VA Secretary Comes Under Fire For Comparing Wait Times To Disneyland

[Purveyor]

Source: The Hill

By Kristina Wong - 05/23/16 01:13 PM EDT

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald on Monday ignited a political firestorm when he downplayed the wait times for veterans at clinics by likening it to Disneyland.

"The days to an appointment is really not what we should be measuring. What we should be measuring is the veteran's satisfaction," McDonald told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor media breakfast.

"What really counts is how does the veteran feel about their encounter with the VA," he said.

"When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line?" he asked. "What's important is what's your satisfaction with the experience."

"And that's really the kind of measure I want to move to," he said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/280921-va-secretary-appointment-wait-times-not-the-right-metric-for-performance

[philosslayer]

1. This was an unfortunate comment

To say the least.

[christx30]

2. If it were up to me,

about an hour after making that comment, he would get back to his desk to find a notice of termination waiting for him.

No one is dying because they can't get on Space Mountain in a timely manner.

[Citrus]

3. Fut the wuck?

Because everyone goes to Disney for health care and to the VA for entertainment.

What else can anyone expect from a corporate ideologue whose corporate policy was deceit, misinformation and cruelty.

Please, someone...send this stupid little boy home to clean his room and mow the lawn.

[Auggie]

4. All McDonald had to do is acknowledge the problem and pledge improvement ...

these clowns always get in trouble when they try to be cute or funny. I guess he's the latest to learn this lesson.

[tom_kelly]

5. Please cut him a bit of a break, if you can

He's tasked with running the largest healthcare system in this country. Its technically a not-for-profit and it relies on congress for its funding. Once the repubs in congress start giving the VA enough funding to successfully operate that job would be better. But for now, he has got to be one hell of a frustrated person. As a veteran and one who uses the VA system myself I can say I've never had a problem worth mentioning. I'm sure there are problems within the system but I haven't experienced any.

[AC_Mem]

9. Thank you

I work for the VA. It is our DAILY goal, measured each morning at 8am, to give our beloved veterans the best experience with the shortest wait that we can manage with every resource we have available.

Annette
From Orlando, ironically, home of Disney ....

[tom_kelly]

11. Thank you for what you do, Annette!

[Squaredeal]

12. ...with every resours we have available

Pretty much says it all. I waited seven months to been seen for my VA AO exam. I can see my private doctor in one day.

[FairWinds]

6. Yeah, I'd get a real chuckle out of that, except . .

that I blew up a knee on May 10th, and have to wait until May 27th

to get an MRI at the VA; and who knows how much longer than

that for treatment.

signed, Disgruntled Vet

[Jopin Klobe]

7. It's true ...

... why, the lines for the "Agent Orange Express" have been the longest since the 1960s ...

... What fun! ...

... And the costs are so reasonable, too! ...

[0rganism]

8. it's a valid comparison if you think a prosthetic fitting is like space mountain

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. Actually Disney DOES track wait times n/t

[jmowreader]

13. Yeah, that's what I was thinking

And the VA should do the same.

[MADem]

14. I'd fire that guy if I had the authority.

Pack your bags and leave, Bob.

It's not that he's not "trying" to improve customer service, it's that he has no basic understanding of his "customer."

"Days to the appointment" IS a crucial aspect of satisfaction. It's the first of several hurdles, and if that ain't right, the rest of the process ain't right. When a vet needs an appointment, he/she often cannot wait. He or she needs to be seen sooner rather than later. And it ain't Magic Mountain, either.

[niyad]

15. as KO would say, "that man is an idiot"

bobbie boy, you are such a tone-deaf, totally clueless asshole that you should immediately resign. you are a total embarrassment to intelligent people everywhere.