Shreveport Veteran Urges VA to Add Real Patient Choice

A Shreveport retired Army captain says the fastest way to improve care at Overton Brooks VA Medical Center is to give veterans real choice and create competition.

In a candid recent interview with KEEL News, Capt. Shea Wilkes, a clinical social worker at the Overton Brooks VAMC, argued that access improves when patients can pick their doctors and move if service falls short. “Why can’t I choose VA or why can’t I choose to go outside the VA,” he asked. “I’m the one that earned the right.”

Choice Over Monopoly for Shreveport Veterans

Wilkes, says he often relies on private insurance because the VA limits selection. “They assign it. If I want to change, if I want to fire my doctor, I can’t,” he said. “I have to put in a change in provider, which is a joke process.” He supports reforms tied to the Access Act, framing it as a practical way to expand options for local veterans who need timely care.

Shreveport VAMC Has an Efficiency Problem, Not a Staffing Problem

While the VA often points to hiring as a solution, Wilkes stresses that the real problem is productivity. “We don’t have a manpower problem. We have an efficiency problem,” he said, referencing comments he has heard echoed on Capitol Hill.

READ MORE: Shreveport Residents Fight Against Red River Expressway

He compares patient loads in private clinics with those inside the VA. “A buddy is a primary care. He has to see 30 to 40 to keep the doors open. I can promise you right now we don’t see that.”

Trust in the Numbers

Listeners wrote in to praise Overton Brooks for short neurosurgery waits. Wilkes cautioned that internal metrics can be shaped by process more than performance. “If you believe any numbers that come out of the VA… I know how to manipulate them,” he said.

Wilkes argues that transparent scheduling and independent validation would rebuild confidence while guiding resources to the right clinics.

Advice to Shreveport Veterans That Want to Report Problems

Wilkes helped organize a network of VA “truth tellers” so staff could report problems together. “There’s power in numbers,” he said. “If I got you individually, they’ll rip you apart.” His advice to employees and veterans is simple. Document issues, speak up as a group, and keep the focus on better care. “Keep it about the veteran,” he said. “Then you can last.”