VA Center Chosen for new Rural Project

BRATTLEBORO -- For veterans living in New England's rural areas, getting adequate health care is often a question of how far they live from a Veterans Affairs medical center.

In the tri-state region of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, veterans often have to drive an hour or more to get care in Manchester, N.H., Northampton, Mass., or White River Junction.

Making health care more accessible for rural veterans is the focus of a new program set to go into effect Oct. 1 at White River Junction and two other facilities in the United States.

The Veterans Rural Health Resource Center will serve as a research center and clearinghouse for those studying the health needs of veterans who live far from a VA health facility.

Just as with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Center at White River Junction, staffers will analyze data and trends and disseminate the information not only to other VA medical centers, but to nonVA rural health care providers around the country.

The purpose of the centers, said Patricia Vandenberg, the VA's assistant deputy under secretary for health policy and planning, is to conduct "policy-oriented study and analysis to function as a laboratory for demonstration and pilot projects."

Along with White River Junction, medical centers in Iowa City, Iowa, and Salt Lake City were chosen to participate in the program.

"We had 11 applications," said Vandenberg.

The three medical centers were chosen not only on the strength of their applications, but also because of their commitment to providing access and quality health care to rural veterans, she said.

Another reason White River Junction was chosen was because of the reputation of the PTSD Center and the fact the medical center there "had already demonstrated experience at programs that studied the special needs of rural veterans," said Vandenberg.

White River Junction was also selected because of its proximity to Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H.

"We have an eye toward partnering with academic and other nonVeterans Affairs entities," she said.

Veterans Affairs will also be working with the federal Department of Health and Human Services to explore "the issues that surface in rural communities nationwide," she said.

"Rural veterans across the nation have lower health-related life scores than their urban counterparts," said William Weeks, the director of the VA Rural Health Resource Center Eastern Region at White River Junction.

While that could be attributed to distance from a medical facility or other socio-economic factors, Williams said there could be many other reasons why rural veterans don't have as good health as those who live in or close to big cities.

That's the purpose of the research that will be conducted at White River Junction, he said.

Once the research provides enough information for staffers to reach some conclusions, the center will then be responsible for proposing policies to insure rural veterans are getting the care they need.

"It could take us at least six to nine months to see some analysis," said Vandenberg. "Then we will evaluate any proposal for broader applications and look at funding specifics for pilot projects."

Satellite clinics offering care to those unable to make the trip to the closest medical center could be one result of the studies, she said.

"The VA is deeply committed to assuring excellence and access to veterans and we're particularly sensitive to any veteran who might experience challenges given their rural residence."

The federal government allocated $2 million a year over the next five years for the program at White River Junction.

Vermont's Congressional delegation applauded the choice of White River Junction.

"The new resource center will build on (White River's) expertise, deepening the medical center's commitment to bringing quality health care to veterans, no matter where they live," said Sen. Patrick Leahy. "This is another constructive step forward to help bring these services to veterans in and near Vermont."