VA Expands Acute Inpatient Care Services for New Hampshire Veterans

WASHINGTON — Veterans in New Hampshire will have improved access to acute inpatient hospital care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), thanks to VA’s decision to expand its community partnership with Concord Hospital.  Concord Hospital is a centrally located regional medical center that offers traditional acute care services in 42 medical specialties.

“Our partnership with Concord Hospital significantly improves access to acute care for the Veterans residing in New Hampshire,” Secretary Shinseki remarked as he approved the plan.

“The expansion of services through community partners is one of many tools VA uses to enhance Veterans’ access to VA’s world-class health care.” said the VISN 1 Network Director, Dr. Michael Mayo-Smith, “This expansion of services provides a more ‘patient- centric’ model of care, as Veterans receive health care closer to where they live.”

The expanded partnership will allow VA to provide coordinated care and services equivalent to a general medical and surgical hospital locally within New Hampshire.  Currently, over 105,000 veterans live in the six counties served by VAMC Manchester.

Since 1999 VA patients who needed immediate hospitalization but were able to safely travel by ambulance were transported to VA medical centers in Massachusetts or Vermont.  Now they will be able to remain closer to home and family.  VA will have staff located at Concord who will ensure excellent coordination of care for the veterans admitted to Concord Hospital as they transfer back to VA services after discharge.

Last year, VA spent more than $300 million in New Hampshire on behalf of the state’s 132,000 veterans.  In addition to the medical center in Manchester, VA operates outpatient clinics in Conway, Littleton, Portsmouth, Somersworth and Tilton, and a Vet Center in Manchester.