The VA has provided $21.7 million to help regional healthcare systems improve services in rural areas. The extra funding is part of a two year VA program to improve the access and quality of healthcare for veterans in geographically isolated areas. The VA focus is on access to healthcare, using the latest technology, on recruiting and retaining a highly educated workforce, and to collaborating with other organizations.
Specifically, the new funds will be used to increase the number of mobile clinics, establish new outpatient clinics, expand fee-based care, explore collaborations with federal and community partners, accelerate the use of telemedicine deployment, and fund innovative pilot programs.
Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) with less than 3% of their patients in rural areas will receive $250,000. Those with the population of rural veterans between 3% and 6% will receive $1 million each, and VISNs with more than 6% of rural veterans in the population will receive $1.5 million.
Durham N.C, Nashville TN, Kansas City, MO, Jackson, MS, and Minneapolis, MN received $1.5 million. Boston MA, Albany N.Y, Pittsburgh PA, Bay Pines, FL, Cincinnati OH, Ann Arbor MI, Chicago IL, Dallas TX, Phoenix, AZ, Denver, CO, Portland OR, and San Francisco CA, received one million. New York, N.Y, Baltimore MD, and Long Beach CA, received $250,000.
