After months of preparation and input from the veterans’ community and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill joined local veterans and VA officials to unveil a new partnership aimed at improving veterans experiences at St. Louis area VA healthcare facilities. The program, called the Veterans Customer Satisfaction Program (VCSP), brings together veterans, the VA, patient advocates and concerned members of the community to address frustrations that veterans experience with their VA healthcare, as well as to assess the quality of their care and seek solutions where problems are identified. The program empowers veterans to be ‘secret shoppers’ within the region’s VA healthcare facilities so they can provide confidential feedback that will help improve care and customer service at such facilities.
Veterans can visit http://mccaskill.senate.gov/vcsp to participate.
Last September, McCaskill toured John Cochran Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center amidst reports of problems at the facility. Following the tour, McCaskill met with hospital administrators about the incident, and discussed, among other things, ways the VA needed to make improvements. After that meeting she announced that her office would begin development of a proactive program to help veterans participate in the process of identifying areas in need of improvement and in making the VA healthcare facilities more user-friendly.
The program will allow veterans the opportunity to complete a confidential survey about their experiences at St. Louis VA medical centers. The data from the surveys will help McCaskill and local veterans organizations compile reports with recommendations on improving veterans' experiences.
The VA has agreed to respond to and address all concerns within 30 days of receiving a report. Veterans can visit http://mccaskill.senate.gov/vcsp to complete the survey.
Since arriving in the Senate, McCaskill has made improving services for veterans a top priority. She has toured the state twice (in 2007 and again in 2010) holding a series of forums designed to listen specifically to the concerns of veterans.
Because of these visits and the daily input she receives from Missouri veterans and their families, she has successfully worked to improve benefits and services for the men and women who sacrificed for our country. Read more about her record on veterans issues here.
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