Okay, so that hed is a bit clickbait-y (well, a LOT clickbait-y ;-). So sue me.
Anyway, I'm retired military and I benefit from Tricare for all my healthcare needs and I haven't been to a Veterans Administration medical center in two decades (and then only as part of my duties as a health care administrator at a nearby Navy hospital). I don't utilize their services, in other words, and I'm not even registered with the VA. Part of that is because I've been so blessed with more than ample resources to support myself and my wife that I feel like I'd be stealing from other far less fortunate vets if I ever did make use of VA services, so I've never been to one of them, really.
Well I had a battle buddy who also lives in the area and he had no way to get to his VA appointments yesterday so I drove him to Detroit's John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and spent the morning there with him. I came away singularly impressed with the place and with the staff, every single one of them from the doctors to the nurses to the technicians to the foodservice and janitorial and retail store ("VCS Patriot Store") staff, without exception.
Everyone was unfailingly polite and cheerful and the various clinics I took him took to were amazingly well-organized. I spent some time as a Navy healthcare administrator, so I know the ins-and-outs of running a hospital. This massive place was well-run. Also, it was one of the cleanest, best-kept facilities I've ever seen. It would have no problem passing at least the facilities portion of its accreditation process, I'd say. Plus, there was a huge number of specialty clinics and services, including a community living center and a hospice for our veterans making their final journey to Valhalla and the hall of heroes.
Kudos to the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center. As we'd say in the naval service, "Bravo Zulu!"
Below, some pictures of the atrium area as well as one of the clinic areas. Nice, nice place with nice, nice people across the board.
"Politics is just show business for ugly people."
Anyway, I'm retired military and I benefit from Tricare for all my healthcare needs and I haven't been to a Veterans Administration medical center in two decades (and then only as part of my duties as a health care administrator at a nearby Navy hospital). I don't utilize their services, in other words, and I'm not even registered with the VA. Part of that is because I've been so blessed with more than ample resources to support myself and my wife that I feel like I'd be stealing from other far less fortunate vets if I ever did make use of VA services, so I've never been to one of them, really.
Well I had a battle buddy who also lives in the area and he had no way to get to his VA appointments yesterday so I drove him to Detroit's John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and spent the morning there with him. I came away singularly impressed with the place and with the staff, every single one of them from the doctors to the nurses to the technicians to the foodservice and janitorial and retail store ("VCS Patriot Store") staff, without exception.
Everyone was unfailingly polite and cheerful and the various clinics I took him took to were amazingly well-organized. I spent some time as a Navy healthcare administrator, so I know the ins-and-outs of running a hospital. This massive place was well-run. Also, it was one of the cleanest, best-kept facilities I've ever seen. It would have no problem passing at least the facilities portion of its accreditation process, I'd say. Plus, there was a huge number of specialty clinics and services, including a community living center and a hospice for our veterans making their final journey to Valhalla and the hall of heroes.
Kudos to the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center. As we'd say in the naval service, "Bravo Zulu!"
Below, some pictures of the atrium area as well as one of the clinic areas. Nice, nice place with nice, nice people across the board.
"Politics is just show business for ugly people."