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The VA has a long history of being asked to defend its Standards and Practices in the area of patient care. As recently as 2007 Congress once again considered the benefit of contracting out the Vets care through an HMO type delivery system. Essentially, Vets would get a card and be allowed to seek care in their community at private hospitals. The vast resources that are spent to just maintain its buildings would be better spent in providing these vets with the most up to date medications and intensive treatment to manage what might be a life long battle with depression.
Treating Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is not new and many Mental Health Professionals in the community and at Universities have this expertise. The VA treats a small number of Vets per month as opposed to the hundreds of non-vets that are seen in many major city hospitals and Trauma Centers. Defending these Suicide Statistics in the private sector would never be tolerated without a tough look at the Treatment that is given and the Professional’s who do not have a better grasp at reading the signs of PTSD and Depression. A skill the VA claims to be better than anyone else at reading?