http://www.theleafc hronicle. com/article/ 20090613/ NEWS01/90613002/ Veterans+
split+about+ VA+medical+ care

Veterans split about VA medical care

By ANN WALLACE • The Leaf-Chronicle • June 13, 2009

Congressional hearings this week will investigate how veterans undergoing
certain surgical procedures were exposed to HIV and hepatitis contamination at
three veterans hospitals in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

Response from local veterans is a mixed bag - some are satisfied with their
medical care at veterans hospitals and others are not.

Veterans Dale Hatfield and John Stevenson continue to have the utmost confidence
in the quality of medial care provided at veteran’s hospitals.

Gery Ezell relies on VA hospitals for diagnostic testing, but prefers civilian
medial care for any needed surgery.

And Carl Hoy calls almost 15 years of VA medial care “pitiful.”

Several Montgomery County veterans receive their primary medical care through VA
hospitals in Nashville and Murfreesboro.

The Alvin C. York Veterans Hospital in Murfreesboro has been linked to
situations where cross-contamination occurred for some veterans receiving
endoscopic and colonoscopy procedures.

Letters from the VA were recently mailed to thousands of veterans asking them to
be tested for possible HIV or hepatitis.

The Veterans Administration issued a June 1 report
indicating 25 veterans have tested positive for hepatitis at Murfreesboro with
one for HIV.

Subsequent testing at the Miami hospital reflects 11 have tested positive for
hepatitis with three for HIV. And the Augusta, Ga. veterans hospital has
recorded nine positive cases for hepatitis and two for HIV.

For more about this story - read tomorrow's edition of The Leaf-Chronicle.


Next Pageundefined
Previous PageAnn Wallace cover education and religion. She can be reached at
245-0287 or by e-mail at annwallace@theleafc hronicle. com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]