{"id":340,"date":"2011-12-14T22:49:26","date_gmt":"2011-12-15T02:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.khpi.org\/blog\/?p=340"},"modified":"2012-07-03T08:56:19","modified_gmt":"2012-07-03T12:56:19","slug":"new-suburban-veterans-hospital-for-louisville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.khpi.org\/blog\/new-suburban-veterans-hospital-for-louisville\/","title":{"rendered":"New Suburban Veteran’s Hospital for Louisville"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Veterans Day, 11-11-11, the Courier-Journal reported on the status of plans to build a new Veterans Hospital<\/a> for the region of Louisville Kentucky. \u00a0 The community has been waiting with decreasing patience for the results of all the promises and hearings.\u00a0 The update did not, however, announce that a final site had been decided, nor that financing was in hand, nor that a start date was known.\u00a0 Instead, the big news was that the site selection process had decided against leaving the hospital where it is on Zorn Ave, and against moving to the downtown medical center of metropolitan Louisville. \u00a0 Subsequent notice of new road work near the intersection of the Watterson Expressway and Route 42 suggested that the new VA would be located there.\u00a0 On Dec 14, we received further official verification from United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki, that indeed the 4906 Brownsboro Rd\u00a0 address is the first choice for the new medical center.\u00a0 The second choice site is the one Factory Lane near the Gene Snyder Expressway.\u00a0 It was estimated that from the time financing is secured, construction will take a little more than three years.\u00a0 The letter from the Secretary appears to be in response to a request from Sen. McConnell for a realistic timeline for the project.\u00a0 The Veterans’ Day update quoted 5 veterans, 4 of whom expressed disappointment and a preference for staying at Zorn, one of whom was relieved that at least it would not go downtown.<\/p>\n

I attended most of, if not all the public hearings held in Louisville since this process began. While it is true that there was a strong (and perhaps sentimental) attachment to the old hospital as being “good enough” for them, the sentiment against moving downtown was equally strong. \u00a0 At the most recent May 11 meeting, the veterans were still not buying the heavily advertised benefits of a downtown center.\u00a0 It is fair to say they were vehemently against it.\u00a0 The veterans worried about traffic, parking, personal safety, and crime; all of which they saw going from bad to worse.\u00a0 (Their concern is reasonable.) \u00a0 When a call of hands for those supporting a downtown location was asked for, only 2 hands went in from the large crowd approaching 200.\u00a0 (At least one of those was a UofL faculty member.)\u00a0 One Vet expressed the general sentiment that a downtown location would benefit the medical staff and businesses, but not the veterans themselves. \u00a0 The potential benefit of having UofL doctors available was raised, but there was much grumbling in the audience and comments such as “those doctors don’t want to see you,”\u00a0 \u00a0 They complained about too many interns and not enough “seasoned doctors.”\u00a0 There was sympathy for the Green Street Baptist Church that would be displaced by the downtown project. \u00a0 There was much praise for the current local VA Hospital Director, Wayne Pfeiffer.<\/p>\n

Mr. John Dandridge, Director of the VA Region responsible for Louisville, was at the hearing.\u00a0 He heard first-hand the veteran’s opinions and complaints.\u00a0 He promised them that their input was valued and that he would present their feelings personally to Secretary Shinseki. \u00a0 I have no reason to doubt that he did so with the best interests of the veterans in mind. \u00a0 I think the vets on the whole will be\u00a0 happy with either of the two remaining suburban sites.\u00a0 Sadly, it was pointed out that an entire generation of Veterans of World War II will not live long enough to see a new facility anywhere.<\/p>\n

While I personally think this a good and just solution, I must confess more than a little surprise.\u00a0 There was a tremendous push for the downtown location from the University and downtown business communities.\u00a0 I heard Louisville government officials speak years ago of a downtown location as a done-deal.\u00a0 Two of our federal representatives recently said publicly that while they had no preference on a specific location but they wanted the project kept moving forward.\u00a0 Frankly this too surprised me as I know they were heavily lobbied and have a well-coordinated working arrangement with the University to procure earmarks and specific legislation. \u00a0 However, constituent voters count too!<\/p>\n

Of course, the cornerstone is not yet set, and federal agencies know from where their appropriation bread is buttered.\u00a0 (It would be of interest to see the correspondence that has passed between our city, state, and federal elected officials and the Veterans Administration.) \u00a0 The Courier-Journal editorial board has already started the drumbeat to reverse the Secretary’s decision.\u00a0 To me their arguments smack more of reflex boosterism for the downtown core than is merited.\u00a0 The editorial of November 13<\/a> emphasized the presence of “researchers and specialists” at the downtown medical school campus. It somehow characterized the move of other healthcare resources to the suburbs as not a good thing.\u00a0 Why wouldn’t the public in general want their medical services in the suburbs for the same reasons as the Vets!\u00a0 I was also struck by the editorial emphasis on the presence of researchers\u2013 what should research have to do with it?\u00a0 The vets are not fodder for the University’s commercial research enterprise.\u00a0 They deserve the best physicians available wherever they are.\u00a0 The Courier-Journal should not drink the University-poured Kool-Aid that all the best doctors are downtown at the medical school.\u00a0 To suggest otherwise is an insult to the many excellent physicians in Louisville, downtown or elsewhere.\u00a0 I personally judge many of these non-University physicians to be the best in the city in their specialties.\u00a0 The new location at Brownsboro Rd. is equally convenient to physicians at the Medical School and in the Eastern County.\u00a0 I urge the Veteran’s Administration to explore new ways of allowing the very best physicians and other medical providers we have to offer to serve our veterans.\u00a0 It’s the least we can do.<\/p>\n

Peter Hasselbacher, MD
\nDec 14, 2011<\/p>\n

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