Mac Man

Review of Atlanta VA Medical Center

It took me a while to decide if I was going to do ...

It took me a while to decide if I was going to do a review or maybe file a complaint. After reading the reviews I decided I need to post my review as well.I am very disappointed and offended. The overall vibe I got at this facility was not a good one. I am a veteran but I was here to support my uncle who was schedule for surgery.

This post is not an indictment of the whole staff at this facility. However it was enough I experienced that gave me a negative vibe here. I have factored in that there is a furlough and I submit they are not being paid.

Parking is rediculous. By 7:45 am spaces were nearly full. Ending up driving around a good 15 minutes before finding a space. Not including the designated customer service personel, some of the other staff had an air of being bothered when you asked a questions.

I did see some very attentative staff asking people if they needed help or directions if a visitor appeared to be lost. While other times I felt some people did not want to be bothered.

My uncle was schedule for surgery for 8:30 am. My mom and I got there at 7:45 am and was told his surgery is now 10:30 am. My uncle did get to surgery close to the schedule changed time of 10:30am.

Here is where it got really frustrating and offensive. My mother and I are waiting in the waiting room for surgery and get a call saying my uncle doing well AFTER surgery and we can come up and see him shortly in recovery.

We wait approximately 45min. Hear nothing. So we go to the clerk in the waiting area to get the status of my uncle and she tells me ' I told everyone earlier that you wont get to see patient until an 1 1/2 hr after surgery. I tell her no, I did not hear that because we were not present when you made that announcement.

So, Mom and I go back to waiting. So, we get another call saying my uncle just GOT OUT of surgery and someone would be down to talk to us about my uncle. We are confused because they told us he was already out of surgery.

So Mom and me go wait again. The surgeon shows up not too long afterwards. He briefs us and tells us that we can go up to see him in 30 minutes. So I added an additional 15 minutes to that. So an hour goes by and I ask the clerk again if she can check the status of my Uncle and she tells me in a condescending manner that she told everyone you cant go to the patient until 1 1/2 hrs after surgery. I tell her the doctor told us 30 minutes.

So now I am very frustrated and just walk away'. Then she proceeds to call the surgery ward, and what do you know, they say yes they can come up! So, if I hadn't pressed the issue my Mom and me would have sat there for how long. It's approximately 2:45pm

Mom and I got there at 7:45 am and left at about 4:00pm. I plan to go to the patient advocate or an office of that nation and tell my experience when I go back tomorrow.

I saw a lot of caring people at this facility. A gentleman offered my mom a chair because he saw us waiting outside my uncles room waiting for his arrival from surgery. But I got a negative vibe overall from the staff at this facility.