By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
Salisbury City Council passed a resolution Tuesday that calls on the Hefner VA Medical Center to keep its emergency, inpatient and surgical services.
In recent weeks, the VA Medical Center has announced plans to restructure its services and focus the institution on mental health and long-term care, while still providing some outpatient services.
The city resolution says it’s critical for the medical center to maintain its inpatient, emergency and surgical services “to provide the highest quality medical care for the veterans who served honorably and gallantly and deserve exceptional, accessible medical care they have rightfully earned.”
The resolution adds that the current medical services offered are important for veterans to receive “excellent, cost-effective health care.”
The Hefner VA Medical Center provides primary and secondary inpatient care to some 287,000 veterans within a 23-county area.
Mayor Susan Kluttz said the hospital is one of the city’s greatest assets, and its future affects both veterans and VA employees.
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners previously passed a similar resolution calling on VA hospital officials to leave services at the Salisbury VA as they are.