Sabine Claybrook

Review of Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Af...

Haven't actually been to the hospital yet. But get...

Haven't actually been to the hospital yet. But getting an appointment set up and working with the admin. staff over the phone is mindnumbingly difficult. We live 10 hours by car away from the facility, don't qualify for the VA to pay for a flight and can't afford one ourselves. We have no choice but to rely on the phone system to get all relevant information. So far we have missed and rescheduled an appointment, all because people at the other end of the phone line don't pick up (left loads of voicemails), don't return calls even if they have promised to do so, promise to check on information, but never do so, drop and disconnect calls, don't know or aren't able/willing to access information, one department doesn't know what the other department is doing, etc., etc., etc. Since my very sick veteran cannot travel alone, took off from work and lost that day, since nobody could help us through the VA phone hell. He called all day long. Heard him over and over again giving his name, birth date, and last four. Still, nobody could help. We will make the long drive next week. I am scared we will travel all this way and then be told that something didn't work out and we can't be seen, or we should have done so-and-so before coming, just that nobody ever told us. VERY inefficient, unhelpful. No compassion, understanding for the difficulties the patient might face. Can I give zero stars? Lord, please help us! Just hoping we finally get the help we so desperately need, once we make it there...