New surgical services wing opens to veterans | va kansas city health care | veterans affairs

The entire east wing of Kansas City VA Medical Center’s (KCVA) 9th floor has been reconstructed and opens to patients Nov. 8, 2021. This newly reopened Surgical Services wing includes wound

care, podiatry and nail clinic, plastic surgery, vascular, thoracic, and general surgery services. “Veterans and patients can expect shorter wait times for these specialty care clinics

because of this newly opened wing, as well as comfortable and accessible space for quality patient wound care post-operation,” said Sarah Gervais, Clinic Nurse Manager. “The current Gold

Clinic has expanded specialty care services because of this reopening of 9 East. Additionally, the inpatient admission process is streamlined now that patients can undergo treatment in 9E

until establishing inpatient standing.” John Robinson, the KCVA the construction superintendent for this project, highlighted that the reconstruction of 9 East wing is the largest

construction project completed by the in-house KCVA construction crew to date at 9,500 sq. ft.  The in-house construction crew, which consists of mostly Veterans themselves, went above and

beyond to create a beautiful multifunction clinical area. Robinson said of this crew, “They did such a great job, and their dedication and teamwork was something I haven’t seen outside of

the military. Really an outstanding group of guys.” This project involved a complete demolition and remodel as the crew had to clear out cinderblock, plaster walls, and ceilings, leaving

them with a fresh canvas to work from. This massive project started in January of 2019 and continued through many challenges due to COVID. The Interim Medical Center Director, Lisa Curnes,

noted that this remodel created 14 exam spaces with patient lifts, procedure room, and new check-in area. Attention was given to each design detail prioritizing Veteran ease of access and

positive patient experience. These innovative exam rooms include accessible doors and restrooms for patients in assistive chairs. A call system has been integrated directly to the provider

stations for immediate medical personnel response in case of patient alert. In addition, providers can effectively continue telehealth appointments from private office. “The Kansas City VA

Medical Center is always seeking to provide the best possible care for the Veterans we serve” said Curnes. “We are continuously looking for opportunities to make these impactful enhancements

through renovation and redesign to improve healthcare outcomes and patient experience.”