The new director of the VA Medical Center in Atlanta wants to reassure veterans and the public that she will do all she can to address problems at the embattled hospital.

Leslie Wiggins met with reporters Monday to share her message.

"I have taken responsibility for the Atlanta VA Medical Center, that the care here is going to get better than it already is," she says.

Wiggins says among her priorities is to go "top to bottom" through the hospital's mental health services after federal reports blame mismanagement for the suicides of three patients.

"It's not only shocking, it's very sad (and) my condolences go out to those families," she says.  "I plan to shore up all the systems and processes in this organization and hopefully we won't have such tragedies."

Wiggins says her being named as director addresses one of the complaints that the hospital was being run by interim leaders.

The news was welcomed by some veterans, but most who spoke with WSB's Sandra Parrish said they were already satisfied with the hospital’s services.

"So far I haven't found anything wrong with the treatment of the patients as well as the care," says Freddie Roberson, a retired Captain in the U.S. Army.

Sharon Hayle says her only complaint is long wait times.

"A lot of veterans come here, so it's generally a long wait," she says.

Hayle is hoping more staff will be hired to address the problem.

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