Miami VA Healthcare System

The place is full of poor and homeless veterans. Somehow every time I come the employees are responsible and respectful. I am on the fence about bringing it down a star but somehow I get surprised at someone’s professionalism every time I come. I may be the lucky exception but four stars.

I have been going here for 3years. Service is slow and everyone is rude no matter how hard you try to be nice. The wait is terrible even if you have an appointment so make sure you have the whole day free.
That’s just medical side
If you are trying to learn about claims or do anything with dental, eye glasses or anything else. I would also recommend going to a different location they are uneducated in the field they are in and will not give you the help you need. They act as if you owe them everything and that you are here to serve to there needs.

Extremely rude and disrespectful receptionists who are clearly uneducated and do not give a damn about you or the rest of the veterans for that matter. Always miscommunication issues with calling in for general information or setting appointments. The doctors, nurses, etc. are great, no issues with them thus far… It’s everyone else you have to watch out for. Needs much improvement overall.

The VA has come a long way there’s always room for improvement
Service at times is awful people with attitudes
Wait times need improvement ASAP

Hope you have your day clean… Everything here takes forever. If they want to help… Awesome an issue. I hope they get there act together.

PROs
Miami VA is a teaching hospital. This is mainly a positive since the residents aren’t on a time clock and can spend as much time on your case as required. Their diagnosis and treatment plan is checked by a «real» doctor. Often time several residents look at your case and can pool their knowledge. I have received better care at this hospital than I did on active duty, mainly because of the residents.
The prosthetics department is particularly good. The quality of equipment is outstanding. At other VAs lower quality supplies are used and are not conducive to actually using the product on a daily basis.
The OEF /​OIF clinic is an all around great place with all of the staff passionate about veterans and concerned about getting them the proper care. It is a very good on-​ramp for new veterans into the VA system. The only problems ever experienced there were when the regular Admin staff called in sick (see below)
The pharmacy is excellent. Substitutions to name brand drugs are permitted when the doctors go through the protocol of justifying the medication and trying the generic /​cheaper versions first. There are occasional slip ups in shipping, so you need to keep an eye on your status for critical meds.
Parking situation has improved. The courtesy shuttle is an welcome addition.
CONs
Aging infrastructure. This hospital needs to have a major overhaul. HVAC system not zoned properly causing temperature extremes between rooms. Some room have space heaters and others have extra air conditioners. Water leaks throughout hospital raise risk of black mold in materials not replaced after leak.
Employees are all over the spectrum in competence and helpfulness. Some feel entitled to their job and are only doing the bare minimum. Others are passionate about helping veterans. Some want to be helpful, but don’t know how to help. Others are jaded. The hospital is so confusing many of the employees do not know what services are available.
Generally the weak link are the admin support specialists. Department heads have limited ability to correct low-​performers and this causes frustration on both the provider and patient side of the house. Many times an admin specialist calls in sick (understood), but a back fill does not come until an hour or two later. An example is that the admin specialist is supposed to be present at 0730. The clinic does not call the admin department to request a backfill until 0800. The replacement does not show up until 0900. Meanwhile, patients are not being seen and the clinic backs up the remainder of the day.
WARD 11B is a death trap!!! I was checked in for a possible stroke and all I needed to be released was an MRI. The nurses did not even know I was on the floor. They told my wife that I was not there and I was only three doors away form the nurses station. When the transport person came to the ward to take me to the MRI, the nurses told him that I was not there. When the doctors came the next day for rounds, they were dumbfounded that the MRI was not conducted. Fortunately for me it was not a stroke, but it could have been tragic.
SARRTP 5D is horrible. Lack of supervision of patients creates life threatening situations. Patients leave and get hooked up in the parking lot and come back into unit drunk or high. The nurse staff is either absent or behind their desk and do not check. Drug tests are too predictable and do not serve as a deterrent. Many veterans are accepted into the program that are there only because they need a place to stay and are not committed to participating in the program. There should be other social services for homeless veterans instead of them having to feign addiction or psychiatric condition to get a warm bed and a meal. The lack of supervision and veterans that are not sincere in making progress make it difficult for those sincerely trying.
Funding is sporadic. Some departments have top of the line equipment and other departments cannot even afford cheap items needed for patient care. This unevenness is penny wise and pound foolish in that the areas that are cut are areas that are preventative or that would prevent further health problems down the road.
The quality control metrics are well thought out, but at least from some of the reports that I saw were inaccurate that could only be explained by the departments lying on the report or manipulating the data.
Sanitation department needs major quality control or extra personnel. The bathrooms are always filthy during the day. When clinics /​departments have segregated «staff only» bathrooms because they do not want to use filthy «veteran» bathrooms you know there is a problem.

Nice staff. Free parking. If you don’t want to drive take the metro rail, civic center stop. They are renovating right now some departments. It’s gonna be nice and beautiful. Lots of vending machines and the cafeteria food isn’t that good but the prices are comparing to other hospitals.

I am currently admitted in the hospital due to a knee surgery. This place truly terrifies me. I’m not talking about the little stuff, such as bad food. I’m talking about docs on call not returning phone calls. Docs making me wait up to six hours for paid medication. Doctors insisting I walk (weight bearing) on a walker the day after surgery. This was because the docs knew the PT guys wouldn’t see me on a Sunday. I cried for hours after this from the pain. This last surgery was to remove a 2+ cm tumor lodged into I think my femur. Bone was removed, cadaver bone was used to replace, a steel plate and screws were added, this was a major knee surgery at nearly four hours.
I’ve used VA hospitals since the 90’s. While some were very inefficient, I don’t believe they were trying to do harm. I truly believe the Miami VA Hospital is in such a rapid tizzy to have open beds, I would not be surprised if this policy killed patients (VETERANS). Actually I would only be surprised if it didn’t.
On a bright side, The Fisher House is a Godsend. I have not seen it personally, being dormant but my dad has been allowed to stay there since I was admitted, and he honestly loves it. He is receiving such wonderful care.

I used to go to this hospital, but it was just too much of a hassle. The wait times are crazy and the hospital itself is a zoo. It’s always busy and the staff acts like the folks over at the dmv, they just don’t care. I will never go back. I’m done

From the moment you enter the VA hospital it’s like an alternate universe. It’s amazing that a person can encounter hundreds of people and nearly every single one is kind, sweet, helpful and friendly. The ladies in the cafeteria, the men at the check in desk, the nurses the doctors and everyone in between is friendly, kind and helpful! Carmen Valez in (after surgery) recovery is an ANGEL from heaven! Everyone was so nice and helpful at the VA! Wish every hospital was like this!

They are constantly redoing the VA old building that they are bringing back so sometimes it can be a maze to get around.
Always busy with lots of vets and some long wait times. Try to get to appointments early maybe they can slip you in.
If you don’t have to use the Miami VA use another maybe Broward VA less crowded.

Awesome VA, tends to have long waits but this is completely understandable at any medical center.