DAV Magazine — November/December 2017
Rising from the ashes
More than a decade after Hurricane Katrina, a new VA facility helps heal old scars
If the history of natural disasters in the United States has taught us anything, it’s that we must prepare for the worst in order to withstand the brutal forces unleashed by Mother Nature.
More than a decade after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the New Orleans Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the newly built 1.7 million-square-foot Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System is, itself, a structural force to be reckoned with.
“We learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina and worked really hard to mitigate issues,” said Fernando Rivera, the facility’s director. “Our exteriors have been weather tested to withstand wind speeds from a Category 3 hurricane, and we’ve designed the facility so that all critical features are on the second floor or above.”
The long-awaited facility, designed to accommodate 70,000 veterans, officially began accepting patients in November 2016. In addition to its capacity, the center is designed to maintain operations without outside assistance for five days in the event of a natural disaster, all the site’s critical components were built 19 feet above flood stage, and the hospital’s helicopter landings and boat ramps can serve as emergency evacuation points for patients and staff.
The hospital is estimated to see more than 550,000 appointments annually, but the center is already well on its way to that number. “Since we opened the doors on Nov. 18, we have already surpassed over 300,000 appointments,” said Rivera.
The DAV Transportation Network will be essential for veterans in the southeast Louisiana region going to those medical appointments. The region has over 75,000 veterans, many of whom live in rural areas and have difficulty with transportation.
“At our national convention in New Orleans, we presented two brand-new Ford Flex vehicles for use at the new hospital,” said National Voluntary Services Director John Kleindienst. “This facility has been hailed as a model for both patient centeredness and emergency preparedness, and we’re excited to be a part of getting veterans to this new, state-of-the art facility by way of our Transportation Network.”
DAV services will be particularly important as more specialized branches of the facility open throughout the remainder of 2017. Army veteran Terry Waite is stepping up as the first hospital service coordinator to manage transportation in the area since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the previous facility. Prior to his arrival, the area’s voluntary service coordinator was managing the additional task of routing transportation to many of the state’s various outpatient clinics.
“I heard about the need for a hospital service coordinator back at DAV’s last mid-winter conference, and I had some free time to volunteer, so I thought I’d take a chance and lend my services,” said Waite. “It’s quite an undertaking, but I know it means the world to a veteran who has no other way to get to the hospital to see a doctor.”
“We could not open our doors without the support of the DAV across the country,” Rivera said about the Transportation Network. “We are grateful to DAV and look forward to using the new vehicles right away.”
In addition to the facility’s new vehicles and enhanced safety measures, it boasts some of the most patient-friendly features within the VA. For example, each single-bed inpatient room has floor-to-ceiling windows allowing abundant natural light and an unrestricted view. For wheelchair patients, restrooms are located at least every 100 yards within the facility and the furniture is selected for comfort and usability for those with mobility impairments and disabilities. The hospital also features a 2,000-car, covered parking garage, abundant help desks, and track systems in each patient room to carry veterans between their bed to the restroom without needing to be lifted by a nurse or attendant.
“It took 12 years to get it, but when I see what I see, the facility I know, the wait was worth it,” said Department of Louisiana Adjutant Paul Hermann, who was a national service office supervisor in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina and has been a patient at both the old and new VA facilities. “It’s absolutely incredible—you have to see it to believe it.”
Hermann said he gives a great deal of the credit to Rivera’s proactive approach to incorporating veteran feedback into the design of the new facility.
“Mr. Rivera went to all the veterans groups in the area and asked local veterans what they wanted at the new hospital,” Hermann said. “Obviously they couldn’t do everything, but the fact that he even took the time to do that, and then actually implemented as many of those suggestions as he could, means a lot.”
“If you fight for our country, you should never have to fight for first-class health care,” said Rivera. “Having started my career in the old VA medical center 30 years ago, I saw so many veterans who came to it not only for their health care but for the camaraderie with their peers. So one of my favorite things about the new medical center is being able to deliver for our veterans a place of their own.”
