What's New at Your VA?
VA is constantly working to provide more excellent service and care for Veterans. This includes new programs and initiatives, advanced training, and renovations and improvements to enhance health care facilities. Each VA project is an opportunity to improve the delivery of services to America's heroes. Featured below are some of the exciting improvements in quality of care taking place around the country: Click on the region below to find out what's new in that area.
Northeast | Southeast | Midwest | Northwest | Southwest
Northeast
One of the newly renovated Community Living Neighborhood patient bedrooms at the Bath VA Medical Center.New Community Living Center Digs Wow Residents
The Finger Lakes VA Health Care System at Bath, NY is having a grand opening for their new 7-million-dollar Community Living Neighborhood (CLN) renovation project for Veterans living in the Greater Rochester Area and Southern Tier on Monday, January 7, 2019, noon to 3:00pm.
The new Community Living Neighborhood provides residents a single bedroom with a personal bathroom and furnished with a desk, dresser and flat screen television mounted to the wall. Bedrooms have large picture windows and each room is equipped with an integrated lift system which can move the resident from the bed to the bathroom. The Neighborhood has larger hallways and doorways to better accommodate wheelchairs in addition to providing more copious lighting. There are no static nursing stations allowing nurses to work closer and better mingle with residents. Read more...
Southeast
Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist Carmen McLain (l) explains how to set-up the home computer of Veteran Miriam Jones who suffers from low vision.SLVHCS eye service goes to homes of Veterans
Women’s Army Corp Veteran Miriam Jones is learning to be more accepting of what’s happening to her low vision after receiving weekly home visits from SLVHCS eye service to help her maximize remaining functional vision and maintain independence in daily living.
“I’ve learned a lot of new ways of doing things so I can match my clothes, take the right medicines, and get around the kitchen without spilling my coffee or burning the house down,” said Jones. “I can do things that are important to me in my life with less effort.”
Low vision is the term used to describe significant visual impairment that can't be corrected fully with glasses, contact lenses, medication or eye surgery. Read more...
Midwest
Eligible Veterans with active Cancer who are not yet enrolled in the VA can now use the “Fast Track to VA Cancer Care” initiative, a direct scheduling process for Oncology appointments at William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.Fast Track to Cancer Care at Madison VA
Madison, WI — Eligible Veterans with active Cancer who are not yet enrolled in the VA can now use the “Fast Track to VA Cancer Care” initiative, a direct scheduling process for Oncology appointments at William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
With a phone call to 1-833-309-1349, Veterans with active cancer can find out if they qualify for VA health care benefits and, after enrolling, make an appointment to see a cancer specialist.
“The Fast Track to Cancer Care initiative is a fantastic example of how we are streamlining our procedures to provide ready access to care when our veterans need it most,” said John Rohrer, Madison VA Director. Read more...
Northwest
The American Lake Division, VA Puget Sound Health Care SystemAmerican Lake offers unique programs, services
SEATTLE, Wash. – Dec. 14, 2018 – There’s something new going on at the American Lake Division of VA Puget Sound Health Care System. VA Puget Sound recently expanded its leadership team to include a new position of associate director, which is embedded at its American Lake location where more than 1,000 staff care for approximately 300,000 Veterans each year.
“This dedicated position reinforces the importance of the care provided at our American Lake campus,” said Simon Kim, Ph.D., who was selected for the position.
“We want each Veteran we care for, and the staff who care for them, to know how important they are, whether they are in Seattle, Tacoma, or one of our seven Community-Based Outpatient Clinics,” said Kim. Read more...
Southwest
(At center) With certificates in hand VA nurses Nelda Martinez and Patricia Flores pose for a photo with VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VCB) assistant nurse managers Efrain Sedillo and Candace Villarreal, during an award presentation ceremony, which took place December 13, 2018, at the VA outpatient clinic in McAllen, Texas. Martinez, a registered nurse, is the eighth nurse in the VCB’s history to become an honoree of The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, and Flores, a licensed vocational nurse, is the first nurse to receive the prestigious award twice. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs photo by Oren Treviño)VA nurses recognized with nurse award
McALLEN, Texas – Cooperation and a desire to do one’s best are qualities vital to players on a team who want to accomplish a goal. In the world of sports that goal may involve the successful execution of a play to score enough points needed to save a season or win a championship. Several people can be part of a team, but more often than not, there are usually at least two key players who are recognized as instrumental in the success found such critical moments.
In the sport of American football such moments are typically witnessed by spectators when a quarterback throws a pass to a wide receiver who makes the touchdown catch to win the game. Read more...
