WASHINGTON – Congresswoman and Navy veteran Elaine Luria recently met with David Collins, the new director of the Hampton VA Medical Center, to speak on issues concerning military veterans.
Elaine Luria
According to Luria’s office, the meeting centered around ways to improve access for patient care, reduced wait times, and increased patient satisfaction for veterans living in the Hampton Roads region.
“It’s clear this change in leadership can have a positive impact for veterans living in the Hampton Roads region,” Congresswoman Luria said. “I look forward to regular meetings with Director Collins to ensure that our veterans get the best possible care in our community.”
With nearly 300 positions backlogged to help support the Hampton VA Medical Center recently being cleared, Collins spoke with Luria about the VA’s effort to quickly place qualified providers, technicians, and support staff until the backlog of nearly 300 positions has cleared, according to the release.
Retaining quality staff members, accelerating the hiring process, plus improving relationships with employees and labor unions, where som additional topics discussed by the two.
Director Collins has already noted a tripling of calls to his Office of Community Care, which manages the MISSION Act cases.
Good news is also on the way for more options for veterans in the area with the Chesapeake and Virginia Beach Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) expected to become finished in the next six months.
Additionally, a Multi-Specialty Outpatient Clinic (MSOC) will be built on the Southside. And both Luria and Collins are watchful of anything that could slow the bid-award-build process, according to the release from Luria.
With 20-years of U.S. Navy service, Luria has the longest active-duty tenure of anyone in the House Democratic Caucus.
She recently had her second sponsored bill be signed into law recently. It was a bipartisan effort that will provide a cost-of-living increase by the same percentage as Social Security. It will become effective Dec. 1, according to Luria’s staff.
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