New doctor hopes to make a difference at medical facility

  • 2016-09-17
The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Oklahoma City has employed a neurosurgeon and hope it will reduce wait times for patients.

Dr. Basheer Shakir is the new chief of neurosurgery at the medical facility. He was born in the state and studied at the University of Oklahoma. Before he joined the staff at the VA the medical facility had not had a neurosurgeon in nearly two years, a fact that Shakir attributes to the lack of neurosurgeons looking for employment and the difference in salary between the private sector and the VA.

Local veterans have had commute to other facilities in Oklahoma or use a private clinic for more than a year for neurosurgery. Shakir's presence means spinal, brain, and peripheral nerve surgeries are available at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center.

Shakir commented on the improvement of care coordination by providing neurological services at the center. Veterans will be able to recover from surgery and undergo rehabilitation at a medical center closer to home. Another benefit is having less time to wait at both private facilities and at the VA center. Veterans used to have to wait a week for care, but can now be seen within three days. Each week, around 40 patients come in for neurological services, and Shakir hopes this will increase to 50.

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