At the same time, the audit indicates that patients already within the VA system, both in Long Beach and elsewhere, are often seen quite swiftly, averaging a little over three days for both primary and specialized care...and a little over a day for mental heath care.

For full audit text including findings and data for each regional area (with accompanying map), click here.

See charts and accompanying explanatory footnotes below.

Footnotes from above chart:

1. Total Appointments Scheduled: Every scheduled appointment at that facility except surgery and procedures.

2. Appointments scheduled 30 Days or under: Number of appointments scheduled between 0-30 days of the reference date (i.e., create date for new patients and desired date for established patients).

3. Percent of Appointments Scheduled 30 Days or under: The percent of total appointments scheduled within 30 days, not including EWL count [Appointments between 0-14 Days + Appointments between 15-30 Days /Total Appointments].

4. Appointments scheduled over 30 Days: Number of appointments scheduled between greater than 30 days of the reference date (i.e., create date for new patients and desired date for established patients).

5. Percent of Appointments Scheduled over Days: The percent of total appointments scheduled beyond 30 days, not including EWL count. [Appointments between 31-60 Days + Appointments between 61-90 Days + Appointments between 91-120 Days/Total Appointments].

6. New Enrollee Appointment Request (NEAR) List: Total number of newly enrolled Veteran that have requested an appointment during the enrollment process during the past 10 years for whom an appointment has not yet been scheduled (NEAR List current as of 6/2/14).

7. Electronic Wait List (EWL) Count: Total number of all new patients (those who have not been seen before in the specific clinic in the previous 24 months) for whom appointments cannot be scheduled in 90 days or less. [EWL<14 Days + EWL 15-30 Days + EWL 31-60 Days = EWL 91-120 Days + EWL>120 Days].

20. New Patient PC Avg Wait Time: Average (Avg) waiting time for a new patient (those who have not been seen before in the specific clinic in the previous 24 months) for a Primary Care (PC) appointment.

21. Established Patient PC Avg Wait Time: Average waiting time for an established patient for a Primary Care (PC) appointment.

22. New Patient SC Avg Wait Time: Average (Avg) waiting time for a new patient (those who have not been seen before in the specific clinic in the previous 24 months) for a Specialty Care (SC) appointment.

23. Established Patient SC Avg Wait Time: Average waiting time for an established patient for a Specialty Care (SC) appointment.

24. New Patient MH Avg Wait Time: Average (Avg) waiting time for a new patient (those who have not been seen before in the specific clinic in the previous 24 months) for a Mental Health (MH) appointment.

25. Established Patient MH Avg Wait Time: Average waiting time for an established patient for a Mental Health (MH) appointment.

The Long Beach VA hospital data are part of the national audit of 700+ VA hospitals, undertaken amid reports -- which surfaced from former employee whistleblowers -- that some veterans died waiting for services while others were left on "waiting lists" at the VA hospital in Phoenix, AZ.

The VA administration audit indicates that roughly 100,000 veterans nationally face lengthy waits, with 57,000+ veterans nationally waiting roughly 90 days to see a doctor.

In an unusually swift bipartisan action, the U.S. Senate recently voted to approve legislation enabling veterans to access private health care outside the VA system. President Obama responded to calls for the resignation of his Sec'y of Veterans Affairs by first expressing confidence in his appointee, then accepting his resignation.

June 11 update: The initial text and headline of this story didn't match the charts which accurately displayed the Long Beach VA hospital data; our text accidentally quoted the figures for Las Vegas (first chart line) instead of Long Beach (second line.) The chart was and is accurate and our text and headline are now corrected as of June 11, 5:53 a.m. We should also note that the LB CA facility wasn't recommended for further review (noted in an accompanying fact sheet.)