Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald anticipates that dramatic changes within his agency will soon improve an organization buffeted by controversy in the last few years. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that on a trip to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, McDonald pointed to improvements in patient care, new leadership training and fresh talent as the first steps toward a "huge culture change."
McDonald was confirmed for the secretary position by a unanimous Senate vote in July 2014. In the 15 months since, he has faced criticism for not responding effectively to the scandal surrounding long wait times at some veterans facilities and bloated patient backlogs. His Pittsburgh visit included a stop at a federal courthouse, where he met with a roundtable of veterans to discuss those very issues, as well as easier access to veterans benefits for medical and mental health care.
"We're hiring more doctors, more nurses, creating more space – all the things you would do to create access," said McDonald. The Washington Examiner supports the secretary's assertion. Since the scandal over wait times erupted more than a year ago, the newspaper reported, the VA has hired 3,800 nurses, 1,400 physicians, 422 psychologists and 116 psychiatrists, among other professions. Disability claims more than 125 days old have dropped significantly, from 611,000 to 70,000.
The secretary's improvements don't have everyone satisfied, however. "As the boss, I think he could do a lot more a lot quicker," Mike Stelacio, commander of the American Legion Department of Pennsylvania, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Referencing the USA Today report that the VA paid out extensive bonuses in 2014, Stelacio echoed the sentiments of many other veterans when he wondered "Why should they receive a bonus when we have vets that can't get appointments?"