Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Continued
Yesterday I posted several questions about the issues regarding Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. An anonymous reader posted a response which was very helpful to me in understanding more about the situation.
The whole situation peaked my interest so I went back and read the two-part series written by Washington Post reporters Dana Priest and Anne Hull. In paragraph three of the first article, published on February 18th, they write, “The common perception of Walter Reed is of a surgical hospital that shines as the crown jewel of military medicine. But 5 1/2 years of sustained combat have transformed the venerable 113-acre institution into something else entirely -- a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients.”
Reading the articles provide more questions, including: “If the hospital is overflowing with patients (‘…they take up every bed and spill into nearby hotels…’), how can the government consider either closure or merger?”
One of the problems pointed out by the Post articles is that bureaucratic tangle that envelopes most of the soldiers. Again, Priest and Hull write, “Life beyond the hospital bed is a frustrating mountain of paperwork. The typical soldier is required to file 22 documents with eight different commands -- most of them off-post -- to enter and exit the medical processing world, according to government investigators.”
My next question is: “Why is the Armed Forces medical system not run like a corporation?” I have been through several mergers for the large telecommunications company where I spend more than forty hours each week. Each company had its own system for its customers. It takes time, but the company is able to merge systems in a way that is nearly invisible to the customer.
Why does the United States Armed Forces have sixteen different information systems that fail to communicate with one another? It appears to be inefficient and the soldiers are the ones who are suffering.
There are a couple of points that need to be made. It would be easy to point fingers at the current administration and say that they caused this situation. The facility is nearly a hundred years old, having opened in 1909. The present situation, including horrible building management and mind-blowing bureaucracy, was not achieved in just six or seven years. There are many administrations that can be blamed for ignoring a poorly managed situation.
What this administration can be called to task for is escalating the seriousness of the problem by engaging in a long term military conflict. U.S. Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania, an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, weighed in this past Sunday on Meet the Press, saying: “Why did that happen at Walter Reed? It happened because the resources are so much in, in Iraq. They’ve spent so much money over there, ignored the very thing that’s so important to our troops at home.”
The next point to be made is that the rodent infestation and rotting structures are not common to all of the buildings at the facility. Much has been made of “Building 18”, but you will notice that the President and the Congressmen tend to visit Ward 57 and other well-kept units. As with many situations in life, there appears to be money enough to care for some, but not for all.
The President and others continue to say that our soldiers deserve the best, but actions speak louder than words. Considering the poor training, lack of equipment and now poor medical care, our fighting men are being shown a genuine lack of respect.
According to Murtha on Meet the Press, “We’re the ones—they, they want us out of there; 64 percent of the public in Iraq wants us out of Iraq.”
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham on the same program said, “I’m no expert, but here’s what I think’s going on, based on conservation talks in South Carolina, is that people are frustrated.”
The government is relying on polls and making interpretations based on what they want the outcomes to be. The only way to get your thoughts and feelings across is to be vocal.
This situation is not solely the responsibility of one person, or one group of people. As members of society, we need to listen closely to what is being said and respond accordingly. If you do, or do not, agree with what is being said, respond with a letter or an email to your representative. If you hear of an action being considered that you support or oppose, let the government know.
Anyone I have spoken to personally or heard about in the media opposing the war is quick to praise our young men and women. People are proud of those who have served our country during this conflict. Today’s soldiers do not have to fear those who oppose the war. The biggest fear today’s soldiers face is from those who say they support it.
The whole situation peaked my interest so I went back and read the two-part series written by Washington Post reporters Dana Priest and Anne Hull. In paragraph three of the first article, published on February 18th, they write, “The common perception of Walter Reed is of a surgical hospital that shines as the crown jewel of military medicine. But 5 1/2 years of sustained combat have transformed the venerable 113-acre institution into something else entirely -- a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients.”
Reading the articles provide more questions, including: “If the hospital is overflowing with patients (‘…they take up every bed and spill into nearby hotels…’), how can the government consider either closure or merger?”
One of the problems pointed out by the Post articles is that bureaucratic tangle that envelopes most of the soldiers. Again, Priest and Hull write, “Life beyond the hospital bed is a frustrating mountain of paperwork. The typical soldier is required to file 22 documents with eight different commands -- most of them off-post -- to enter and exit the medical processing world, according to government investigators.”
My next question is: “Why is the Armed Forces medical system not run like a corporation?” I have been through several mergers for the large telecommunications company where I spend more than forty hours each week. Each company had its own system for its customers. It takes time, but the company is able to merge systems in a way that is nearly invisible to the customer.
Why does the United States Armed Forces have sixteen different information systems that fail to communicate with one another? It appears to be inefficient and the soldiers are the ones who are suffering.
There are a couple of points that need to be made. It would be easy to point fingers at the current administration and say that they caused this situation. The facility is nearly a hundred years old, having opened in 1909. The present situation, including horrible building management and mind-blowing bureaucracy, was not achieved in just six or seven years. There are many administrations that can be blamed for ignoring a poorly managed situation.
What this administration can be called to task for is escalating the seriousness of the problem by engaging in a long term military conflict. U.S. Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania, an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, weighed in this past Sunday on Meet the Press, saying: “Why did that happen at Walter Reed? It happened because the resources are so much in, in Iraq. They’ve spent so much money over there, ignored the very thing that’s so important to our troops at home.”
The next point to be made is that the rodent infestation and rotting structures are not common to all of the buildings at the facility. Much has been made of “Building 18”, but you will notice that the President and the Congressmen tend to visit Ward 57 and other well-kept units. As with many situations in life, there appears to be money enough to care for some, but not for all.
The President and others continue to say that our soldiers deserve the best, but actions speak louder than words. Considering the poor training, lack of equipment and now poor medical care, our fighting men are being shown a genuine lack of respect.
According to Murtha on Meet the Press, “We’re the ones—they, they want us out of there; 64 percent of the public in Iraq wants us out of Iraq.”
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham on the same program said, “I’m no expert, but here’s what I think’s going on, based on conservation talks in South Carolina, is that people are frustrated.”
The government is relying on polls and making interpretations based on what they want the outcomes to be. The only way to get your thoughts and feelings across is to be vocal.
This situation is not solely the responsibility of one person, or one group of people. As members of society, we need to listen closely to what is being said and respond accordingly. If you do, or do not, agree with what is being said, respond with a letter or an email to your representative. If you hear of an action being considered that you support or oppose, let the government know.
Anyone I have spoken to personally or heard about in the media opposing the war is quick to praise our young men and women. People are proud of those who have served our country during this conflict. Today’s soldiers do not have to fear those who oppose the war. The biggest fear today’s soldiers face is from those who say they support it.
Labels: Politics
posted by Alexander Dimm | 7:40 AM
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