Kagen: New Brown County VA Medical Center Means Better Service, More Jobs, Stronger Economy
(GREEN BAY, WI) — Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. joined area veterans and local leaders to announce that funds to expand the Veteran’s Administration Ambulatory Surgery/Outpatient Diagnostic Center and Community Based Outpatient Clinic have been included in the in the President’s 2009 budget request to Congress.
“Our veterans have earned the the right to have the best care available as close to home as possible,” Dr. Kagen said. “We are pleased to have the chance to make that goal a reality sooner rather than later.”
Kagen commended VA Deputy Under-Secretary for Health William Feely, Brown County leaders, and the administration in Washington, D.C. for working together to improve the facility and guarantee more convenient coverage for Northeast Wisconsin veterans.
“Wisconsin’s soldiers and their families have done what we asked of them, and it’s important to make sure that they receive the very best medical services available,” Dr. Kagen said.
Dr. Kagen and VA officials moved the medical center request forward in time to FY 2009 to address the significant need for both surgical and medical veterans’ services. The funding was originally scheduled for FY 2010. The VA center will increase the total square feet available from 12,000 to 70,600 and will increase patient enrollment capacity from 2,500 to 15,000 patients.
“We are dedicated to guaranteeing access to affordable care for every citizen as soon as possible, and this new Community Based Outpatient Clinic and Ambulatory Surgery Center is a great step in that direction,” Dr. Kagen said.
The new facility will be located in Brown County and will offer specialty services previously available only in Milwaukee, including orthopedics, mental health, laboratory, radiology physical therapy, pharmacy, dietetics, social services, hospice care, compensation benefit exams, and some outpatient surgical procedures.
Brown County Executive Tom Hinz said he is optimistic about what the new VA clinic will mean for the local economy.
“Having this expanded VA clinic here will create jobs, bring in revenue for our county and save so many of our veterans time and money by having their treatment facility right next door,” Hinz said.
