November 1, 2005

Fm: Joseph L. Puente
P.O. Box 262
Mt. Pleasant, UT 84647

To: Lawrence A. Biro
Network Director, VISN #19
Mountain Towers, Suite 510
4100 East Mississippi Avenue
Glendale, CO 80246

Dear Mr. Biro,

Regarding your letter to me dated October 26, I appreciate your understanding that interactions between patients and staff should not include discussion of systems and/or cost issues. I also appreciate your apology for what I experienced at the VA. But I also requested that something be done about these practices, perhaps a memo or dissemination to the VA staff under your management of an official policy addressing those particular concerns. I would like to ask if you’ll be doing something to that effect and, if so, would you please keep me informed about such a memo or policy?

As for the situation with the Fountain Green Clinic, it is true that I did accept a transfer of care to the Nephi facility for the Central Valley Medical Center, but I only accepted that transfer with the understanding that the injunction filed against me by the receptionist be removed from the public record. I have since made a request to Ganelle Perschon of the Salt Lake V.A. Medical Center that my records and treatment be transferred to another clinic entirely or.

I do not trust the Central Valley Medical Center to provide me with competent care. Considering that their actions against me have in fact aggravated the very conditions that caused me to turn to the V.A. for treatment in the first place.

You said in your letter that you reviewed the “detailed description” provided to you by the VA Police in Salt Lake City. Well, I have reviewed that same description and I can tell you that it is full of half truths and blatant fabrications of what went on at the Fountain Green Clinic. Does my report of the events mean nothing? I’m scheduled to go to court in Salt lake City to contest a disorderly conduct charge that resulted from these lies. I don’t even know how I’m going to get there, but it was made very clear that if I don’t show up, I could be arrested. In your first letter to me, you referred to the VAMC mission statement: “To serve the veteran who served us.” Well, I don’t feel served. I feel neglected, abused and lied to.
I learned that it was the VA representative at the Nephi Medical Clinic, Debbie, who forwarded the complaint from the FGMC receptionist to the VA Police in the first place. She didn’t even think to call me to ask for my side of the story. She just ASSUMED that what the receptionist said was true. I’ve tried asking Debbie why but she just claims to not know what report I’m talking about and that I should discuss it with the VA Police. But every time I ask the VA police for ANY information, they tell me I’m not entitled to it and that I should petition the court.

You said that your findings don’t indicate sufficient cause to discontinue the contract with the Central Valley Medial Center. What does it take? Do I have to die? Do I have to have a nervous break down? Because I’m falling apart here. I’m having anxiety attacks, depression, digestive problems to the point of rectal bleeding. I’d like to see a doctor but I don’t trust the CVMC and until I know where my records are going to be transferred to, assuming that they ever will, I can’t even see another contractor. I don’t even have the means to travel anywhere without inconveniencing someone else. I suppose I could just call 9-1-1 and tell the ambulance to take me to the VA, but I’m still wrapping my mind around how much it might cost.

Mr. Biro, I am begging you. I can’t handle this. I’m not being treated fairly. I’m not even being treated like a human being. I’m just a number to these people. I have asked again and again that this disorderly conduct charge be dropped. Just as a sign of good faith and to put any misunderstandings and ill feelings behind, but my requests have been ignored. Is there anything you can do? Anything you’re willing to do to drop this charge based on the lies of a receptionist who only lodged the complaint because I wrote a letter to her employers asking that she be counseled about her customer service skills.

What matters more to the VA, Mr. Biro? The veterans or the contractors? Because it looks to me, and other VA patients I’ve spoken with, that the contractors matter more than the patients.

Please, help me.




Sincerely,


Joseph L. Puente