Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - According to a study done by USA Today, the Sioux Falls VA hospital is middle-of-the-road when it comes to new patient wait times. The paper found that new patients at waited an average of 25.5 days for an appointment, putting Sioux Falls at 58th out of the 140 hospitals surveyed when ranked from worst to best. Sioux Falls VA Director Darwin Goodspeed says that number is about right, and that since taking over he has been looking at ways to improve the wait times in all areas of the Sioux Falls VA
Goodspeed said that the survey was an average for a six month period, meaning that one month may be better than another. Other factor such as a patients preference of one doctor or provider over another and staffing may influence the wait time. He added that his staff has been pro-active about improving patient wait times over the last few months in areas like ophthalmology and orthopedics, even going so far as to hire a new orthopedic surgeon, or to partner with another community hospital to provide service in a pinch.