In the absence of efforts by the states, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has stepped up to do the right thing for children.VA opens better lines of communication
While some people in the health care field may question whether the Fort Wayne VA Medical Center should reopen its small, 26-bed inpatient unit, give local VA officials credit for better informing veterans and the public about the status of the unit.
Since Denise Deitzen was appointed director of the local hospital in November, the medical center’s communications with the public have vastly improved.
Deitzen and her staff have offered regular updates, including Friday’s news about six beds reopening this week.
The hospital plans to gradually add patients with more complex conditions until full service is restored by the end of March.
Many questions remain about the local center, including the location of a site where mental health care will be available.
And the VA seems plagued by both the health care bureaucracy and military bureaucracy.
But efforts by the new leadership to keep the public informed are welcome and much appreciated.
