PHX Reporter

The VA Phoenix Health Care System, subsidiary 644GE in Phoenix, Arizona scheduled 5,613 pending appointments during the period ending November 1, according to data collected from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Of the total number of appointments, 5,503 had a wait time of 30 days or less (98%) and 110 appointments (2%) were scheduled more than 30 days out.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in January 2019 reported that wait times for new appointments at VA health care facilities were similar to or better than wait times at private-sector providers between 2014 and 2017.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO), however, released a report in July 2019 that cautioned that the VA's data-tracking system only captures part of the appointment process and fails to account for the time that it takes the VA to enroll veterans in its health benefits program.

The VA explains on its website that when veterans apply for benefits, they are assigned to one of eight priority groups, with those who need immediate care due to service-related disabilities placed in higher priority groups. Veterans who do not have service-connected disabilities and who earn a higher income are placed in the lower priority groups.

Facility Code	Location	Total Appointments Scheduled	Appointments Scheduled 30 Days or Less	Appointments Scheduled More than 30 Days
644	Phoenix	73,755	66,488	7,267
644BY	Gilbert	26,131	24,802	1,329
644GA	Surprise	15,217	14,694	523
644GH	Phoenix	12,127	11,879	248
644GE	Phoenix	5,613	5,503	110
644GC	Phoenix	5,535	5,398	137
644GG	Scottsdale	3,419	3,366	53
644GB	Show Low	2,058	2,015	43
644GF	Globe	518	512	6
644GD	Payson	373	350	23

Source: U.S. Veteran's Administration