HAMPTON, Va. — The wait time for primary care for the 50,000-plus annual patients at the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, according to the V.A.'s own website, is currently 42 days.
It's a vast improvement over the worst-in the nation 108 days back in 2010.
Among the 22 V.A. medical facilities in Virginia, it's still the worst in the state.
The biggest problem is the lack of employees, and the V.A's inability to compete, salary-wise, with the private sector.
There are currently 720 staff vacancies at Hampton, down from the 790 openings they had back in early October.
Still, they need everything from doctors, to nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, clerks and medical assistants.
"These veterans deserve more timely care," said Virginia Senator Mark Warner, who said he has now received assurances from Hampton V.A. "Director David Collins that there will be improvements. I've made a commitment to be back here within 90 days, that we're going to see an improvement on wait times. We're going to see an improvement on staffing requirements."
"I told the senator for the first time, in November, we've got more primary physicians coming in that going out, so it's going in the right direction," said Collins
He said things are improving on the hiring front. It's just a matter of finding the right people.
"Nobody comes here to get rich," he said. "They come here to serve the veterans because they know this is the right thing to do. They are absolutely committed to providing the best possible care."
Warner noted, though. this was the fourth or fifth time he has come to Hampton in the past seven or eight years and received similar assurances from past directors.
"The numbers are getting a little better, so I can cut a little slack when it's making sure we can get the providers in," he said. "I'm not going to cut any slack if it's inefficient call centers, sloppy scheduling software and just plain bureaucracy."
Also attending today's meeting, Virginia Beach Police Chief Jim Cervera who promised to assist in any way he can with the ongoing veteran suicide problem.
"One of the gaps is, if we have an individual who happens to be a veteran, but they have not risen to the level of an emergency committal, what do we do?" he said. "We're now strengthening those relationships, strengthening the process. You know, police are the first ones to any incident where it has gotten to the point if potential suicide or potential mental health crisis."