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| On Walter Reed Hospital |
Itsdb |
03/05/07 |
Let me first say I believe it is our duty to furnish first rate care for our veterans. On the other hand I have to question the timing and motive of WaPo's exposé on Walter Reed. That VA hospitals have had a history of mismanagement and poor conditions is not news. What is news is that since the deplorable conditions many were in in the 90's, the quality of care has seen a sharp increase.
A 2005 article in Washington Monthly notes most grievances are about access to the system, not about the quality of care received by those who get in.
The article also noted the VHA system received the National Committee for Quality Assurance's seal of approval, In every single category, the VHA system outperforms the highest rated non-VHA hospitals.
Since WaPo's article, bloggers and other critics have seized on another Bush 'failure.'
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said the scandal is emblematic of the Bush administration.
"I believe this disgraceful neglect has been the result of two things. One is a lack of accountability," said Levin, who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Levin said the second factor "is the overoptimism which just symbolized this administration right from the beginning of this war, that the mission was accomplished."
Chucky Schumer wrote to SecDef Gates, “To think that men and women are serving their country in the most honorable and courageous way possible and all we give them is a dilapidated, rat-infested, run-down building to recover is a disgrace. My fear is that Walter Reed is just the tip of the iceberg, and merely highlights the pervasive and systemic mistreatment of our service members.”
He said on ABC's "This Week" yesterday, "I'm worried about if it's this bad at the outpatient facilities at Walter Reed, how is it in the rest of the country? Because Walter Reed is our crown jewel."
Crown Jewel, eh? So why is Walter Reed moving to Bethesda as part of the latest BRAC decisions?
An Office of Integration was formed in November 2005 to oversee ... the merger of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center by September 2011 into one tri-service military medical center located on the Bethesda campus. That facility will be called the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and it will be staffed by Air Force, Army, and Navy military personnel.
Sustandard conditions for our military heroes is unacceptable on any level, but since WRAMC will be moved completely to the Bethesda campus by 2011 aren't these comments by the left about dilapidated, run-down buildings a bit disengenuous ... particularly when they can't make up their minds on whether or not they give a damn about the troops? And, is a failure in any government-run operation a surprise? |
Clarification/Follow-up by Itsdb on 03/05/07 5:27 pm:
Clarification: As tom pointed out WRAMC is a DOD facility, not part of the VHA. Clarification/Follow-up by Itsdb on 03/08/07 5:26 pm:
I'm not the only one that missed the distinction between WRAMC and the VA, the Dems do, too. DNC Executive Director Tom McMahon sent an email plugging a Screamin' Dean video on the Libby verdict saying "We've got wounded soldiers suffering in VA hospitals and healthy ones fighting in Iraq."
The Dean video is here, and he makes clear the Dems have come to the troops' rescue. Ain't it great we have the Democrats to fix everything Bush screwed up?
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