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VISION STATEMENT: Creating the future of federal healthcare through excellence in world-class patient care, customer service, education and research.
SHARING TIMELINE
PHASE I
October 2002 - Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs agree to share Health Care Services
October 2003 - Navy Inpatient Behavioral Health Services relocate to North Chicago VAMC
December 2004 - Navy/DoD Blood Processing Center relocates to North Chicago VAMC
In October 2002, VHA and DoD signed an Executive Council Decision Memo which began the Partnership between North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center (NCVAMC) and then Naval Hospital Great Lakes. The first phase of the Partnership was accomplished in October 2003 when the Navy shifted their inpatient Mental Health to North Chicago VAMC.
PHASE II
June 2006 - Emergency services, operating rooms, and inpatient medical and surgical services relocate to North Chicago VAMC
Phase II of the Partnership was a $13 million VA renovation and modernization project to expand the Emergency and Surgery Departments at North Chicago VAMC. Once completed in June 2006, Navy shifted all their inpatient medicine, surgery and emergency services to North Chicago VAMC. Once that happened Naval Hospital Great Lakes became Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes (NHCGL), since they no longer had inpatients beds at the Navy facility. Phase II of the Partnership is a milestone since no where else in the country is there such a relationship between VA & Navy. This Partnership means VA & Navy personnel are working together to provide the best quality care to veterans, active duty and their family members. Navy and VA providers are working alongside each other and for the first time in a VA there is pediatric care provided for DoD eligible family members.
PHASE III
October 2010 - Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center
Phase III, which will be the final phase of the Partnership is a $130 million DoD construction project to build a new ambulatory care center adjacent to North Chicago VAMC, along with a parking garage and surface parking. Once the project is completed and activated by October 2010, North Chicago VAMC and Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes will become the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, after the famous Apollo 13 astronaut. It will be the first fully integrated federal health care center between VA and DoD.
The initial phase of this project is complete which includes the surface parking. Currently the parking garage is being constructed and is scheduled for completion in July 2008 at which time work will begin on the new ambulatory care center.
Over the past few years, North Chicago VAMC and Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes have received over $9 million from the VA/DoD Joint Incentive Fund Program. The VA/DoD Joint Incentive Fund Program is part of the FY2003 National Defense Authorization Act, Public Law 107-314, Section 721, which requires DoD and VA establish a joint incentive program, through the creation of a DoD-VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund. The intent of the program is to identify, fund and evaluate creative local, regional and national sharing initiatives.
A DoD-VA Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on July 8, 2004, assigned VA as administrator of the fund under the direction of the VA/DoD Healthcare Executive Council (HEC). VA is responsible for excuting funding transfers for the projects approved by the HEC. There is a minimum contribution of $15 million by each Department each year for four years, fiscal years 2004-2007. Total minimum contributions from each Department will be $60 million, with a combined total of $120 million over the four years. The program has been extended through 2008.
The criteria to be used to evaluate proposals:
- Improves access to beneficiaries
- Improves quality of care
- Number of beneficiaries impacted by the initiative
- Supports VA/DoD joint Strategic Plan
- Exportable to other facilities.
Some of the initiatives the North Chicago VAMC and Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes were approved for include a joint women’s health center, contemporary mammography and stero-tactic equipment, MRI, a hematology/oncology clinic and expansion of North Chicago’s hospitalist program, as well as a few others.
The progress accomplished to date can be attributed to extensive cooperation at all levels between VA and DoD. This phased approach has allowed the adaptation of cultures which has contributed to our success. We take very seriously the fact we have been given this opportunity to influence the future of federal health care and look forward to October 2010 when we will become the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
Contact information regarding the VA/DoD Partnership:
Mary.Schindler@va.gov
Teresa.Hawkins@med.navy.mil
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