In today's rapid news cycle, we tend to hop from sensational story to sensational story rarely lingering long enough to get the full picture. In the past, this blog reported on the scandalous wait times that our veterans have endured in the VA system. It was so bad that some veterans died before getting in to see their VA Doctor. When the scandal came to light, many administrative heads rolled and the entire VA system was cast in a poor light. As is so often the case, however, there is so much more to the VA story.
GOOD WORK WAS ONGOING
A recent issue of Social Work Today reports on a strategic partnership that has been forged between the Veterans Administration and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
The VA tells us that there are currently 22 million veterans in America and 1,800 of them die every day. 97% of these veterans die outside the VA system.
“Because they were not routinely referred to community hospices for end-of-life care, many veterans died in acute care settings without the benefit of specialized, compassionate care or support for their family's needs.” (Social Work Today, January/February 2016)
About 10 to 15 years ago, the report continues, the VA tallied the growing numbers of World War II veterans who were nearing end of life and acknowledged its inability to adequately support the nation’s veterans in their ultimate time of need. So began a quest to bring hospice and palliative care to all VA medical centers. The VA reached out to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to create a partnership.
A PARTNERSHIP WAS FORMED
We Honor Veterans was launched with the goal of establishing best practices to provide seamless care at the end of life for all who served. Today, 3,800 organizations are actively involved in this “partnership of care” with the VA. Now all veterans have end-of-life care available either at VA Medical Centers or at one of the VA’s partner facilities.
"It's often said that veterans are individuals who wrote blank checks to the United States for an amount up to and including their lives." (Social Work Today, January/February 2016)
THE WHOLE STORY
I would like to recognize the hard working professionals at the VA who were tirelessly toiling to bring hospice care to our veterans even as part of the VA organization was veering out of control. Their ongoing diligence is the "so much more to the VA story" .
