Tessa Quinn
Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals are intended to provide veterans with personalized, patient-driven, compassionate, state-of-the-art care. However, there have been instances where veterans have faced challenges in receiving timely and appropriate treatment, including issues with bureaucracy, long wait times, and disputes over treatment decisions. Veterans who are unhappy with their care or feel their concerns are not being addressed can turn to a Patient Advocate at their VA medical center for help. Patient Advocates work with management and employees to facilitate resolutions and ensure veterans receive the best care possible. Veterans can also connect with Veterans Crisis Line responders for confidential help, which is available 24/7.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Avenues to fight back | Veterans have avenues to fight the VA's health care decisions, but it can be a full-time job |
| Patient Advocate | A Patient Advocate is an employee who is designated to manage feedback and help resolve issues. They work with management and employees to facilitate resolutions. |
| Treatment team | If you have a concern, first speak with your treatment team, which includes your doctor, nurse, social worker, dietitian, pharmacist, chaplain, therapist, and other associated professionals. |
| Confidential help | Veterans in crisis can connect with confidential, free, and available 24/7 help from Veterans Crisis Line responders, many of whom are veterans themselves. |
| Medical equipment | Veterans can get medical equipment, prosthetics, and prescriptions. |
| Medical care outside the U.S. | Veterans can find out how the Foreign Medical Program works and how to register for it. |
| Dental insurance | Veterans can find out if they're eligible for discounted private dental insurance for themselves and their family members. |
| Mental health services | Veterans can access mental health services for PTSD, MST, depression, grief, anxiety, and other needs. |
| Community care | Veterans can receive care from a provider in their local community through community care. |
| Inconsistencies | Veterans have reported inconsistencies in the Veterans Choice Program, including issues with billing and appointment scheduling. |
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What You'll Learn
Contact a Patient Advocate at your VA medical centre
If you need help getting care or getting your problems resolved, you can talk to a Patient Advocate at your VA medical centre. The Patient Advocacy Program is for all veterans and their families who receive care at VA health care facilities. Patient Advocates are highly trained professionals who can help resolve your concerns about any aspect of your healthcare experience, especially those concerns that cannot be resolved at the point of care.
If you have a compliment, suggestion or concern regarding your care, first speak with your treatment team. Your treatment team includes your doctor, nurse, social worker, dietitian, pharmacist, chaplain, therapist and other professionals associated with your medical care. If you feel your concerns are not being addressed by your treatment team, you may contact a VA Patient Advocate. A Patient Advocate is an employee who is specifically designated at each VHA facility to manage the feedback received from veterans, family members and friends.
There may be times when you do not agree with your provider about the care that you are or will be receiving. Should this occur, discuss your concerns with your provider. If you still have concerns, ask to speak with your provider's supervisor or the Chief of the Service. If your concern is still unresolved, please contact the Patient Advocate who can assist you, if appropriate, in filing an appeal for a review of your concern.
Patient Advocate contact information is available on each Medical Center site. You can also call your nearest VA medical centre and ask to talk with the VA social worker. If you’re a female veteran, ask for the Women Veterans Program Manager.
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File an appeal for a review of your concern
If you disagree with a decision made by your VA health care team about your treatment or care, you can request a review of the decision by filing an appeal. This type of decision review follows the Clinical Appeals process.
Firstly, discuss your concerns with your provider. If you still have concerns, ask to speak with your provider's supervisor or the Chief of the Service. If your concern is still unresolved, contact the Patient Advocate at your VA medical center, who can assist you in filing an appeal for a review of your concern. Patient advocates are highly trained professionals who work to support the rights of veterans and their families who receive care through the VA. Your advocate will guide your written appeal request through the Clinical Appeals process. They will work with the facility's chief medical officer and any other needed experts to review the medical treatment decision.
You can request a review of a decision that your health care team makes about your treatment or care. Here are some types of medical treatment decisions you can appeal through the Clinical Appeals process:
- If your provider should prescribe a specific medicine for you.
- Whether you should receive a specific type of therapy.
If your appeal enters the Clinical Appeals process, your VISN's chief medical officer will review the appeal and any relevant medical records. If needed, they'll ask other experts to help review the appeal, too. You'll receive a final letter (or email if you choose) with the VISN chief medical officer's decision on your appeal.
For disability compensation claims, you can also file a Supplemental Claim online. You can also submit new evidence with certain types of Board Appeals. You can request a Higher-Level Review if you believe there’s an error with the decision on your claim. A higher-level reviewer will review the decision and consider the same evidence as before. They cannot consider any new evidence. You can request an optional, one-time, informal conference with a higher-level reviewer to identify specific errors in the case. To request a Higher-Level Review, fill out VA Form 20-0996.
