New emergency department at George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center opens to Veteran Patients

The new construction replaces the older 14-bed emergency department with a larger, modern facility at the George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City. 

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held May 13, 2026, at the main entrance of the new emergency department on the northeast side of the hospital. During the ceremony, VASLCHCS Executive Director Dr. Angela Williams and other officials celebrated the new facility’s grand opening. 

“With this new facility, we are improving access to care in a way that directly strengthens the health, safety, and well-being of the men and women who have served our nation,” Williams said. “Every Veteran deserves to know that when they need emergency care, their VA is always available.”

The new construction nearly doubles the previous capacity from 14 beds in 10 rooms to 22 beds in 22 private rooms and adds specialized areas for Veteran-specific needs. It includes a dedicated obstetrics/gynecology suite, bariatric treatment equipment, resuscitation suites, and secure observation rooms for patients in mental health crisis. A full decontamination room and an on-site police dispatch area were also built into the design.

The ceremony was attended by members of the community, patients and staff from VASLCHCS and featured a speech from Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs Executive Director Gary Harter, a retired U.S. Army Colonel who receives his healthcare with VA. Harter praised the partnership between federal and state Veterans’ services. 

Local Air Force Veteran and VASLCHCS volunteer Bill Funk, spoke at the ceremony. He shared the story of an ambulance trip to George E. Wahlen VAMC that saved his life.

“Thank you for the care you gave when it was most needed, for the time you offered, for the humanity you preserved in a system that, too often, forgets it,” said Funk. 

VASLCHCS Chief of Emergency Medicine, Dr. William Roper, highlighted how many people are behind the scenes in this department. 

“I need to thank our nurses, residents, physicians, pharmacists, technicians, housekeepers, ancillary service and every member of this team,” Roper said. “Every day you show up with one mission: to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to our Veterans.”

Roper noted that the emergency department will help the VA deliver world-class care to veterans. 

“While we hope you don’t need to see us at two in the morning, we are here at this state-of-the-art facility waiting for you,” Roper said. “This is our promise to you.”

The new ED is a long-awaited upgrade to VASLCHCS, which serves more than 80,000 Veterans in Utah, Idaho and Nevada from its main campus and clinics.