BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — Big changes could be on the way for military veterans in West Michigan. After serving veterans for nearly a century, the VA Medical Center in Battle Creek could be closing.
In a report earlier this month, the VA recommended building a new medical center in Wyoming and an outpatient clinic in the Kalamazoo area.
This is part of a broader national plan to modernize VA centers, in which 35 facilities in 21 states would close.
The VA said the Battle Creek facility, which was built in 1924, does not meet current standards for modern health care, as there are maintenance issues as well as “architectural and engineering challenges.”
“The main hospital was most recently renovated in 1993,” the report states. “The infrastructure does not meet current design standards 56 for modern health care, and historic buildings make it costly to maintain. FCA deficiencies are approximately $90.9M, and annual operations and maintenance costs are an estimated $13.7M.”
Brian Pegouske, the public affairs officer for the Battle Creek VAMC, said part of the difficulty with maintaining the facility is its sheer number of buildings.
“We have over 30 active buildings,” Pegouske said. “So that’s much different than building a modern structure that’s more energy efficient and more easier to maintain.”
Pegouske said some renovation projects have already started, but it “doesn’t happen all at once.”
“To make sure we have windows, roofs and all that modernized across the whole campus, that takes steps,” he said.
Another reason for the proposed relocation to Wyoming: There are more veterans in the Grand Rapids area.
“The VAMC is facing recruitment and retention challenges, and much of the Battle Creek enrollee population has migrated to the Grand Rapids and Wyoming area in Kent County,” the report states. “Relocating the VAMC from Battle Creek to Wyoming, Michigan will allow VA to expand access to care.”
Additionally, the VA said it would be easier to recruit staff, because the new location isn’t far from the Michigan State University Medical School campus on the Medical Mile.
“It’s a strong thriving (area) with Grand Rapids included,” Pegouske added. “So yeah it makes sense to build facilities closer to that and realign those other outpatient clinics.”
In the report, the VA said the new outpatient clinic in Kalamazoo would “expand access to primary care, outpatient mental health, outpatient specialty care, and urgent care services.” It’s also a more favorable location, the VA said.
“Kalamazoo is closer to a higher population of enrollees than Battle Creek, resulting in expanded access in a location more convenient for Veterans,” the report reads.
“The Kalamazoo location would likely take a number of specialty services that we deliver here on an outpatient basis, including things like optometry and dental,” Pegouske added.
The proposal also notes that the Battle Creek VAMC doesn’t provide any outpatient surgical services, and the demand for those specialties is projected to increase by 86% by 2029.
“VA’s recommendation creates a strategic collaboration through a sharing agreement for VA providers to deliver outpatient surgical services in a community provider space affiliated with Michigan State University in the Wyoming/Grand Rapids, Michigan area, which will help meet future demand and locate this service closer to Veterans,” the report states.
Pegouske added the AIR commission has a year to decide whether to recommend these changes to the president. It would also take congressional review and other approvals for planning to begin.
He said this is only the beginning of a long approval process.
“You may be talking five to 10 years out, if they (are) approved,” he said.
Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Grand Rapids, has called for public hearings on the proposal.
“The VA’s recent report proposing closure of Battle Creek’s VA facility & opening of a Wyoming location requires full & fair consideration of comments & feedback from the communities that will be impacted,” he said in a twitter thread. “That’s why I just sent a letter to VA Secretary McDonough & his administration requesting they hold a significant number of public hearings in West Michigan to fully consider all input from those who would be impacted by this development.”
He said the decision “shouldn’t be taken lightly.”