By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-978378.mp3
Northhampton, MA – Changes are coming in the US Department of Veterans Affairs health care system that will impact more than 100 thousand veterans in Western and Central Massachusetts. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.
Under a realignment to take affect this fall outpatient clinics in Worcester and Fitchburg will join clinics in Pittsfield, Springfield and Greenfield under the supervision of the VA Medical Center located in Northampton. The VA is also partnering with the University of Massachusetts Medical School in a move that is expected to improve medical care for veterans in the region.
Roger Johnson, the director of the new VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System says the combined populations of the central and western Massachusetts counties justified creating a system on par with similar sized regions in other parts of New England.
Johnson says the proposed collaboration with the UMass Medical School will provide opportunities for research, education and clinical care. Down the road it will mean improved medical care for the region's veterans.
The VA hospital in Boston has a partnership with Harvard Medical School and the VA in Connecticut collaborates with Yale Medical School. Steve Connor, the veteran's agent for the city of Northampton says the partnership with UMass Medical School should bring new doctors into the VA system and it means veterans won't have to travel far from home for specialty care.
The outpatient clinics in Worcester and Springfield are also expected to expand.
One change that could be disconcerting to some is the renaming of the 70 year old Northampton VA Medical Center to the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System.. Connor said he first heard about the name change last month.
The director of the newly named veterans health system, based in Northampton, Roger Johnson says the name change makes sense.
The name change is effective immediately, the administrative changes don't take effect until October 1st.