Salisbury VA Holds Town Hall Meeting, Explains Changes

Administrators at the Salisbury VA Health Care System will hold a town hall meeting Tuesday to update veterans and their families on how the facility is making it easier for veterans to get the medical attention they need. 

The event is part of the Veterans Affairs' national effort to be more transparent.  For months, VA facilities across North Carolina and the nation have held these meetings in response to the tremendous backlogs in processing veterans' claims for benefits and medical treatments. According to the VA, a little more than 9,200 veterans were waiting 30 days or more for an appointment at the Salisbury VA Health Care System in May 2014. In July, that number dropped to about 8,600. 

Public Affairs Specialist Bart Major says the decrease is due in part to several 2013 initiatives including hiring more regular and medical staff and expanding treatment and mental health services.

But there's still a lot of work to do. According to Major, the one thing veterans really complain about is the facility's phone system. “They can't get a holds of anyone. They leave a message and the clinic doesn't call them back, so as we get a new system online, we'll be able to track and then put processes and policies in place to help improve our responses on the phone.”

Major anticipates the Salisbury facility will have a new phone system early next year.  During the Tuesday evening town hall meeting, Major also says staff will be on hand to answer private health-related questions.

Last year, the Salisbury VA Health Care System treated 91,000 veterans from across the Central Piedmont area which includes Winston-Salem. 

The town hall meeting will be in building six on the main campus. Staff will answer specific questions at 5 p.m. The meeting will run from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.