The number of veterans seeking care from the VA has shot up in the last few years but across the country, the number of medical staff available to provide healthcare services has not.
A 2014 law, the Veterans Choice and Accountability Act, funneled $2.5 billion to VA medical centers for assistance in hiring more doctors, nurses and other medical staff. However, an conducted earlier this year found that wait times have not improved.
In St. Louis, it wasn鈥檛 until fall 2016 that the VA St. Louis Health Care System got . Before the 2016 appointment, the local VA health care system had eight interim directors.
On Thursday鈥檚 St. Louis on the Air, we heard the second of a three part series about local veterans and their journeys to receive medical care.
Along with assistance from production engineer Aaron Doerr, the series is hosted by Monica Ramirez, a post-9/11 U.S. Army veteran and fellow.
Founded by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, The Mission Continues works to empower veterans who are adjusting to life at home. Ramirez, a former combat correspondent for the military, served a Mission Continues fellowship with 漏 2024 外网天堂.
Part 2
We continue the journey with select local veterans and their families as they make their way through the St. Louis VA system.
The second part, through sound-rich narration and storytelling, follows veterans and their families as they meet with doctors and receive health care services from the VA. Their stories reflect a disappointing and isolating experience, though it鈥檚 clear that not all veterans share that experience.
: Call 1-800-273-8255 or text 838255
Music heard in Part 2
- Voices (Phantogram)
- Spanish Armada (Ratatat)
- One (Rockabye Baby!)
- One (Metallica, instrumental guitar cover)
- Up On The Ladder (Radiohead)
- In The Flesh (Pink Floyd, cover by Fol Chen)
- For The Widows In Paradise (Sufjan Stevens)
- Two (Erin Bode)
- Breaker (Low)
- Fireproof (The National)
- 3 Libras (A Perfect Circle, instrumental cover by Matt Haimovitz & Christopher O鈥橰iley)
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