The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center announced today the clinic at Salem will not reopen following its closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is with sadness and disappointment that we made the decision not to reopen the clinic,” said Interim Medical Center Director, Paul Hopkins. “In 2017 we expanded the hours of the Salem VA clinic to five days per week, hoping to enroll additional Veterans for VA health care. Our minimum goal of 660 veteran patients to maintain the full-time clinic seemed reasonable, as there are over 1,100 Veterans in Dent County.”
Hopkins went on to explain that despite numerous outreach events and other efforts, the patient population of the Salem clinic never exceeded 350 and is now below 300.
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“This is understandable,” said Hopkins, “with the new MISSION Act, Salem area Veterans can go to an in-network private urgent care facility at the expense of VA; an option that was not available in 2017. Salem Memorial District Hospital is now an authorized MISSION Act provider, too. Many Salem VA Clinic Veterans preferred to stay with the Columbia VA, because that is where they received their specialty care. In the end, they just didn’t enroll for health care with the Salem clinic as we expected.”
Congressman Jason Smith (R-Salem) recently learned of this decision and expressed his strong opposition to senior leadership at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a release from his office also sent out today. The VA had made no prior attempts to contact the congressman’s office for assistance in keeping the clinic open. In the wake of this decision, he has called upon the VA to do everything in its power to ensure veterans in the community continue to receive the high-quality care they deserve, according to the statement.
“I am disappointed that bureaucrats have decided the veterans in Salem, Missouri are no longer deserving of access to a full-service Community-Based Outpatient Clinic,” said Smith. “This decision is a slap in the face to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for our country.”
Smith previously shared and delivered a petition with 5,700 signatures, many from veterans themselves, calling for the VA clinic in Salem to expand its hours and become a full-service, Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. As a result of the Congressman’s efforts, the clinic became full-service in 2017.
The MISSION Act that was passed by Congress and became law in 2018 will allow veterans in Salem to access care through private sector healthcare providers in their local community, according to the release from Smith's office. Smith encourages veterans to reach out to their local VA or his congressional office if they are in need of assistance during this transition.
Hopkins explained that the current lease with SMDH is expiring and new national seismic requirements for VA leases prevent VA from remaining at that location. “A new clinic would have to be constructed to meet national standards,” he said.
“We want Veterans who prefer to remain in the VA system to know that the Columbia VA and St. James VA Clinic providers are anxious to welcome them to either of those locations,” Hopkins said. “Veterans who would like to enroll with the Columbia VA system may call (573) 265-0448.”
The VA clinic in Salem has been closed due to COVID since March.
