Jackson's VA Hospital attempting to cut-off outpatient dialysis treatments

U.S. Air Force veteran Clarence Hopkins and some 35 other outpatient dialysis patients received letters from the G.V. "Sonny Montgomery" Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA) saying that they needed to arrange for treatment from other local providers because the outpatient facilities at the Montgomery hospital would be closing May 15,2021. The letter was dated March 15,2021.

There had been rumors about the halting of outpatient dialysis treatment at the VA for a year, but this was the first official written communication. (The early rumors died after the COVID-19 virus escalated in the state.) Shortly after the March 15th letter, hospital personnel also initiated verbal communication on the matter.

Hopkins, with whom we have had conversations, wonders about the reason(s) behind the decision to close the facility. According to his testimony, there are 35 outpatient dialysis patients who use the VA facility. Of those 35, 33 are African American. He is not sure whether or not race is the driving factor, but does wonder. It is something to ponder. If 33 of the 35 patients were white, would the same decision be made?

He also wonders if the decision is being made because of the relatively small number of patients. While it probably is expensive to make the infrastructure improvements needed, he feels that recent increases of federal allocations could and would be _ used, if there Hopkins were more patients. At any rate, he does not buy the idea that the VA cannot afford to make the upgrades.

Like other patients who have been receiving outpatient dialysis treatments at the VA, Hopkins feels that he will not get the same quality of treatment at another facility. In addition to the familiarity of the personnel with the current patients, there is the matter of the low case load, 3 or 4 patients per nurse. Both of these conditions would change for the worse if or when VA patients locate somewhere else for their treatments.

For the last 10 years, Hopkins has been going to dialysis at this facility three days a week and receiving "good" care. At one point, prior to this, he was sent to the VA facility in Memphis, but opted out of their program because of declining health conditions under their administration. He does not want to take a chance on another possible "bad" experience at another facility.

Hopkins was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force in 1968 and is thus entitled to healthcare provisions under the Department of Veterans Affairs. At this point in his life, he is 100% disabled and is wheel chair-bound. Making a move in terms of healthcare facilities is not something to be taken likely.

Because of the predicament in which they find themselves, this group of veterans have banded together to seek political, legal, and whatever other assistance that they can get. Time is running out and their options are running out. This is a call by them for community support.