Though the city has enjoyed a rich connection to US Arm Forces in the past, to include the housing of a Naval Base, as well as a Base for B-52 bombers during the Cold War, Orlando Florida is only now receiving a much needed VA Hospital. Though the long wait should be worth it, giving that the Hospital will be a 1.2 million square foot facility that will serve a projected 400,000 veterans in the Central Florida area. The cost of the complex is estimated to be in the $650 million range, and the facility is slated to open in 2012.
This is great news to area veterans who for years have had to travel to various state facilities to take care of their medical needs. These locations have often been located a good distance from Orlando, and have ranged from outpatient clinics in Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the VA hospital in Gainesville and St. Petersburg. Given the aging population of Central Florida veterans, the long distances have often become major challenges for vets in need of care. In fact, Orange County (home to the city of Orland) alone has close to 80,000 veterans, making the county the largest county in the nation without direct access to a VA hospital.
It was then amid a mix crowd of veterans, politicians, and local citizens, that a ground breaking ceremony was held in October of 2008. Location for the VA Hospital is near Lake Nona in South Orlando, where the facility will enjoy a close proximity to the University of Central Florida’s new Medical Center. The VA hospital will benefit from its close distance to UCF by being able to integrate research and direct treatment with the school’s Medical Center.
This new complex will include the following features:
• 134 Inpatient Beds
• ER diagnostic Imaging
• Laboratory
• Pharmacy
• Multispecialty Care Clinic
• 120 Bed Community Living
• 60 Bed Residential Rehab Center
In keeping with its Mission Statement and Vision, this new VA facility will help “honor America’s veterans by providing exceptional care that will improve veteran’s health and well-being.” To do so, the Center will rely on a committed staff that will make it their goal to be a “patient-centered” organization. Aside, from being able to offer veterans better health care, the VA Hospital will also be a back-up hospital during National emergencies, which given the area’s propensity for Hurricanes, is a much welcomed by product of housing the hospital.
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