Minneapolis VA Health Care System

"100% disabled combat veteran. I can’t get appointments or return phone calls. I question if anyone works there. Never progress or solutions. Do not join the military because the VA will not take care of you when you get back home."

"best VA medical center in America . A go to facility if you get your medical from the VA . Benn to several others including St cloud and Atlanta and this one is much better"

"I went in for a colonoscopy. I did the prep exactly the way that I was told to do it two days before. When they called me at home they said that I would be given anesthesia and that I would need a designated driver to get home. My daughter offered to drive me. When I arrived at the hospital, I was told that I would be awake for the procedure because I would only be given moderate anesthesia. Full Stop. Awake? Who the hell wants to be awake for something like this? Put me to sleep immediately and wake me up and tell me all about it! At that point the two men, (Male Doctor and Nurse) assured me that 95% of their patients tolerated this procedure quite well. Then I was told that they would put me under so that I would not feel any discomfort and that I would be relaxed and there would be no problems. In fact they assured me if there were any problems they would immediately stop the procedure and try again a different day. I protested this and asked for them to find an anesthesiologist immediately please. Although the Doctor seemed rather put out at this he did immediately go off to call and see if he could find it anesthesiologist. At least he told me that's what he did. My daughter and I waited while the male nurse waited with us. The nurse assured me that should the doctor not be able to find an anesthesiologist for us He could not promise me that he would be able to keep me sleep but he would do his best to keep me relaxed and asleep as much as he could. The doctor returned and told me that all of the anesthesiologists were busy for that day. So I would either have to make the decision to do that two-day prep all over again another day or do the procedure now. Let's pause for a second here. I was only there because I had a positive colonoscopy smear test. That test that come in over a year ago and I had just found out. It was one of those mail-in tests that they had received at the VA. Over. ONE. Year. Ago. I had been drinking this entire jug of electrolyte all night anyone who has gone through this prep knows the disgusting deal of it. You know you don't want to do it over again within days. But more than that let's think for a moment as to why I had only been notified a year later that I had a positive colonoscopy test by my doctor a year later. I was told that they tried to call me but could not get in touch with me. I had no notices on my voicemail on my cell phone. No notices on the electronic email veterans have online through the VA. No notices through the mail. For the entire year. Yet at the end of my yearly checkup the doctor casually mentions that I had a positive colonoscopy test. On my way out the door. And she would be scheduling a colonoscopy for me. Because I have a history of sexual trauma from my past this is distressing news to me to say the least. And a distressing procedure. Not one of these doctors delivered this news nor treated me with any kind of empathy whatsoever although this history is in my records. Unpause. Let's get back to the story. The doctor returns stating that none of the anesthesiologists are available for that day. But once again assuring me that the procedure was painless and that I would be completely relaxed and that the moment that anything went wrong they would stop and try again another day. My daughter who also has been traumatized in the past was not in a good place and I had to ask her was she okay. This point we were both not in a good place. I was so traumatized myself that I couldn't take care of either one of us and she couldn't take care of either one of us. The pressure that these medical personnel exerted up on me to do this procedure was delivered in the form of the kindly "you can do it everybody does it" format. That can be more traumatizing to someone who has already been traumatized than any other type of pressure that there is. I went through the procedure and woke up screaming twice. They did not stop as promised. I feel violated all over again. I want the VA to take responsibility for what they did to both me. Even if they do it's done."

"I work at a dental office, I sent over a medical release for a mutual patient several times and I haven’t received anything back. This patient had to reschedule multiple times because we didn’t get anything back from their primary care. I’ve been told 5 different fax numbers as well, so who knows where that medical release was sent too. Also every time I talk to a representative from the VA they are always so rude and they don’t help with anything."

"This place is massive. They’ve got it all. Navigating can be challenging but they’ve got a ton of volunteers. I was seen here for a traveling vet consult in Orthopedics. Everyone was great with exception to the receptionist in Orthopedics—Eastern Europe lady. Super friendly staff otherwise. They’re remodeling—the place is gonna look great. Cafeteria has good options. Even a BX-like canteen. Probably one of my best experiences with the VA!"