VA Announces Changes for Arizona Health Care Facilities

WASHINGTON – Inpatient beds will be increased at the Prescott VA Medical Center, specialty care will expand at the Phoenix VA Medical Center, and two new outpatient clinics will open in the Tucson area as part of a comprehensive plan by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to modernize its nationwide system of health care facilities.

“These changes will provide greater access to care for veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. “By strengthening our network of outpatient clinics, we will bring a greater quality of care closer to where most of Arizona’s veterans live.”

About 117,000 of Arizona’s 564,000 veterans were treated last year in VA’s health care facilities, up from 84,000 in 2000.  In 2003, VA spent $1.3 billion in Arizona, an increase from $948 million three years before. 

Secretary Principi noted that about 80 percent of the health care provided nationwide by VA is outpatient care.  He said the plan would allow the department to provide more of the outpatient care veterans want and use, while building upon VA’s expertise in providing highly specialized inpatient care.

The changes are part of a comprehensive plan called CARES, short for “Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services.

Principi’s announcement includes the following enhancements for health care affecting veterans in Arizona:

• Increase inpatient services at Prescott to relieve pressure on the Phoenix facility; 
• Pursue enhanced used lease opportunities at the Phoenix facility; 
• Open two outpatient clinics in the Tucson area by 2012; 
• Transfer land from the Prescott VA Medical Center to the Prescott National Cemetery for expansion of the columbarium; and 
• Pursue collaboration with the Department of Defense to provide primary care services for DoD personnel at the Mesa community clinic.

CARES is a plan to modernize and improve VA’s health care system.  Among the elements of the Secretary’s CARES decision are more than 150 new community based outpatient clinics, potential creation of four new – and expansion of five existing – spinal cord injury centers, two new blind rehabilitation centers, and expansions throughout VA’s healthcare system that will enhance veterans’ access to VA care.  

In July 1999, a General Accounting Office study found that VA was diverting a million dollars a day – or $3.6 billion during a decade – from veterans’ health care to maintenance on unneeded or unused facilities. The average age of VA’s more than 4,900 buildings is more than 50 years, and the need to reduce vacant space and unneeded buildings has been the focus of several reports by the General Accounting Office.  

This approach to facility’s management means the dollars once wasted on old and vacant buildings can be used to enhance services in the communities where health care is provided.

“CARES modernizes VA’s 74-year-old health care system,” said Principi. “I want to emphasize that no veteran will lose health care as a result of CARES, nor will there be any gaps in their health care services.”

The CARES plan was reviewed by an independent commission, which received more than 212,000 comments and held 81 site visits to VA and Department of Defense medical facilities, and state homes, 38 public hearings and 10 formal meetings.  The commission submitted its recommendations to Secretary Principi in mid-February.

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