Fayetteville VA faces emergency room doctor shortage
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- The Fayetteville VA is facing a physician shortage in its emergency room, but officials said Wednesday that they expect a resolution in the coming weeks.
On Friday evening, local veterans complained there was no doctor on staff when they checked into the ER.
"I said, 'That's ridiculous,'" said Tony Gilmore, a Fayetteville veteran. "'You mean to tell me that you don't have a physician in the Emergency Room?' And I told them at the time, 'now this is a legitimate complaint.'"
Gilmore said he went to the VA ER between 9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. for what he called "unbearable" foot pain. A nurse began to check him, and explain that he could either stay until 8 a.m. to see a doctor, or return to the VA the next morning. He chose to head to Womack Army Medical Center on Fort Bragg where he was diagnosed and treated for gout and high blood pressure.
Before he left the Fayetteville VA, Gilmore said the nurse explained the doctor shortage is something that's happened before.
"She said 'Sir, from time to time we do not have a physician available in the emergency room,'" said Gilmore.
Dr. Gregory Antoine, the Fayetteville VA Chief of Staff, said although infrequent, there are times when a doctor is not assigned to the emergency room.
Antoine explained that it ties back to the current physician contractor, with which they've had staffing issues for at least the year or so that Antoine has been at the helm of his post.
He said the current contractor's agreement ends Sept. 30, and a new contractor, will staff the ER 24/7 beginning Oct. 1.
Antoine said at no time has a veteran been ignored for life-threatening conditions.
"If you walk into our ER and you have chest pains, you are seen immediately," he offered as an example. "Every patient is triaged. It's not like you come in and nobody talks to you."
Antoine said in the case of emergencies, a VA doctor from another area would come down to the ER to treat a patient. But, he warned that in the case of non-emergencies, veterans will wait for the time being.
"If you get three or four patients ahead of you with chest pains, you're going to have to wait," he said.
Sen. Kay Hagan responded to the shortage Wednesday, noting she'd met with the Fayetteville VA staff last week when she heard from veterans being turned away from the ER, but when it "did not adequately resolve the concerns raised by these veterans," she took it a step further.
"Therefore, I have requested urgent action be taken to address any staffing shortages that exist at the Fayetteville VAMC ER, particularly at a time when veterans' trust and confidence in the VA has already been so eroded by reports of excessive wait times and inadequate care," Hagan said in a statement.
Antoine said the new contractor physician credentialing process is currently underway.
Meanwhile, a town hall to address veteran concerns is scheduled at the Fayetteville and Durham VAMCs this month. The event in Durham takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 16 from 6 -8 p.m. It will be located at the main entrance. On Sept. 19, the Fayetteville VA will hold its town halls at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the medical center's third floor auditorium. It's located at 2300 Ramsey Street.
