Jonathan M Wainwright VAMC – Richland

I'm not understanding why the reviews are so low. My experience was above and beyond expectations. Super friendly staff.

PA Hansen and Tina are the VERY best! All of the staff are friendly and courteous. The Department of Veteran Affairs has always helped me with my medical issues. They offer Battlefield Acupuncture now too! Thank you… all!!

A revolving door of staff, so badly managed it's pathetic. They should fire the whole management team and find someone that knows what they are doing. For a VA facility its pathetic and an embarrassment.

12 year US army combat infantryman. They didn't help me.

Great place for annual physicals. Veterans health is always a primary concern. Sometimes they are understaffed and would benefit from increased funding.

As a caregiver who regularly brings veterans to this facility, I’m extremely frustrated by the treatment they receive, particularly from the reception staff. The veterans are treated poorly, but it’s even more… concerning that the receptionists themselves are being treated unfairly by their own supervisor. This was especially evident on Friday, when tensions seemed higher and the lack of respect and support for the workers was more apparent. It creates a toxic environment that affects both the staff and the veterans. It’s disheartening to witness both the veterans and employees being treated so poorly. Veterans deserve better care and respect, and workers deserve to be treated fairly. I wouldn’t want to work in such an environment.

Just the best. As a young female veteran I was thrilled to be assigned an all female care team. They've been so responsive and have taken all of my concerns seriously. The clinic is small but all of the staff have been… incredibly efficient and kind.

From my perspective, The Richland VA and Walla Walla VA Medical Center are horrible places to receive veteran healthcare. Messages to your care team are NEVER returned. Requests for prescription refills are never… fulfilled. There is no ability to talk to your care team via MyHealtheVet. In MyHealthEVet, my old VISN (Portland VA) is still loaded and I can talk to anyone in the Portland system at any time but after two years at Richland, I still cannot converse with my Richland care team without physically going into the office. Lastly, there is no ability to talk to anyone in the Richland Clinic directly. They will not give out phone numbers instead directing patients to the National Appointment Line. Which gets me back to my first point, messages are never returned. It is vicious cycle that is a serious disservice to our veterans.

Richland VA CBOC provides the worst behavior health service I have ever recieved. Beware! On my very first appointment, their nurse practitioner tried to take me off all of the meds that I have been on for years.… Needless to say I had an episode. I have been to 6 different VA clinics or hospitals and this one is by far the worst.

I lack confidence in this VA facility as the majority of the staff seems uninformed. The primary care provider may say you’re healthy despite experiencing pain. It took five months to process an urology referral, and… upon approval, they rejected the prescribed medication the urologist recommended. The mental health support is a joke, leaving me feeling worse post-visit. Extended wait times (over 20 minutes past scheduled appointments) and a confusing processes contribute to the overall unsatisfactory experience at this VA facility. My recommendation is to go to Walla Walla.

Absolutely horrible. Next time I'm just going to drive to Walla Walla if there going to be a hour late to calling me back for a simple blood work appointment

I’m a 22 yr vet and I find the Richland VA to be one of the best in the country and my doctor and nurse to be some of the best in the country. The constant turn over In personnel is the downfall of the VA it create a… division in health care and communications and they don’t have enough employees to do the required work in an efficient amount of time. Just saying

This VA vacility is among the worst I've seen. Since "covid" hit that is the ongoing excuse for every failure one can imagine. We should be able to pick a Dr in a local area and use them. Period. Responses to anything… is slow, months long at best. The entire VA program, largely because of the current administration is a disaster, a disservice to all vets.

Excellent

The lowest quality of health care I have ever had. Over a month to get my parking privilege signed. Told me 2 days ,ben in there 3 times and called 3 times. Time to go to Vancouver VA

The bottom line up front is that the systematic failures of the entire VA are present at this, and every other VA facility. These failures are inescapable. The risk management approach to health care and the intentional… under staffing and under funding of the VA is costing the lives of veterans. You know, generally, the people are friendly as long as you're going with their program. A program that is slow, inefficient and ultimately, unhelpful. As long as the facade of helpfulness is maintained and the helpers can feel good about themselves, everyone is friendly, never mind the veterans aren't actually receiving quality care. Ideally, the system would prefer you didn't utilize the VA for care. I generally don't and prefer to pay out of pocket for as much as possible to avoid the VA. Yet sometimes I need to use the VA. In this case, I had labs drawn in May 2022. I was not notified of a primary care appointment scheduled for the next week as nobody mentioned it while I was in the clinic and because their new system was dysfunctional and did not send out voice or text reminders (so I was told), so I missed it (as did many other veterans in that few weeks). It turns out later, according to my primary provider team scheduler at the Richland CBOC the provider was out that day on PTO anyhow. So, perhaps there wasn’t actually a failure of the system to notify me since it’s likely the appointment was simply cancelled without being rescheduled. I messaged my primary care team through the My Health the day after my labs requesting additional labs be added along with a few other questions. I received a message back the next day stating they had left a voicemail. I did not receive this voicemail but called back, waiting on hold for 30 minutes until I could leave a message with a request for call back. I also made a reply message online. Three weeks later no reply, waited on hold for 30 minutes and the soonest I can get an appointment is 2 months out. Because it will have been longer than 3 months between my labs and primary care appointment I now have to get new labs done. Then my primary care provider will determine if I am allowed to have the additional lab tests done. This experience is just one example of the typical dysfunction and systematic delay and denial of care our veterans are forced to endure. Every time I call it's a 30 minute wait time to speak with someone that is effectively only an operator. Every time I am forwarded to the person that can help, I receive a voicemail and must wait for a call back. How can I bill the VA for all this time I spend trying to access my health care?

The worst mental health care. So sad they say they want to help our veterans. Yet they find the bottom of the barrel people to work there and give out care.

To bad the VA doesn’t care as much as they say. The psychiatrist they have there is the most judgmental and belittling person I have ever met. You are supposed to be able to go somewhere without judgment you are… constantly judged by her. Don’t even tell her what has been working for you and your medication cause she will ask why you are still depressed along with stating the medication your are on won’t work for you. She is the most unprofessional and judgmental person I have meant. She judges you on your religious beliefs and life style if it isn’t what she believes. I wish I could upload the recording I have of her to show you how rude and unprofessional she is but it only allows me to upload pictures.

My personal experience at this VA Clinic has been a positive one. I've been seen here on and off for many years without any problems. Everybody has always been very friendly and professional. One staff member I recently… encountered at the COVID check in station made my day because he was full of silly jokes and positive energy.

So far this is the best VA I have been to. They are always frienand you don't have to schedule appointments so far out.

Always been helpful got us in with good specialist