March 20, 2023 3:40 a.m.

Douglas County veteran’s groups are pushing for a full restoration of services at the Roseburg VA Medical Center and have issued a formal position paper on the issue.

Spokesperson Jim Little said their unwavering position is that the facility should go from the current Outpatient Clinic with an Urgent Care Department that is only manned during working hours on weekdays to a full Level II hospital.

Little said Level II hospitals have an Intensive Care Unit will all the supporting staff and departments. They also have Emergency Departments with in-department radiology. He said Level II facilities may have the name “trauma center” tied to them, however they will not have “trauma surgeons” on staff, but rather general surgeons who take cases. These would be surgeons who are on campus during the day and then on call at night.

Little said with a catchment area exceeding 90,000 rural veterans, the down-sizing of the Roseburg facility has lessened the care veterans have earned and deserve. The position paper said veterans prefer healthcare provided by the VA who understands them as unique patients versus community care. Little said tele-medicine is not wholly accepted by veteran patients.

Little said since the closure of the Roseburg VA ICU and the slow and steady down-sizing there has been a lack of consistent leadership which has resulted in low morale and patient discontent. He notes that there have been 6 permanent and interim directors in the past 13 years. Little believes a Level II hospital would result in consistent leadership.

The position paper said a Level II hospital would attract clinicians who put down roots in this rural area and would stop the consistent turn-over of providers. It said an increase in salaries would also encourage prospective VA employees and be advantageous for the VA to hold Roseburg VA up as an example to the American taxpayers of the VA’s commitment to improving the current poor quality of rural veteran healthcare.

Little said the soon to be developed Oregon State Retirement home will also desperately need the services of a full-service hospital.

Those with questions regarding the position paper can email: umpquavalleychapter805@gmail.com

Jim Little will be on Inside Douglas County Tuesday on News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN to talk more about this issue.