VA Hospital Records Question (Post WWII)

A question. My mother and I got some records (for family medical history) of my grandfather's hospitalization at the local VA. He was hospitalized in January 1974 for the primary problems of Pleurisy and Gout, and secondary concerns of Hypertension and his status post a stroke he had suffered a year earlier. He would later die at the same VA of a second stroke in 1975. We got what would seem to be original records, but they seem very bare. According to the papers, he spent 14 days in the hospital, yet the only papers we got were an initial physical done on the day of admission, and his chief complaint along with his stated medical history, and a typed out general summary of his stay following his discharge.

What I mean is: We got my grandad's medical records while he was treated in military hospitals and in Halloran Hospital from 1945-1946 following a gunshot wound gotten in combat. The entire record is over 60 pages long and it is often a daily account of medications given, his status that day, repeated physicals, surgery records, even stuff as trivial as dental records, etc.

My question is two fold: Why were the VA hospital records so bare in comparison? He was there for 14 days and according to the summary was given an X-Ray, treated with anticoagulants, they apparently even did some testing which showed his blood pressure could be maintained at a normal level without medication, several blood tests as well as treatments for the Pleurisy and Gout--yet we got none of these records--the day by day records.

I'd assume that in a hospital setting, especially one where the patient is admitted for more than a day, there'd be a day by day record of treatments, medications, etc---for example "1/16/2013 11:00pm patient was given 100mg Allopurinol; 1/15/13 patient given X-Ray of Chest." Would those records have simply been trashed?

Secondly--According to the physical done on the first day, he was given a full neurological evaluation as a follow up to check on his recovery from his first stroke, and the month/year of the first CVA and even how it presented and what treatments he'd been under since the stroke, are mentioned. Yet he had never been treated at the VA before 1974--he was treated for the stroke at a private hospital. Outside of him telling them about his stroke, how would they have known? He used the VA basically as his doctor in '74 as his private doctor had retired and moved to Florida. What I'm getting at is could the VA have had some sort of record or a copy of records patched over to them regarding his first stroke? Since the Hospital he was treated at for his first stroke has been closed for decades, those records are long since lost, but if the VA had a copy...It'd be good for our family records, and enlightening. Would the VA, in treating him in 1974, have gotten a copy at that time of his records of the stroke from the private hospital, for their own records and care management?

 

Of all the Government agencies, the VA must be most difficult to deal with. I've had letters go unanswered, request for records denied because the couldn't find them (they were in the VA Records Management Center in St. Louis). They do as little as they can and don't do anything unless they are prodded- and there is nobody to hold them responsible. OpanaPointer correctly named them "The Monolith".

We have an office here called the "Vet Center"--seems it was once called AmVets, that are advocates for veterans who are dealing with the VA. They have been a real asset for us when trying to get VA disability benifits for our daughter. I've never worked with the DAV but have heard they are helpful.

Medical records have always been difficult to get, except by the Veteran, so you may still have a problem getting them.

As a last result, you can ask for help from your Congressman--that's what they are supposed to do--It's hard to get mine to do anything unless you contribute to his campaign fund.

 

They did hand over what we asked for readily; I think we went to the VA where he was treated and died in, gave his death certificate, my mother's birth certificate, and proof of identity and they had what they gave us in five minutes. At least that's how I remember it. So they didn't give us a hard time by any means, it's just the records seem scarce....

Also, what's really most important here is: Would the VA have had a copy of his records from his first stroke in 1973? He wasn't treated at the VA for that, but at a private hospital, but would they have gotten a copy of those records after his first admission there in '74? As I said in the OP, since the Hospital he was admitted to with the first stroke closed long ago, those original records have long since been discarded, but if the VA had a copy that'd be great.

Last thing but we have his wallet. It's basically untouched, as it was when he passed. On a business card in the wallet, he wrote in pen "VA" and a series of numbers. These numbers didn't match either his Social Security number, nor his army serial number. Would he have had a special VA serial number or claim number? Would that aid us in any way?

 

Ryan, I'm guessing that the VA doctors may have asked the hospital, where he had his first stroke, for his records so they would know his medical history--if they were available. If I'm reading this correctly, he had his first stroke in '73 and went to the VA hospital in '75, so the hospital would still be open at that time. Why not write or visit your Regional VA office and tell them what you are looking for--they should have a copy of all his medical records and maybe a lot of his personnel records as well.

The number could be the VA case number. If it's not a telephone number it sounds reasonable--ask the regional office it they can decifer what it is.