Thursday, July 10, 2003 | 8:50 a.m.
After struggling for about two weeks with problems with their new state-of-the-art phone system, Department of Veterans Affairs officials say they have just about fixed the snafus.
"I'd say we've gotten about 95 percent of the bugs out," said John Bright, associate director of the local VA. "Most of the phone problems were last week and the week before that.
"We got the new phone system for the move that we made in just three weeks. With such a quick move, you have to expect some logistical problems."
The most common phone problems have included disconnects in the middle of conversations, difficulties transferring calls within a building and to other buildings, and busy signals when lines were overloaded, Bright said.
"We have been working with Sprint to correct the problem -- it has not just been the VA going it alone," Bright said. "I believe we have most of the problem cleared up because we are seeing about 1,200 to 1,300 patients a day, which is the number we were seeing prior to the move."
In June the VA moved out of the Addeliar D. Guy III Ambulatory Care Center to eight Las Vegas satellite offices and increased services at the Pahrump office and the Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Henderson.
Veterans' reaction to the phone problems ranged from patience to disgust.
"This is not just a government agency -- this is a place that is no different from a hospital dealing with ill people," said Chris Christoff, longtime local political activist and a member of the Independent Veterans Oversight Committee, who says he has received several calls from angry veterans.
"There is no excuse for these kind of problems because they've had 7 1/2 weeks (since the move began). Given the importance of their operation to thousands of area veterans, they should have had this fixed long before now."
Ed Gobel, director of the Council of Nevada Veterans Organizations, said he has received some complaints from veterans, but not a significant number.
"The problem seems to have been cleared up," Gobel said. "Most of the people had trouble getting through to the clinic for just one day last week."
Jim Gaughan, a Vietnam veteran who was at the VFW Post 10047 Wednesday, said all things considered, the service has not been so bad since the move.
"I have had no trouble getting through on the phone," said Gaughan, who has a 100 percent disability rating. "My biggest complaint is that they make you drive all the way to Timbuktu.
"But I have to give them credit. I've been to three of the clinics and each time they send me follow-up mail with a map and complete instructions on how to get to the next place and the doctor's phone number. There is a lot of driving involved, but I haven't gotten lost yet because of the good instructions."
Bright said the goal of the clinic is to eventually "have all veterans go to the location closest to their home. But we have 41,000 enrolled veterans. It's going to take some time to work things out."
Although each clinic site has a direct phone number, the VA recommends that all calls go through the main number: (702) 636-3000.
The caller is greeted with a taped message from VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System Director John Hempel followed by a list of clinics with their addresses and a corresponding number to press for the particular clinic.
Random calls by a Sun reporter through the main number and to several of the area clinics Wednesday were answered on the first ring, with different results. A call to one clinic was answered by a recording, then disconnected.
The clinic is struggling to overcome a number of other hurdles brought on by the June move. Rents for the temporary locations cost about $4.2 million annually, compared with rent of $2.1 million at the Guy center, 50 new employees had to be trained and a shuttle bus service had to be started.
"Actually the shuttle service has gone quite well," Bright said. "We are transporting about 200 to 250 veterans each day to the area clinics. I talk with veterans on a daily basis and there have been very few complaints."
The shuttle bus service is expected to cost about $500,000 the first year, VA officials have said.
The VA has not released the exact price of the move, including the cost of the new phone service. But known costs show the move could add more than $6.1 million in expenses to the VA's budget this year, according to figures provided by the VA.
The $16 million Guy clinic opened in 1997 and had 35,400 patients last year. VA officials said structural problems with the building forced the move. However, representatives for the building's owner, Moreland Corp., say those problems have been repaired and that the VA's move was not necessary.
VA officials are reviewing location proposals for a new main Las Vegas clinic.
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