VA OKC touts growth in serving Veterans

Oklahoma City (KFOR) - VA OKC Healthcare leaders say its healthcare system is one of the fastest growing VA medical facilities across the nation and with growth comes expansion.

“We have pushed our community engagement and outreach programs around the OKC catchment area and now we need to expand VA services to provide the best healthcare to Veterans in those growth areas. Our goal is to bring more healthcare services to Veterans closer to home, and with our expansion plan we will hit all those areas that fit the growth.”

Wade Vlosich, VA OKC HCS Director

As of July 2024, the VA OKC HCS expansion includes the following:

• VA OKC HCS is proud to announce the location of the new Women’s and Specialty Clinic located at 3625 and 3613 NW 56th, OKC, 73112. This new clinic will provide well-women’s examinations, laboratory services, Eye Clinic, physical therapy, radiology services to include x-ray, mammography, DEXA scan, and ultrasound services.
• Norman, Oklahoma is currently the site under a contracting solicitation process for a new larger outpatient clinic. This clinic will add additional primary care teams, expanded mental health, x-ray, dental and physical therapy. Another location in Norman is in the process of a construction award to design a new off-site location for a Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Program (SARRTP) and Community Living Center.
• Yukon, Oklahoma is in the contracting solicitation process for a new larger outpatient clinic. This clinic will add additional primary care teams, expanded mental health, dental and physical therapy.
• Stillwater, Oklahoma is in the contracting solicitation process for a new larger outpatient clinic. This clinic will add primary care teams and additional physical therapy services.

• VA OKC HCS is proud to expand additional services and clinics to a total of 18 outpatient clinics with 2 outpatient clinic partnerships with the Department of Defense at Fort Sill Army Base and Tinker Air Force Base. With the additions of the new OKC Women’s clinic and the OKC Mental Health Clinic, this will bring the OKC VA total facilities to 20 outpatient clinics across its catchment area.
• VA OKC HCS is relocating and expanding selected mental health service for Veterans in Oklahoma City. The VA currently is in the contracting solicitation process for a new Mental Health Outpatient Clinic that will move selected mental health service out of the main OKC facility into a new outpatient clinic to help support the mental health care of our Veterans
• VA OKC HCS is in the construction process of a new Friendship House/Compensated Work Therapy transitional residence. The new site will be located on the site of the original house and will bring much needed improvements for our community and Veterans.
• VA OKC HCS currently has outpatient clinics in Ada, Altus, Ardmore, Blackwell, Clinton, Enid, Lawton (DoD), Lawton North (DoD), Norman, North Oklahoma City, North May, Shawnee, South Oklahoma City, Stillwater, Tinker (DoD), Wichita Falls, and Yukon.
• VA OKC HCS has been approved to move forward with a contracted facility in the Woodward Oklahoma Community.

Through the VA OKC partnership with DoD, the VA has expanded services on Fort Sill Army Base and Tinker Air Force Base. Positive changes and improvements being made throughout the OKC VA Healthcare System includes:

• One of 15 VA Systems in the country to receive the exoskeleton robotic device providing spinal cord injury providing Veterans the ability to walk
• VA OKC is the only VA to have completed minimally invasive outpatient lumbar spine fusion surgeries
• Offers VA Express Care Clinic the main hospital. Lawton Fort Sill, South OKC, and North OKC Outpatient Clinics. The Express Care Clinic is similar to an Sick Call or walk-in services
• OKC has expanded Tele-Express services
• In the process of procurement of a mobile Lung Cancer screening vehicle. This will help the VA to expand its reach into our rural community and provide exceptional healthcare throughout Oklahoma and north Texas
• Selected as one of 12 sites to receive a Fisher House. This will be the first Fisher House in the state of Oklahoma. Currently in the contracting process with the Fisher Foundation for site selection
• Implemented VA Health Chat App to better communicate with Veterans
• Launched Beneficiary Travel SSS (BTSSS) system to streamline the Travel Voucher process. The VA has also launched Mobil Check-in for appointment that integrates with the BTSSS system to streamline and improve the travel claims process
• New OR/SICU project pending
• Mental health Tower
• Parking Garage Expansion Project II has been awarded and awaiting construction schedule

According to VA OKC, it is one of the fastest-growing VA facilities in the nation (second to the San Francisco VA) and they have approximately a 23 percent growth in much of the outpatient population.

“We have run out of space in our main hospital,” Vlosich said, “Not only do we strive to provide the best medical care for our Veteran population, but we are even more excited about this expansion to rural areas to bring VA resources closer to home and our ability to take care of the nation’s most precious resource—our Veterans,”

Vlosich said. “The statistics prove that what we are doing here at the VA OKC footprint is working and we plan on keeping up this positive momentum going forward for the near future.”

For more information about the OKC VA Health Care System and programs, click the following links at: Oklahoma City VA Medical Center | VA Oklahoma City Health Care | Veterans Affairs.