Center of Clinical Excellence

After a year or more of hearing and following up on complaints about this clinic, I felt uneasy about its continued survival.  Those gut feelings were confirmed these past two weeks when two service providers wanted to show us the area available for homeless veterans and a similar program that had just closed.  The principal of the latter organization was the financial backer of the former center which caused me great concern; consequently, a meeting was requested to get clarification.   That meeting has now been completed.

The Center of Clinical Excellence is closed, and they were unaware that their website was still visible and phones were being answered with a recording.  What occurred was expected in this day and age of healthcare in this province.  The clinic could not maintain its relationship with the contracted doctor.  That doctor was overwhelmed with the response for service and could not keep up.  I was also informed that the veterans were very demanding and hard to work with.  As a result, the program for assessment and report writing to Veterans Affairs stopped.  It’s unfortunate as I know many benefited from this service.

GOING FORWARD

We will meet with Dr Venu Karapareddy of Actum Health to discuss the next steps for Veterans to get assessments written by professional medical practitioners.  You will be kept informed.

Several veterans have stepped up to join the Support and Advocacy Program. Later this month we will meet where they will be shown the Coles Notes version of what is required and where to look for the answers.

In the meantime, if you are lucky enough to have a family doctor, don’t hesitate to talk to them about assessment writing.  Be up front with them and inform them you need a medical confirmation of your condition that does not sugar coat it.  Write using medical terminology that only Veterans Affairs would understand, and state that the cost of the report is of no concern to you, as the invoice is included with the assessment and Vets Affairs will pay it.

I hope to have an answer to this by the end of the month.  It’s problematic but I’m assured there’s a workaround.

Murray F. Macham

RCMP Veterans Association 

Vancouver Division 

Vice President and Support & Advocacy