GLWACH's DoD-VA healthcare agreement expands statewide

By Mr. John Brooks (Army Medicine)February 9, 2016

Missouri Veterans can now receive healthcare at GLWACH
Veterans interested in receiving care at GLWACH should contact their VA primary care teams. VA primary care teams are the approval authorities for specialty inpatient and outpatient services for Veterans who live within their VA facility's catchment ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- Veterans assigned to all five Missouri Veterans Administration Medical Centers and hospitals may now receive specialty care at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital according to an agreement signed Wednesday, Jan. 27.

"The highly successful partnership with Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital signed Sept. 8, 2014 led in large part to these new partnerships with the Kansas City VA Medical Center, the John J. Pershing VA Hospital in Poplar Bluff, and both the Jefferson Barracks and John Cochran Divisions of the VA St. Louis Health Care System," said John Ingersoll, GLWACH's chief of Clinical Operations.

Signed DoD-VA agreements between with GLWACH and VA medical facilities allow VA primary care teams to authorize Veterans located within their facility's catchment area to receive specialty inpatient and outpatient services at GLWACH.

Specialty inpatient and outpatient services available at GLWACH for Veterans include inpatient care such as medical/surgical, intensive care and acute psychiatric care. Outpatient services include Obstetrics and Gynecology, Optometry, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat), Orthopedics, Physical and Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation, Cardiology, and robust radiology and laboratory services, said Ingersoll.

Veterans interested in receiving care at GLWACH should contact their VA primary care teams. VA primary care teams are the approval authorities for specialty inpatient and outpatient services for Veterans who live within their VA facility's catchment areas according to the agreements.

"The agreements encourage increased use of the Fort Leonard Wood Health Readiness Platform," said Ingersoll. "Increased use enhances the clinical skills needed on the battlefield for GLWACH staff and its deployable medical team."

To date, GLWACH has provided care to Veterans in the form of 1007 referrals for care here, 700 outpatient visits, 59 outpatient procedures, 51 admissions, and two babies delivered to Veterans here as a result of partnership with Truman VA.

"While primary care enrollment is fundamental, our goal is to fully engage the hospital's capability and capacity, including specialty and inpatient services, to effectively improve the health of all beneficiaries," said Col. Peter Nielsen, GLWACH commander.

Army Medicine's "2020 plan" goals include creating capacity, improving the Army's System for Health, influencing overall health, and making Army Medicine a strategic enabler for the Army of the future.

"So, through working hard to maximize our efficiency, identify and launch new process improvements, and invest in our service lines, we're able to provide closer, more convenient care for VA patients and savings to taxpayers as well as improve care for all beneficiaries" Ingersoll said.

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