Va Medical Center to close, Lakeside VAMC, Downtown Chicago

[Guest guest]

Somewhere in this proposal, I smell a rat... a big money rat... who has a

plan to make a ton of money from this building and site... For Veterans and

Military Retirees, it is always the same... they can afford to send us, but

they can't afford us when we come home. Whose VA facility is next?

It is important to voice your opposition to the closing of Chicago's

Lakeside VA Med Center via email to:

vhacocares@...

and to your Representative...call & email them.

also see mail address at bottom

Proposed Closing of VA Medical Center

> On July 16, 2001, Dr. Garthwaite, VA Under Secretary of Health, announced

plans to recommend Option B of the CARES study that was completed by the

consultant group of Booz, Allan & Hamilton. In this recommendation the

closing of inpatient care and realignment of medical services currently

being offered to the veterans of the Chicago and Northwestern Indiana area

are at risk. This proposal creates the following scenario:

>

> - The West Side Division of the VA Chicago Health Cares System is

renovated and serves as the single inpatient facility within the entire

Chicago and Northwestern Indiana areas. This proposal only leaves 177 to

provide inpatient care to these communities.

>

> - Lakeside Inpatient services are discontinued and the property

to be sold or leased.

>

> - Hines is renovated, retains the same services and is expanded

to

> 709 inpatient beds.

>

> - VA North Chicago is renovated, retains the same services and is

> expanded to 598 inpatient beds.

>

> The veterans population within Chicago, Cook and Northwestern Indiana is

approximately 390,00 veterans. To close a veterans hospital in an area with

one of the largest concentrations of veterans in the nation is very

questionable and in fact unimaginable.

>

> The VA developed what it termed as Absolute Criteria to be evaluated

before any of the recommendations would be considered. Two key elements of

this criteria was impact of quality of care and accessibility to care for

veterans. Obviously these were decided upon by individuals who have no clue

to what is being provided here in Chicago.

As for QUALITY, the Lakeside facility is affiliated with the prestigious

Northwestern Medical School.

> The affiliation with Northwestern allows for a partnership that has been

> ongoing for over 50 years. Through this affiliation the VA realizes a

> savings of millions of dollars annually through what is referred to as

> Without Compensation (WOC). This entails Northwestern physicians who

provide care to Lakeside patients free of charge. Some of the best and

brightest medical specialists providing care of our veterans. With this

type of medical care, how could this meet the VA's definition of Absolute

Criteria regarding quality. Last year the VA Chicago Health Care System was

surveyed by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Health Care

Organizations (JCAHO). This is the organization that surveys and rates the

quality of care being given to patients. VA Chicago (of which Lakeside is

a major component) received a overall score of 96 out of a possible 100.

Once again, the quality of care currently being provided to patients at VA

Lakeside is of the highest caliber.

At the Public Forum held by the VA Under Secretary at the Holiday Inn

Center on July 19, 2001, over 600 veterans, stakeholders and concerned

citizens appeared and were very vocal on their opposition to close >

Lakeside. Story after story was relayed by patients praising the care they

> have and currently receive. To take this type of quality of care away

from our veterans is a outrageous.

>

> As for accessibility, those who advocate this closing and transferring of

some services to VA North Chicago, which is near the Wisconsin border and

VA Hines, apparently never lived in Chicago. Imagine a sick patient trying

to take public transportation to North Chicago or Hines for medical care.

Or picture a family member or friend wanting to visit a patient at one of

these facilities. If at North Chicago, I doubt that veteran will receive a

lot of visitors once he or she gets there. Hines is also a challenge to

travel unless you have a car. Unfortunately a lot of our patients are

dependent upon public transportation. Anyone residing in Chicago and Lake

County understands that this is not a realistic expectation and our

veterans deserve better than this. How can the VA's ABSOLUTE CRITERIA

believe these changes provide better accessibility to our areas veterans.

Simply put - anyone in

> Chicago or Northern Indiana knows this is simply hogwash.

>

> Lastly, the proposed option B suggests that less veterans who will be

seeking VA medical care in the Chicago and Lake County areas will

dramatically reduce by the year 2020. Of course the population of World

War II veterans is dwindling, but next we have the Korean War, Viet Nam and

Viet Nam Era, Cold War Era, Gulf War and Peace Time Veterans who will be

aging. The needs of medical care and long term care will be increasing. In

fact a joint study by MCC and Roosevelt University states that the aging

population in Chicago will increase by 35 % over the next several years and

in the outer counties by 30 %. This report also bucks the trend that

retirees will relocate to the sunbelt states. In fact the report predicts

that more and more of the retirees will stay put right where they are here

in Chicago and surrounding communities.

>

> This recommended proposal is now open for public comment and veterans and

citizens now have less than 60 days (until September 15, 2001) to voice

their opposition to this plan. I urge everyone to attend Town Hall

Meetings that will be held in the very near future along with a City

Council Hearing at City Hall scheduled for August 15, 2001, which is being

sponsored by Aldermen and Balcer.

> Call or write your Congressman or Senator and let them know that this plan

and the closing of VA Lakeside is unacceptable and our veterans deserve

better.

>

> It is also important to voice your opposition to the closing of Lakeside

VAMC to the VA CARES via email at

vhacocares@... or by writing to

CARES VISN 12, PO Box 5000,

Building 18,

Hines, IL. 60141-5000. Additional information is also available on the

www.va.gov/cares web site.

>

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