Director of Durham VA Medical Center speaks out
DURHAM (WTVD) -- For the first time, the director of the Durham VA Medical Center is answering questions about the hospital's performance and a series of recent audits. The I-team caught up with her and other VA officials at a ribbon-cutting for a new wing at the facility.
Top VA officials, including the hospital director, said they're proud of the job they're doing, and they're getting great feedback from veterans.
"We're proud of what we do," said DeAnne Seekins, Director of the Durham VA Medical Center. "We're proud of who we serve and we stand tall."
It will be on Seekins if any of the three teams of auditors that have been combing over the hospital in the past few weeks find anything.
"I've come today with mixed emotions," said Congressman G.K. Butterfield.
While dignitaries like Butterfield and Sen. Richard Burr expressed confidence that things are on track and above board at the Durham VA, it is one of more than two dozen VA hospitals under investigation by the Inspector General and two employees are on administrative leave after allegations of "inappropriate scheduling."
Since the I-team began investigating about two weeks ago, we've been swamped with testimonials from viewers and vets telling us that things aren't good here, that scheduling is a problem, and that appointments are rarely kept to within the VA goal of 14 days.
"We see our patients in a timely fashion, we assess their needs and we get them to the appropriate care setting," Seekins said.
Seekins and other top regional VA officials said they aren't hearing the bad stories. Instead, they say they almost always hear veterans praising the Durham VA.
WTVD pressed Seekins about that goal to see vets within 14 days, and asked how closely does the VA track wait times.
"We track them monthly," Seekins said. "We gather daily for monthly reports so we keep our pulse on what's going on in our organization."
What is the average wait time there?
"I cannot quote that right off the top of my head," Seekins said.
She said she sees those numbers every month.
"I can tell you we have worked aggressively," she said. "We have hired over 110 staff over the last year and a half just in primary care, so our wait times are actually very good at this point in time."
VA officials did not provide WTVD with any data or information to back that claim up.
