Mr. Goldsmith writes many critics of the VA incorrectly blame the lack of beds in its hospitals on some sort of departmental oversight, but he argues it is actually a decades-long lack of congressional investment to prepare VA hospitals for increased demand.
“Too few of our tax-dollars were designated toward building the physical infrastructure and hiring the manpower that would be able to provide the resources required to treat today’s veterans. Some of the needs of VA were obvious, such as the surge in demand caused by my generation coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, combined with Vietnam-era veterans’ needs increasing with age,” Mr. Goldsmith writes.
Part of why Mr. Goldsmith believes it is important veterans receive care at VA facilities is because clinicians at non-VA hospitals do not understand the unique needs of veterans. Mr. Goldsmith writes veterans are often misunderstood and treated like threats at civilian hospitals. He adds that the only way to improve care for veterans is to expand care opportunities at VA facilities.
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