Lawmakers: LI VA Hospital Should Hire Female Gynecologist

NORTHPORT, NY — Members of the Suffolk County Legislature and the Women Veterans Advisory Board called on the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center to retain a full-time female gynecologist on their staff, Legislator Susan A. Berland announced Tuesday.

There is currently no female gynecologist available at the Northport VA to treat female veterans, an overwhelming number of whom return from service having experienced some form of military sexual trauma, harassment or both, according to the news release. Officials say this has led veterans to feel reluctant to seek care at the Northport VA, as they do not feel comfortable seeing a male doctor and do not want to chance reliving trauma that they may have experienced.

"It is irresponsible and beyond comprehension that the VA does not offer our female veterans this option," Berland said. "We owe the brave women who sacrificed so much for our country more than just platitudes. We owe them the highest level of care and respect and that certainly includes the ability to be seen by a female gynecologist at the Northport VA."

Berland serves as chairwoman of the Veterans & Consumer Affairs Committee and ex-officio member of the Women Veterans Advisory Board.

The Northport VA told Patch in a response that the medical center's gynecologist is a man with an excellent record of patient satisfaction.

If the VA insists that it is unable to hire a full-time female gynecologist, the Legislature and Women Veterans Advisory Board urge the VA to use medical services offered through Stony Brook Hospital, or any other medical facility, to bring female gynecologists to the Northport VA to treat any veteran who requests treatment by a female gynecologist, said the news release from Berland's office.

The Northport VA said female veterans who'd like to see a female gynecologist have the option to receive care in the community at VA’s expense, and the percentage of women veterans who requested a female gynecologist was approximately 0.1 percent last quarter.

When asked if it plans on hiring a female gynecologist in the near future, the veterans affairs hospital said, "per federal law, VA is prohibited from making hiring decisions based on gender. We will always hire the best-qualified physician to treat our veterans."

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said Suffolk is home to more veterans than any other county in the state, many of whom are female veterans.

"Our female veterans deserve to feel safe and comfortable with their doctors, and we fully support the need to hire a female gynecologist for the Northport VA Medical Center," Bellone said.

The Northport VA said it "absolutely" provides adequate services to its female veterans.

"VA strives to be a welcoming home to all those who have worn the uniform, including the 10 percent of all veterans who are women and the 41 percent of women veterans who are enrolled for VA care," hospital officials said.

United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said she's troubled after hearing the concerns of women veterans regarding their healthcare services at the Northport VA Medical Center.

"I am urging the Northport VA to look into this matter and find a resolution that can accommodate all of their patients," Gillibrand said. "Our veterans face unique burdens when they return home from overseas and we should provide them with all of the resources at our disposal. I look forward to working with Northport VA, as well as local stakeholders to resolve this matter."

The Northport VA says it has made significant progress in serving women veterans in recent years, now providing women’s services including primary care, gynecology, maternity, specialty care and mental health services.