Advertisement Veteran dies after waiting for paramedics in VA Hospital cafeteria Albuquerque veteran collapses 4 minutes away from ER Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A military veteran died Monday after waiting for an ambulance to take him 500 yards to the emergency room.As it turns out, the problem was he was already at the Veterans Affairs Hospital.A 71-year-old Albuquerque veteran died Monday at the VA hospital. He collapsed in the cafeteria, which is next to the main hospital building.Staff followed VA policy that said personnel must call 911 for a medical emergency that happens outside the main hospital.Target 7 spoke with the veteran's family. They asked that he remain unidentified because they are considering legal action.VA officials told the man's family he collapsed at 12:19 p.m. The Albuquerque Fire Department said they dispatched a rescue unit at 12:26 p.m. That unit arrived at the hospital at 12:33 p.m.Albuquerque ambulance said their paramedics got to the veteran at 12:39 p.m.Nearly 14 minutes passed from the time he collapsed to the time medics arrived at the scene.They drove him on the complex from one building to the other. It takes four minutes to walk from the cafeteria to the VA's emergency room.By the time the ambulance got to the cafeteria, loaded up the veteran and drove him around the building, it was too late to save the veteran.When Action 7 News asked the VA why the man wasn't helped on property or even wheeled on a gurney to the ER, a spokesperson said, "We are currently reviewing our policy on it."Officials cannot confirm if any doctors were present in the cafeteria when the man went down. Workers are required to call 911. Mobile users: Tap here for video