Florida veterans were forced to wait at least 30 days for nearly 93,000 medical appointments at VA medical facilities from September through February, and half of those delays were found at just seven sites in north Florida and the Panhandle, according to government data reviewed by The Associated Press.
In Florida during the six-month period, nearly 29,000 appointments involved a delay of longer than 60 days — a figure that doesn’t include cancellations, patient no-shows, or instances where the veteran gave up and sought care elsewhere.
Of those delayed appointments, 2,532 were at the Pensacola VA clinic; 4,157 were at the Malcom Randall VA in Gainesville; and a whopping 7,117 were at the VA clinic in Jacksonville.
Tampa and Orlando facilities also had lengthy waits of more than two months.
Six of the nation’s 75 clinics and hospitals with the highest percentage of patients waiting more than 30 days for care were located in Florida, according to AP’s review of wait times from September through January. They are in Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Panama City Beach, Pensacola, Lecanto and Gainesville. The VA clinic in St. Augustine is in the top 100.
