ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 31, 1997 TAG: 9701310072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHLANDS
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
The Department of Veterans Affairs will place an outpatient primary care facility in the Richlands area, said Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon.
The nearest VA hospitals are in Salem and Johnson City, Tenn.
"For residents of some portions of Southwest Virginia, such as Buchanan and Tazewell counties, the drive to and from a VA hospital can consume the better part of a day," Boucher said, with increased driving problems in winter.
"The result of this inconvenience is that many veterans in our area simply forgo receiving the primary care which promotes good health."
He said he has argued for years that community-based VA facilities would save money in the long run by treating illnesses before they become more serious.
"I am pleased to report that the logic of these arguments has been accepted," he said, and the first such facility will be established in Tazewell County.
"The Veterans hospital in Salem will administer the program and will enter into contracts with doctors and hospitals in the Richlands-Tazewell area, who will then provide medical services to eligible veterans," Boucher said. "The doctors and hospitals will be paid by the Veterans Administration for the services they provide."
The service is designed mainly for veterans from Tazewell, Buchanan, Russell, Bland, Smyth, Wythe and Giles counties but is available to any qualified veteran in Southwest Virginia.
The local services will include primary and emergency care. Veterans needing specialized care will be transported to one of the VA hospitals.
The Richlands initiative will be watched for its level of use and cost-effectiveness, Boucher said.
"It is my hope that it will serve as a model for the implementation of other programs throughout Southwest Virginia in the near future."
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