O’Rourke’s office releases VA survey results
Congressman Beto O’Rourke’s office has released the results of his survey of El Paso veterans.
This is the third year his office has conducted the survey. Based on the latest results, there are both signs of progress and concern when it comes to accessing mental health care services at the El Paso VA.
The time it takes for a veteran to access a mental health specialist has gone down from an average of 71 days in 2014 to 57 days in 2016. Congressman O’Rourke says this result shows progress but acknowledges that it’s not enough, saying “we find clear proof that we must redouble our efforts if we are to successfully transform the El Paso VA into a national leader.”
An “alarming trend” that O’Rourke also notes is the number of veterans who have had their primary healthcare provider dropped without notification. According to the report, approximately 43 percent of the veterans surveyed had lost their primary care provider over the last year.
The survey looked at three different areas: quality of service provided by the VA over the last year, quality and access to mental and primary healthcare, and the adequacy of the current VA facility.
O’Rourke also says that the information in the report will be used to improve a pilot program launched by the VA.
