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Upper Cumberland Times

Thursday, November 28, 2024

61 newly enrolled Tennessee Valley HCS patients seek medical appointments in February 2020

Local Government

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The Tennessee Valley Health Care System reported that 61 patients newly enrolled in its benefits program requested appointments but had not received one during the period ending March 1, according to data collected from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

During that same time frame, the system scheduled 198,886 pending appointments across its 20 healthcare facilities.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in January 2019 reported that wait times for new appointments at VA health care facilities were similar or better to wait times at private-sector providers between 2014 and 2017.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO), however, released a report in July 2019 that cautioned that the VA’s data-tracking system only captures part of the appointment process and fails to account for the time that it takes the VA to enroll veterans in its health benefits program.

At a hearing before the House Veterans Affairs Committee after the report was released, Debra Draper, health care director at the GAO, said new patients may actually wait up to 70 days for an appointment when they first enroll for benefits.

The VA explains on its website that when veterans apply for benefits, they are assigned to 1 of 8 priority groups, with those who need immediate care due to service-related disabilities placed in higher priority groups. Veterans who don’t have service-connected disabilities and who earn a higher income are placed in the lower priority groups.

Tennessee Valley Health Care System Pending Appointments Scheduled in March
LocationTotal Appointments ScheduledAppointments Scheduled 30 Days or LessAppointments Scheduled More than 30 Days
Nashville, TN60,46555,6724,793
Murfreesboro, TN (Alvin C. York)49,75046,8842,866
Dover, TN1,3651,235130
Bowling Green, KY4,8784,719159
Clarksville, TN15,68513,7731,912
Chattanooga, TN19,01318,388625
Tullahoma, TN1,3151,3132
Cookeville, TN5,3335,196137
Hopkinsville, KY4,7924,359433
McMinnville, TN2,5262,50818
Roane County, TN2,2952,22867
Maury County, TN4,3564,28274
Athens, TN2,3502,26486
International Plaza, TN4,7654,663102
Gallatin, TN2,1042,06242
IDES Fort Campbell3253250
Albion Street, TN3,8013,489312
Charlotte Avenue, TN6,4936,269224
Pointe Centre, TN6,8976,077820
Glenis Drive, TN2722675
Source: U.S. Veteran’s Administration

ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY

City of Dover• City of Columbia• City of Hopkinsville• City of Tullahoma• City of Cookeville• City of Bowling Green• City of Gallatin• City of Athens• City of McMinnville• City of Chattanooga• City Of Clarksville• City Of Harriman

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