If the history of natural disasters in the United States has taught us anything, it’s that we must prepare for the worst in order to withstand the brutal forces unleashed by Mother Nature.
More than a decade after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the New Orleans Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the newly built 1.7 million-square-foot Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System is, itself, a structural force to be reckoned with.
“We learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina and worked really hard to mitigate issues,” said Fernando Rivera, the facility’s director. “Our exteriors have been weather tested to withstand wind speeds from a Category 3 hurricane, and we’ve designed the facility so that all critical features are on the second floor or above.”
The long-awaited facility, designed to accommodate 70,000 veterans, officially began accepting patients in November 2016. In addition to its capacity, the center is designed to maintain operations without outside assistance for five days in the event of a natural disaster, all the site’s critical components were built 19 feet above flood stage, and the hospital’s helicopter landings and boat ramps can serve as emergency evacuation points for patients and staff.
The hospital is estimated to see more than 550,000 appointments annually, but the center is already well on its way to that number. “Since we opened the doors on Nov. 18, we have already surpassed over 300,000 appointments,” said Rivera.
The DAV Transportation Network will be essential for veterans in the southeast Louisiana region going to those medical appointments. The region has over 75,000 veterans, many of whom live in rural areas and have difficulty with transportation.
“At our national convention in New Orleans, we presented two brand-new Ford Flex vehicles for use at the new hospital,” said National Voluntary Services Director John Kleindienst. “This facility has been hailed as a model for both patient centeredness and emergency preparedness, and we’re excited to be a part of getting veterans to this new, state-of-the art facility by way of our Transportation Network.”
DAV services will be particularly important as more specialized branches of the facility open throughout the remainder of 2017. Army veteran Terry Waite is stepping up as the first hospital service coordinator to manage transportation in the area since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the previous facility. Prior to his arrival, the area’s voluntary service coordinator was managing the additional task of routing transportation to many of the state’s various outpatient clinics.
“I heard about the need for a hospital service coordinator back at DAV’s last mid-winter conference, and I had some free time to volunteer, so I thought I’d take a chance and lend my services,” said Waite. “It’s quite an undertaking, but I know it means the world to a veteran who has no other way to get to the hospital to see a doctor.”
“We could not open our doors without the support of the DAV across the country,” Rivera said about the Transportation Network. “We are grateful to DAV and look forward to using the new vehicles right away.”
In addition to the facility’s new vehicles and enhanced safety measures, it boasts some of the most patient-friendly features within the VA. For example, each single-bed inpatient room has floor-to-ceiling windows allowing abundant natural light and an unrestricted view. For wheelchair patients, restrooms are located at least every 100 yards within the facility and the furniture is selected for comfort and usability for those with mobility impairments and disabilities. The hospital also features a 2,000-car, covered parking garage, abundant help desks, and track systems in each patient room to carry veterans between their bed to the restroom without needing to be lifted by a nurse or attendant.
“It took 12 years to get it, but when I see what I see, the facility I know, the wait was worth it,” said Department of Louisiana Adjutant Paul Hermann, who was a national service office supervisor in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina and has been a patient at both the old and new VA facilities. “It’s absolutely incredible—you have to see it to believe it.”
Hermann said he gives a great deal of the credit to Rivera’s proactive approach to incorporating veteran feedback into the design of the new facility.
“Mr. Rivera went to all the veterans groups in the area and asked local veterans what they wanted at the new hospital,” Hermann said. “Obviously they couldn’t do everything, but the fact that he even took the time to do that, and then actually implemented as many of those suggestions as he could, means a lot.”
“If you fight for our country, you should never have to fight for first-class health care,” said Rivera. “Having started my career in the old VA medical center 30 years ago, I saw so many veterans who came to it not only for their health care but for the camaraderie with their peers. So one of my favorite things about the new medical center is being able to deliver for our veterans a place of their own.”
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