Waiting times at a VA near you

Are you a veteran trying to get a primary care appointment at a Veterans Affairs hospital for the first time?

In Honolulu, you'll wait an average of 145 days -- longer than anywhere else in the country. The shortest average wait is 12 days, in Bedford, Mass.

Need to a see a mental health specialist? Average waiting times for new patients range from 17 days in Canandaigua, N.Y., to 104 days in Durham, N.C.

Using data released in a VA audit this week, The Times has created a searchable and sortable table showing waiting times and backlogs at VA health systems across the country.

Most patients already in the system can usually get appointments quickly -- often in a few days. More than 95% of the 6 million appointments currently scheduled were set for within 30 days or less.

But it's often a different story for veterans using the VA for the first time. They often wait weeks and sometimes months.

Check out your VA by clicking on the document at left.