The average wait time for new patients at the Atlanta VA Medical Center was about 64 days for a primary care doctor, almost 53 days for a specialist and nearly 27 days for a mental health professional, according to a national audit released Monday.

In the audit, the Veterans Affairs Department reported more than 57,000 veterans nationally have been waiting for up to three months for medical appointments. That included 187 Georgia veterans who have requested appointments at VA medical centers in Atlanta, Augusta and Dublin and an additional 7,600 in Georgia who enrolled in the VA system but never saw a doctor.

Wait times at the three Georgia medical centers were not the longest in the country, but were considerable and well beyond a 14-day agency goal. The audit said that target was "not attainable" given growing demand and poor planning. It offers the broadest look yet at the largest integrated health care system in the country that serves nearly 9 million veterans and their families.

The controversy over wait times forced VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign last month amid calls from a wide range of Republicans and Democrats.

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