VA Changes Being Proposed--Here are Montgomery & Tuskeegee Proposals:

 

 Montgomery VAMC • 

Expand the planned Columbus MS CBOC replacement facility with additional leased space within Columbus, Georgia, to increase capacity to provide primary care, outpatient mental health, and outpatient specialty care services: Demand for outpatient specialties is projected to increase across the market. As of FY 2019, the Columbus MS CBOC had 29,117 enrollees within a 60-minute drive time and 9,272 core uniques. 

• Expand women’s health capabilities and capacity for outpatient services across the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS): Across the Alabama Market, women enrollees are projected to increase by 38.6% from 18,660 to 25,854 enrollees between FY 2019 and FY 2029. Demand for primary care and outpatient specialties is projected to increase across the submarket. Expanding women’s health capabilities across the VA sites in CAVHCS will improve access for the fast-increasing women Veteran population. 

• Strengthen the existing relationship between the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine – Montgomery and the Birmingham VAMC: Strengthening the relationship with the UAB School of Medicine – Montgomery increases access to new developments in medicine and provides a pipeline or connection for future physicians to work in VA facilities. • Establish an affiliation with Mercer School of Medicine and strengthen the affiliation with Morehouse School of Medicine in Columbus, Georgia: Staffing providers in the Columbus, Georgia area is an ongoing challenge. Establishing a relationship with Mercer School of Medicine and strengthening the existing relationship with the Morehouse School of Medicine in Columbus, Georgia to expand residency slots and other facets of an academic affiliate program is an opportunity to create more training and recruitment pipelines. 

• Strengthen the relationship with Martin Army Community Hospital through joint planning and educational opportunities. Look for opportunities to share specialists and co-credential specialty care providers: Strengthening the relationship and establishing a strategic collaboration with Martin Army Community Hospital will reduce the operational and administrative burden of recruiting and retaining specialty providers while improving access for outpatient specialty care services for Veterans at the Fort Benning CBOC, which is collocated. As of FY 2019, the Fort Benning CBOC had 18,542 enrollees within a 30-minute drive time. Tuskegee VAMC 

• Explore strategic collaborations with third parties for non-health care uses of the historic Tuskegee VAMC property through leases or other means pending funding: There is an opportunity to reduce costs and honor the history of the location through leases or other means of providing revenue through non-health care related uses for the land or buildings. 

• Relocate the sleep study program from the Tuskegee VAMC by establishing a strategic collaboration with community providers in Montgomery, Alabama and Columbus, Georgia: The sleep study program has one of the longest wait times at the Tuskegee VAMC due to the poor infrastructure of the sleep laboratory and the lack of staff. Relocating the sleep study program to community care providers will ensure care is still provided in the Tuskegee, Alabama VISN 07 Alabama Market Volume II: Market Recommendations va.gov/AIRCommissionReport 16 area and expand access in the Columbus, Georgia area without causing space constraints within the Tuskegee VAMC.

See the details beyond these HERE. 

Washington Post story about proposed changes HERE.