot was already full, and we still found a parking slot, much to our surprise. Upon entering the reception area, waiting room, it was most orderly filled with a calmed group of veterans, with appropriate seating for most of those present. Posted directions indicated the area of "sign in." My recollection is that there were five registrars at separate cubicles, no waiting lines.
Unknowing to us as we sat near the entrance door were "podium type" desks which we later learned, and assumed, were to enable "check-in" with each veteran's proper VA identification card. Meanwhile, the "Veterans' Congregation," typical of any such gathering I've attended over the last 59 years since 1946 Army discharge, were exchanging discourse and reminiscence of military life.
Most interesting to an unwary witness of this gathering might be that one might hear of various "action scenes or happenings." Not so. The actual scenes of remembrance are merely mention of the location and possible dates such as "Yes, we were" or "I was" there. The rest is documented history, like "who cares" now. And as an aside in this commentary, it has not changed for those who "were there."
Back to the subject: Health care at Coeur d'Alene's own VA facility, from one person's experience and perspective.
As we had been assembled in the reception area before 9:30 a.m., gradually a few names were called out. In my case I was greeted by a delightful, bright young lady who remembered me from previous VA visits in Spokane and Cd'A, leading me to an unoccupied doctor's office. Shortly thereafter another vet joined us before the return of the initial interviewer, probably a nurse practitioner, who item by item, went through my medical history, making notes as needed for the next step to come in the process with the doctor, and in the doctor's office.
The doctor is the same VA doctor I've talked with for the past several years reviewing the notes of the previous review and each prescription, past and present. I am also most fortunate that almost my entire life of two marriages, each to a Licensed Registered Nurse, who have maintained and/or screened every medical need or procedure. She has attended any and every medical appointment and discusses each medicine, prescribed or otherwise, with the appropriate physician, or provider. The listings are carried in her purse.
Finally, at the conclusion of the VA appointment as we left the building about 11:30 a.m., having arrived earlier for a 9:30 appointment, as we exited through the waiting room, there were no patients to be seen awaiting their turn.
My goodness! What a positive difference, compared to previous VA visitations. We must congratulate and commend the planners, directors, operators and aides, all of them, for the excellence of today's VA facility, and in Coeur d'Alene, yet.
John S. McConnell is a Post Falls resident.