The VA Capitol Health Care Network (VISN 5) was established in October 1995, and serves veterans from economically and demographically diverse areas within four states (the entire state of Maryland, and portions of Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania) as well as the District of Columbia.

The Network includes VA Medical Centers located in Martinsburg, WV; Washington, DC; and Maryland. The VA Maryland Health Care System is comprised of the Baltimore VA Medical Center, the Perry Point VA Medical Center, and the Baltimore Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center. In addition, the Network also includes Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Alexandria, VA; Harrisonburg, VA; Stephens City, VA; Cambridge, MD; Charlotte Hall, MD; Cumberland, MD; Fort Howard, MD; Glen Burnie, MD; Hagerstown, MD; Loch Raven, MD; Greenbelt, MD; Pocomoke City, MD; Franklin, WV; Petersburg, WV, and Washington, DC.

Network Community Based Outpatient Clinics are community-oriented health care facilities that enable the VA to make care more accessible in areas where many veterans live, or in remote areas where other health care services are not available. Our outpatient clinics offer veterans coordination of care by a primary care provider, physical examinations, general outpatient medical care, psychiatric screenings, and preventive health and education services.

Demand for care is greatest in the cities and in the rural counties of West Virginia and Southern Maryland. As expected, the majority of veterans using our services reside close to our facilities. The estimated veteran population in our geographic service area  is 751,407 veterans, and during fiscal year 2006, we provided care to 127,493 unique veterans.

All staff within VISN 5 are committed to providing quality clinical care to veterans, both on an inpatient and outpatient basis, with emphasis being placed on outpatient primary care. Through the dedicated efforts of our staff, the VISN had three of its clinical programs nationally recognized by the Veterans Health Administration as “VA Clinical Programs of Excellence.” They are the “Seriously Mentally Ill Program” (a Network-wide initiative), the “Health Care for the Homeless Program” (Washington DC VA Medical Center), and the “Home Based Primary Care Program” (VA Maryland Health Care System). Each of these programs will serve as a model nationally for the veterans health care system.

It is because of our nation’s commitment to “Keeping the Promise” to veterans that the VA Capitol Health Care Network is dedicated to providing “Five Star Service for Those Who Served.”