Health Official Defends Walter Reed Care

[Terri]

By KIMBERLY HEFLING
Associated Press
September 14, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The military's medical community got a black eye that ''we didn't completely deserve'' about conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the top Pentagon health official said Thursday at a ribbon cutting for a new amputee center.

The defense of conditions at Walter Reed by Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health, was a departure from the message by many military leaders who have taken responsibility for the problems.

In February, the hospital was besieged by news reports of poor outpatient care at Walter Reed, which is the flagship hospital of the Army's system of medical facilities.

More (http://www.gopusa.com/news/2007/september/0914_walter_reed.sht ml)

[James007us]

It is very simple:

As long as they DO NOT look for a problem they WILL NOT see any problems. As long as they DO NOT see any problems NO problem exists.

[lpara]

Or it could be the "well beloved MSM" is doing their usual smearing of all things military. :(

[James007us]

lpara you maybe right however as long as they DO NOT look for a problem they WILL NOT see any problems. As long as they DO NOT see any problems NO problem exists is the Standard Operating Procedure.

I get it from the Congress and from High Ranking Military Personnel. Even after I have pointed out a problem they refuse to see it because if they acknowledge there is a problem they would have to act upon it and that is not acceptable.

Sgt. James Hayden
US Marine Corps Retired

[CatsMom]

This is a darned if you do and a damned if you don't situation. Walter Reed Hospital is scheduled for CLOSURE. Why should mega bucks be spent to spiff up a place that is going to be torn down? The complains were rather petty and primarily cosmetic. The media blew it all out of proportion for ratings and the politico's grabbed it to show everyone how much they care about veteran's health. Wished they cared as much as they say they do about it and about getting the best out for the taxpayers' buck.

[MamaCat]

This is a complex issue. My husband was stationed at WRAMC for about 15 years until he retired about 12 years ago. That was long before Iraq, so I can't speak for the current problem. But I can tell you that the pictures they showed and the discussion about vermin, dealt with the "old" hospital, long out of use as a hospital and mainly in use as office space. Not a patient care area at all. So yes, the MSM does mislead.

Secondly, when my husband was stationed there, after several visits to clinics at WRAMC, I chose to receive care at the Nation Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. The doctors may have been comparable, but the wait to see a physician for a lump in my breast was 6 months at WRAMC, and the Central Appt people weren't willing to move me higher on the waiting list. At Navy, after explaining my situation, I got an appointment for the next week. The care at Navy was always top notch. My husband had two surgeries at WRAMC as an active duty "soldier", and always received good care. For us, it was a matter of choice. I chose Navy.

WRAMC always looked a little disheveled. Not really dirty, but just always looked like it needed tidying up or something. The civil service system worked against the problem. Once in a position there, poor workers are impossible to get rid of. And they know it.
For whatever reason, that didn't seem to be a problem at NNMC.

Just my :twocents:

[schillerbjr]

The MSM could not wait to smear the military!