VA staff deserves praise

I read with great interest your 5 December article (“‘Veterans here are tired of being guinea pigs’”) on Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center’s (MGVAMC) trials and challenges in implementing the new electronic health record system/software (Cerner).

As a registered member in the VA Health System and as a volunteer at MGVAMC, I have seen firsthand the frustration from my primary doctor, specialty doctors and staff in making the new system meet individual health needs. And I must say that in every instance (my own and others that I know of), they have exceeded expectations in meeting patient health needs and requests.

I admit that I do not have any life-threatening health issues, nor personally know of any, as cited in the article. But I think the doctors and staff should be complimented, not criticized, for their efforts and work in implementing the new health-record system. The collective mission for any hospital (civilian, military, VA) is to meet the health needs of the individual patient, at all times. It is indeed a challenge! But when that institution is implementing a new administration/management software system, it becomes an even bigger challenge.

Back to the article; I found the S-R article interesting, but its fault-finding and negative tone were disappointing. Further, the S-R’s reference to veterans as guinea pigs was uncalled for (but I am not in the newspaper business).

Lastly, I’d like to know what Cathy McMorris Rodgers is doing about this — rather than reading that she simply called “a meeting” on 2 November. After all, isn’t she the self-appointed advocate for all veterans?

Forrest Diehl

Spokane