How's the reputation of the VA hospital on Oahu? (Honolulu: 2013, military)

[Lee48]

I'm a 63 year old wheelchair bound veteran. My wife of 41 years and I will come to the Honolulu area in 2013 for an open ended stay. I may remain there, but my wife will likely travel back and forth. She actually likes our 5 grown sons ages 24-34 AND the grandchildren. Huh!!

I assume the hospital is top notch since there are no other VA options near Hawaii. There's no rush, but I will eventually need the big C operation. It's the only treatment option and it will be a tough one.

Thanks

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Lee48

I'm a 63 year old wheelchair bound veteran. My wife of 41 years and I will come to the Honolulu area in 2013 for an open ended stay. I may remain there, but my wife will likely travel back and forth. She actually likes our 5 grown sons ages 24-34 AND the grandchildren. Huh!!

I assume the hospital is top notch since there are no other VA options near Hawaii. There's no rush, but I will eventually need the big C operation. It's the only treatment option and it will be a tough one.

Thanks

Are you talking about Tripler?

My 92 year old father-in-law is there more often than anyone would prefer. He was a former officer in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

His care has been good. The doctors and nurses are always polite and respectful. He hasn't needed major surgery except for a broken ankle a couple of years ago that kept him there a few months. My biggest observsation is that seem to be over-capacity. They cram a lot of patients in the rooms - and some of them are in really dire conditions. That part is kind of depressing. But, he is ultimately well taken care of. You may want to consider any major surgery on the mainland.

[CyberCity]

I've PM'd you.

[Lee48]

Actually, the VA medical center is the Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center in a building a few yards to the left rear of Tripler. But as is often the case VA medical centers are located next to other hospitals. Many of the VA doctors are from hospitals next door. I assume there is a close relationship between Tripler and the VA medical center, especially for long term stay and serious conditions.

Thanks for the info,

Lee

[LMMKAT]

I have no experience with the VA medical center but do with Crippler, er I mean Tripler. Actually, my experiences at Tripler have been widely mixed. Some great, some not so great. Hard to know where the not so great problem comes from. Individual providers? The overall way the organization is run? Too much government automotons? Hard to say. As with Tripler, I am assuming that the VA center is as equally over capacity and busy and crowded as Tripler is, being the only VA hospital on island, as Tripler is the only military hospital on island and there is a HUGE active duty military population so it is very very busy.