Rep. Schrier Visits Wenatchee VA Clinic, Sends Letter to VA Secretary on Ongoing Issues That Compromise Care for Veterans
ISSAQUAH, WA – This week Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) visited the Wenatchee Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) that serves Veterans in six Washington counties. After her visit, Rep. Schrier sent a letter to Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough asking the VA to investigate ongoing failings at the CBOC.
For multiple years, Rep. Schrier and her office have heard from local Veterans that they have struggled to access the care they deserve. One issue is that the new electronic records system used at the CBOC is difficult to navigate and often crashes for Veterans and staff at the facility. This means that many Veterans are forced to call the facility for assistance. And the calls often go unanswered. This has led to lessened morale and burnout for staff, and Veterans unable to receive the care they need.
In her letter the Congresswoman said, "I visited the Wenatchee CBOC and spoke with staff there about these issues. I truly believe the doctors and nurses in Wenatchee are doing the best they can under challenging circumstances to care for Veterans, but their jobs have been made exponentially more difficult by the failed rollout of the Cerner health records system in the last year. One doctor told me that she is only able to see half the number of patients she used to. She attributes this to inefficiencies and technology breakdowns of the Cerner electronic health record. While in Wenatchee I was assured that VA leadership in Spokane is working to improve the phone system. That was good to hear, but because this has been such a long-standing problem, I will remain skeptical until I begin hearing from Veterans in my District that their experiences are improving."
A sample of complaints Rep. Schrier's office has heard are:
- "We cannot reach our clinic and the phone line never goes through." – Mark, Vietnam Era Veteran
- "I waited 20 months for a colonoscopy referral." – Vic, US Army Veteran
- "I've waited four months for my glasses." – Michael, Vietnam Era Veteran
- "I have personally dialed the Wenatchee VA CBOC phone number up to 45 times in a row on one instance, just to see how many times it would take to get through, and every single time I got a busy fax signal." – Tony, Chelan County Veteran Service Officer
Rep. Schrier ends her letter saying, "My staff and I have been working to understand the causes of the communication dysfunction at the Wenatchee clinic, and it seems there is no one root of the problem, just as there is no one solution. The phone system is clearly not adequate and acts as a barrier to care for far too many patients. The Cerner records system is decreasing productivity among clinic staff and resulting in widespread burnout, which of course impacts patients as well. Iurge you to investigate both of these failings in Wenatchee, so Veterans in North Central Washington can consistently rely on the CBOC to receive timely care. Those who have dedicated their lives to serving our country deserve the best service possible from the VA."
Earlier this month Rep. Schrier joined the House Veterans Affairs Committee for a hearing with Deputy VA Secretary Donald Remy that was specifically about the Cerner electronic records system that is being first rolled out at the Spokane VA facility and the Wenatchee CBOC satellite facility. In her testimony, Rep. Schrier highlighted that Veterans in the 8th District have been experiencing unacceptable delays in care and specialist referrals, inability to schedule appointments online, and impossible wait times on the phone.
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Full text of the letter can be found below:
Secretary McDonough:
Thank you for all you do for the health and well being of our Veterans. I write to you today about an ongoing issue at the Outpatient VA Clinic in Wenatchee.
The Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Wenatchee serves Veterans in six counties in rural North Central Washington. For many Veterans, the Wenatchee CBOC is their only connection to the health care system. Before it opened in 2006, Veterans in the region were limited to a one-day-per-month mobile clinic visits from the Spokane VA Medical Center's motor coach. Local Veterans with more serious problems or those who could not wait for mobile clinics were forced to drive to either Seattle or Spokane for care which, during the winter, could be treacherous routes over mountain passes.
For all these reasons, the opening of the Wenatchee CBOC was cause for much optimism 15 years ago. Unfortunately, access to care in the region remains difficult. I have heard from countless Veterans in Central Washington who tell me the Wenatchee clinic's phone system is difficult to maneuver and unreliable. Here is just a sample of the many complaints I have heard:
- "We cannot reach our clinic and the phone line never goes through." – Mark, Vietnam Era Veteran
- "I waited 20 months for a colonoscopy referral." – Vic, US Army Veteran
- "I've waited four months for my glasses." – Michael, Vietnam Era Veteran
- "I have personally dialed the Wenatchee VA CBOC phone number up to 45 times in a row on one instance, just to see how many times it would take to get through, and every single time I got a busy fax signal." – Tony, Chelan County Veteran Service Officer
My staff conducted its own test, calling the CBOC several times a day for one week in September. They experienced repeated busy signals, dropped calls, and long wait times.
Many of the Veterans in this region are older, having served during the Vietnam War era or earlier. They are not comfortable with online portals and ever-changing systems of communication. They are frustrated by dropped calls, multiple transfers between faraway call centers, and what they perceive to be an intentional wall that stands between them and the care they are entitled to. They just want to be able to pick up a phone and speak to someone who can answer their questions and get them the help they need.
A system that leaves Veterans unable to reach their providers, especially during a public health emergency, is troubling. Keeping people out of emergency rooms to lessen constraints due to COVID-19 cases is critical. We must be doing what we can to lessen emergency room traffic and decrease the potential spread of this deadly virus. It is also important that Veterans continue to build a relationship with a provider that they trust. Patients who have consistent relationships with their providers have better health outcomes. With many Veterans suffering from co-occurring conditions, putting them on the path to the best potential health outcome is a goal we share; this is impossible with the current phone situation.
Yesterday I visited the Wenatchee CBOC and spoke to staff there about these issues. I truly believe the doctors and nurses in Wenatchee are doing the best they can under challenging circumstances to care for Veterans, but their jobs have been made exponentially more difficult by the failed rollout of the Cerner health records system in the last year. One doctor told me she is able to see just half the number of patients each day now than one year ago due to inefficiencies and technology breakdowns under Cerner. While in Wenatchee I was assured that VA leadership in Spokane is working to improve the phone system. That was good to hear, but because this has been such a long-standing problem, I will remain skeptical until I begin hearing from Veterans in my District that their experiences are improving.
My staff and I have been working to understand the causes of the communication dysfunction at the Wenatchee clinic, and it seems there is no one root of the problem, just as there is no one solution. The phone system is clearly not adequate and acts as a barrier to care for far too many patients. The Cerner records system is decreasing productivity among clinic staff and resulting in widespread burnout, which of course impacts patients as well. Iurge you to investigate both of these failings in Wenatchee, so Veterans in North Central Washington can consistently rely on the CBOC to receive timely care. Those who have dedicated their lives to serving our country deserve the best service possible from the VA.
Thank you for all you do to serve our Veterans and our nation, and I look forward to working with you to implement a solution that will serve out Veterans in North Central Washington.
Sincerely,
Kim Schrier, M.D.
MEMBER OF CONGRESS