VA facilities near Tampa

[phorsenuf]

I'm going to be moving down to the Tampa area and I think I'm going to transfer my care to a local VA center down there.
Does anyone have any experience with any of the facilities in that area. I'm looking at either the clinics in Palm Harbor or New Port Richey.

It seems the Palm Harbor location is affiliated with the Bay Pines healthcare system down near St. Pete and the one in New Port Richey is with the James Haley hospital in Tampa.

Any experiences with them, good or bad.

Thanks!

 

[phorsenuf]

Bumping for the evening crowd.

 

[Ponygirl]

I do not have experience with any VA facility in Florida. However, do some Googling and you will be shocked and appalled at some of the reports on the two main hospitals that you mentioned. The VA Inspector General's office did extensive investigations on James Haley, if I remember correctly. This was maybe two years ago and it was so bad, the hospital director had to have armed guards at all times.

Hopefully, things have improved since this: http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/27/Hillsborough/Haley_VA_center_error.shtml Read about halfway down where it talks about pest control.

I would think that you would have no problem with the clinics. Just bring a flyswat with you if you need surgery.

 

[macman752]

As you noted largest VA facility in Pinellas County is Bay Pines VA in the Seminole area. It's about 20 miles from Palm Harbor. It's located at 10000 Bay Pines Blvd 33744.

I don't have personal experience with the care however I took my father-in-law there once for an exam. It is a huge, very busy facility.

If you relocate to the Palm Harbor area check out the Pinellas County Veteran's Affairs office in Clearwater. The folks there were very helpful when I had to file for benefits on behalf of father-in-law.