north metro

They need more and better clinics in MN. I am lucky in San Antonio to have one clinic and Audie Murphy Hospital so close.

Personally, from experience, I won't go to a VA Clinic. Worst medical care I've ever received. Poor diagnostics and advice on a number of occasions. Example: They misdiagnosed a potentially fatal condition in my leg (that's 5 doctors including a surgeon, at three different VA clinics) for a year. Finally able to go to Mayo Clinic and they found the real problem in 4 hours. Just look at the figures in this article. Look at the first sentence: "The clinic, which opened Nov. 15, has drawn numbers that far exceed expectations. For some vets, that means a wait of up to six months." This is the poor planning and terrible treatment of Veterans by this country. I ask you, just where did all those hundreds of billions of dollars that were invested in the VA over the last 5 - 10 years actually go to? New buildings with beautiful offices for bureaucrats. Articles like this one are nothing more than PR to make the public think their Veterans are being taken care of. Baloney!!! Better solution: Give Veterans medical cards and let them go to the medical facility of their choosing. (In my case, the treatment at Mayo was far, far, far less expensive than the mistakes at the VA clinics cost!) That's the rules for the general public under the Minnesota Patient Bill of Rights Rules. Why aren't Veterans granted the same Rights? This idea that 'bulk medical care' is a better option is just ridiculous. Also remember, many of us actually were in combat, and helped to provide you with the Liberties and opportunities you have today.

I gave up years ago trying to get an appointment at the Fort Snelling VA. I worked in Brooklyn Park and lived in Chaska. I'd spend all day there with an 8:30am appointment and still waiting to be seen at 11:00am...This Ramsey facility will be great for a lot of Vets in the Twin City area.

The reason most people in Western Wisconsin don't go to Rice Lake VA Clinic, is because it is just a shell...very little in staffing and not much in the way of a facility.

I think the Minneapolis VA Clinic is great. I have no complaints whatever...even the food in the cafeteria is good.

In 2004, I started to use the VA for my medical care. For me it is free, because I have a disability from combat while a Marine in Vietnam. Prior to that I used private sector clinics and Doctors. The care I receive at the VA is much better, I am treated with respect, I have access to specialists and specialty clinics and I feel blessed to be able to access the care. Note to research2day, I called the Mayo Clinic to inquire about a second opinion on a lung condition, and because I don't have insurance, they wanted a $5,000.00 deposit before I could talk to them. They are the clinic of the rich, and all about the money.

862Wapo, Great care? "Compared to what???" BTW, we don't judge a hospital or clinic on their cafeteria...... We're talking about healthcare. And why are you eating that unhealthy food in the first place? This is what I've found consistant about VA health facilities: Usually the patients that use VA facilities don't have any other system available, of they are attracted by the FREE price tag. All you have to do is spend time observing the obvious level of healthiness of those in a VA facility with those in a non-VA hospital or medical clinic. It is striking. I agree with kellyrobbins: Not only do you sit for most of the day, but they schedule their patients without input from the patient. You get a letter of when you are expected to show up and that's that. Can't make it? Too bad. And as Kelly states, they are never on time. I can tell you, it's not because they are over-booked. My experience is that it is due in great part to the staff preferring to take breaks, or stand around joking and talking with each other. I was told I needed a VA Card to get service. So I went to the Mpls VA Center, went into the Outpatient area, filled out the form, and turned it in. I sat for 25 minutes, watching more people pile up behind me, as the staff behind the counter, sat and talked, clowned around, answered email, and took breaks. It was obvious that their motto, "Where the Veteran comes first", is a joke to them. Ha-Ha! Joke's on them.

If you want to see the future of healthcare run by the government, you need look no further than the VA. To be fair, the Minneapolis VAMC system is the best I've ever dealt with. They run circles around other regions. Nevertheless, I have waited all day to be seen in an empty emergency room. I've waited 2-3 hours for scheduled appointments. Seven years ago when I needed a hip replacement, I waited six months for an orthopedic appointment and was told there was a two year wait for hip replacements. So I went to Mayo, had the surgery two weeks later and was back in the groove six weeks after that. The long wait times at the new clinic aren't news to me. When you offer "free" health care to everyone, this is what happens. The veterans population is a relatively small segment of our society. Can you imagine everybody being forced into a system like this? That's what our government has planned for us.

My experience at the Mpls VA is completely 180 from research2day's experience, which makes me think he has an axe to grind. When I need an appointment its a wait of no more than one month to get into the primary care clinic. When I had an issue and needed a CT scan, again I was in within one month. When I need to reorder medicine, it is delivered within one week, all by simply logging onto my computer and ordering a refill at the VA web site. I honestly have no complaints about the service at the Mpls VA. The real question for me is how many of these vets using VA healthcare, including this new clinic in Ramsey, are right wing sycophants who decry "socialist" this, "socialist" that, and then bitch and moan about wait times at the VA clinic where they get treated for FREE?!?!?!?!? Just like Michelle Bachmann showing up at the groundbreaking ceremony for this new clinic for some nice photo ops, trying to get some cred for this "socialist" clinic. You all are nothing but hypocrites of the worst sort.

I lived in MN and most of the clinics were not that good at that time. In Texas, they do a good job of taking care their vets. Both the places I go to are excellent, never had a complaint yet. And waiting times? Less than 20-30 minutes here, tops.