4 Investigates: Primary Care Coordination ranks poorly at Albuquerque VA

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A Navy veteran says he has spent two years struggling to get medical care through the Albuquerque VA, with an unresolved prostate condition now affecting his kidneys.

His account comes one day after a 4 Investigates report detailed patient safety concerns, staffing shortages and leadership problems at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center.

The morning after that report aired, Normand Blanchette left a voicemail for 4 Investigates.

“Yea my name is Normand Blanchette and I’m outside your door,” he said.

Blanchette had driven about 2 1/2 hours from his mountain community north of Cuba to share his experience in person.

His difficulty accessing care exemplifies one of the worst metrics the Albuquerque ranked itself in its SAIL (Strategic Analytics for Improvement) stats. Primary Care Coordination is one of the worst areas in the SAIL measurements. For veterans that looks like access to care, but internally it’s how the VA manages a team of health care workers to manage veterans long-term health.

Struggling to access care

“I’m a Navy Veteran, 21 years, 4 months. I retired just after the first Gulf War,” Blanchette said.

Blanchette said he has spent the past two years trying to establish consistent medical care through the VA after his doctor dropped him.

He said he did not realize the VA discontinued walk-ins at satellite clinics.

“And that’s when I was informed by my doctor that he’s not going to see me anymore, cause I didn’t make an appointment. And I told him, well I didn’t know I needed to make an appointment,” Blanchette said.

Blanchette said he has since been trying to find a new primary care provider, but staffing shortages have left him waiting months for an appointment.

“Now, because they’re so shorthanded. My appointment with her wasn’t going to be until next March. I’m sitting here for the last six months with a prostate problem, which is causing a kidney problem,” he said.

A growing health concern

Blanchette said his condition has continued to cause problems while he waits for care.

He also said he was unable to get treatment through the VA emergency room.

Last month, he said he spent 5 1/2 hours waiting in the emergency room before being told he needed to follow up through his primary care provider.

“Well, I’m still hurting right now,” Blanchette said.

During his trip to Albuquerque, Blanchette said he stopped by the VA to confirm an emergency appointment scheduled for about a week and a half later.

The experience has left him questioning how a veteran with more than two decades of military service can struggle to access medical care.

“It makes me feel useless. I mean, here I am, I’m a veteran of over 21 years and I get turned away from getting service,” he said.

Blanchette said conversations with other veterans in the VA waiting room suggested similar difficulties were being experienced by others.

“They’ve been having trouble getting help- getting the right help to get themselves fixed up,” he said.

The VA responds to employees

The VA National Press Secretary referred 4 Investigates to the local Albuquerque VA public affairs team. They did not respond to our call or emails. However, the interim director sent an email to all VA employees:

“Good evening New Mexico VA Team,

A local news channel aired a report this evening about the care and culture of our facility. The report was difficult to hear. While some details may warrant discussion, its core message was clear: New Mexico Veterans want and deserve a stronger healthcare system.

Before addressing the work ahead, I want to recognize the meaningful progress you have already made. Over the past two quarters, your focus on improving patient care through discharge planning cohorts, wound care management teams, and inpatient flow collaboratives has contributed to gains in Infection Prevention, Care Transitions, Patient Experience, and Utilization Management. The number of our clinical metrics in the top-performing quintile of SAIL more than doubled, from 6 to 14. In addition, measures moving upward now outnumber those moving downward by nearly two to one.

These results reflect your commitment, collaboration, and willingness to improve how healthcare is delivered at our facility. I appreciate the thoughtfulness and hard work you bring to this effort each day, as well as your willingness to engage in the difficult conversations required to create lasting cultural change.

As we continue toward becoming a High Reliability Organization, your leadership team remains committed to transparency and accountability at every level. All Chiefs and Supervisors will begin working with the Western States Network Consortium to address organizational culture, with particular attention to teamwork, confidence, and knowledge of accountability practices. This is a shared opportunity to strengthen how we support one another, address concerns at the level closest to where the work is happening, and hold ourselves and each other accountable. Please support your fellow employees and leaders as they develop greater confidence in these practices and continue participating in the conversations and improvement efforts ahead.

When I arrived at New Mexico VA in August, I came with one goal: to help us become the healthcare system we envision for our Veterans. Every day, I see the dedication you bring to this responsibility, and I am proud to stand beside you as we continue our journey to provide safe, timely, and high-quality healthcare to our nation’s Veterans. Thank you for your continued dedication. Please carry this momentum forward by sustaining the improvements already underway and engaging constructively in the work ahead.

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