Plans made to treat VA patients

Friday, Sept. 13, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

The Mike O'Callghan Federal Hospital at Nellis Air Force Base has been selected as one of several sites to treat patients from the damaged Addeliar D. Guy III Ambulatory Care Clinic, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Thursday.

O'Callaghan hospital will house the clinic's surgical specialty services while the primary care, medical specialty care, mental health clinic and administrative offices will be moved to yet-to-be-announced Las Vegas sites, the VA said.

No date has been set for the move-out at the 5-year-old, $16 million medical care center at 1700 Vegas Drive, which is being forced to close because of cracks in foundation and structural problems discovered earlier this year.

VA officials say efforts are being made to be as "least disruptive" as possible to patients. Last year 33,000 patients were treated at the clinic, which also provides dental care, prosthetic care and a pharmacy.

"The VA intends to vacate the facility in an orderly fashion as soon as it is reasonably practical," said John Hempel, chief executive officer of the Veterans Affairs Southern Nevada Health Care System.