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Seek help from service groups and government officials
If you are facing issues with a VA hospital, you can seek help from service groups and government officials. Firstly, you can contact a Patient Advocate at your VA medical center. They are employees designated to manage feedback from veterans, family members, and friends. If you have a compliment, suggestion, or concern, you can first speak with your treatment team, which includes your doctor, nurse, social worker, dietitian, pharmacist, chaplain, therapist, and other associated professionals. If your concerns are not addressed, you can then contact the Patient Advocate, who can assist in filing an appeal for a review.
Additionally, you can reach out to various service groups and government officials, such as Congressional offices. You can also contact the VA Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-488-8244 or visit va.gov/oig/hotline. If you have concerns about healthcare quality and safety, you may also get in touch with the Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring at 1-800-994-6610.
Veterans' advocacy groups, such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, can also be a source of support and a platform to raise concerns. These groups advocate for veterans' rights and work to address any distress or issues within the veteran community.
Furthermore, if you are a veteran in crisis or concerned about another veteran, you can connect with the Veterans Crisis Line responders. This service is confidential, free, and available 24/7, and many of the responders are veterans themselves.
Remember that you have the right to share your concerns, and doing so will not affect your access to care or the treatment you receive.
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Learn about your rights as a patient
As a patient at a VA hospital, you have a number of rights that are outlined in a document detailing patient rights and responsibilities. This document should be provided to you, and it is also posted in outpatient and inpatient areas. If you have not received a copy, you can contact a Patient Advocate who can provide you with one.
- You have the right to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect, and you will not be subject to discrimination for any reason. This includes non-discrimination based on race, color, religion, and sex, as outlined in federal law and VA policy. However, it is important to note that recent changes to VA hospital bylaws have removed protections against discrimination based on politics and marital status.
- You have the right to receive care in a safe and comfortable environment, free from excess noise and with sufficient lighting. You also have access to the outdoors.
- Your health record will be kept confidential, and information about you will not be released without your authorization, unless permitted by law. You have the right to access or request a copy of your health records.
- You have the right to communicate freely and privately. You will have access to public telephones, and assistance in sending and receiving mail.
- You may participate in civic rights, such as voting and free speech. You can also have visitors and support during your stay, although medical staff may restrict visitors if there are medical or safety concerns.
- You have the right to express your preferences concerning future medical care and to designate a healthcare agent to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so. You will be involved in all decisions about your care and provided with information about the benefits and risks of treatment in a language you understand.
If you have any concerns or complaints about your care, you are encouraged to discuss them with your treatment team or a Patient Advocate. You can also file an appeal for a review of your concern if necessary.
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Find out about VA health registries
Veterans who are interested in joining a VA health registry should contact an Environmental Health Coordinator near them. There are six Environmental Health Registries offered by the VA, providing voluntary medical assessments for veterans who may have been exposed to certain environmental hazards during their military service. These registries are independent of the VA benefits process but can provide veterans with valuable health insights.
VA health registries are a system for collecting and maintaining data on specific persons from a defined population. There are two broad categories of health registries: disease-based registries and exposure-based registries. Disease-based registries organize data based on specific diseases or conditions, such as cancer or multiple sclerosis. Exposure-based registries, on the other hand, organize data based on people who have experienced common exposures. An example of an exposure-based registry is the registry for World Trade Center 9/11 workers.
Veterans who served before 1990 may be eligible for one of the other two registries offered by Post Deployment Health Services. These include the Depleted Uranium Follow-Up Program, Toxic Embedded Fragment Surveillance Center, Ionizing Radiation Registry, and Agent Orange Registry, which focus on specific exposures. There are also registries that address a broader spectrum of exposures, such as the Gulf War Registry and the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, the latter of which is the newest and fastest-growing registry.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, registry exams were temporarily suspended or reduced at some locations. However, efforts are now being made to re-engage veterans who wish to participate, with some exams being offered through telemedicine or VA Video Connect. Veterans can contact their local Environmental Health Coordinator to find out the options for a registry exam near them.
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Frequently asked questions
Talk to the Patient Advocate at your VA medical center. If you feel your concerns are not being addressed by your treatment team, you may contact a VA Patient Advocate.
Connect with the Veterans Crisis Line responders for confidential help. This service is private, free, and available 24/7.
Contact the Patient Advocate at your facility. If your concern is still unresolved, the Patient Advocate can assist you in filing an appeal for a review of your concern.
