Doctor’s departure a concern on Maui
Valley Isle veterans fear a decline in their health care services
WAILUKU » Maui veterans are worried the sudden departure of a physician could disrupt their medical treatment on the Valley Isle similar to the situation a year ago.
But Department of Veterans Affairs health care spokesman Fred Ballard said the situation will not be as bad. This year there were two doctors and one is gone, while last year there was only one doctor, and one had to be flown in once or twice a week.
"We feel we have their health needs covered," said Ballard, public affairs official with the VA Pacific Island Health Care System.
The system has its main clinic on Oahu and community-based outpatient clinics on Guam, Samoa, Kauai, Hilo and Kona on the Big Island, and Maui.
Rogelio Evangelista, president of the Maui County Veterans Council representing more than 20 veterans groups, said he learned that a Veterans Affairs physician who seemed to be doing an excellent job at the outpatient clinic in Kahului was let go on Monday.
Evangelista said he does not know the reason for her departure and that veterans on Maui are worried their health care will slide as it did a year ago when a primary-care physician left the Valley Isle.
Evangelista said veterans complained they had a hard time getting an appointment with the doctor who was flown in, and had to see a nurse practitioner instead.
He said VA officials took more than six months to fill the vacancy, and the new physician started work toward the end of last year.
Ballard said the vacancy was left for a long time last year, partially because the departure was sudden, the procedure for hiring was a lengthy process and the cost of living is high on Maui, making recruitment difficult.
Ballard said he does not know how long Veterans Affairs will take to fill the vacancy.
He said the clinic has another primary-care physician, something it did not have a year ago, and a physician assistant is expected to begin working at the clinic in June.
Ballard said the clinic also has a nurse practitioner and a couple of part-time, on-call private physicians who can fill in if there is a need.
Ballard, citing personnel confidentiality rules, declined to discuss the reason for releasing the physician, who had been on probation.
Evangelista said the clinic was barely able to keep up with treating some 3,000 veterans on Maui with the two physicians and limits service from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
