VA Wait Times for Health Care Improve

Ninety-six percent of veterans awaiting appointments at VA medical centers in Connecticut are being seen within 30 days, new data show, with Connecticut performing slightly better than the national average.

At Connecticut Veterans Administration medical centers, there were 51,281 scheduled appointments on Oct. 1, according to new data (based on a one-day snapshot) released by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Of those, 96 percent – or 49,063 appointments – were scheduled within 30 days of when patients wanted to be seen or medically needed to be seen. There were 2,218 veterans waiting more than 30 days for their health care appointment. On Sept. 1, the number of veterans waiting more than 30 days totaled 3,712.

Vet health care Earlier this year, VA centers nationwide came under intense scrutiny by federal officials for falsifying health care records, in order to reduce the appearance of long wait times. At the VA in Phoenix, Arizona, veterans died waiting for health care. The VA launched a number of investigations in states, pledged to reduce wait times and improve health care. In July, Congress found that efforts to shorten wait times at many VA centers had failed and instead had tripled at facilities, including some in Connecticut.

VA centers now aim to schedule all appointments within 30 days.

Read the complete story on C-HIT.org.