VA Eastern Kansas to Begin Increasing Operations

VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System (EKHCS) plans to move forward with phased approach for reintroducing services at both the Topeka and Leavenworth VA medical centers and select Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC). As COVID-19 positive cases continue to decline throughout the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System (EKHCS) footprint, the organization has made the decision to implement their Move Forward and Increase Operation Plan officially on June 15, 2020.

Effective Monday, June 15, EKHCS will begin increasing face-to-face (F2F) visits and VA Video Connect (VVC) visits by 25 percent. Two weeks later, EKHCS will increase to a minimum of 50 percent for F2F visits and VVC.

“Hard work and dedication from many team members across the organization has occurred to prepare us for upcoming changes and these increases to care will allow us to verify how COVID-19 is impacting our Veterans and VAEKHCS operations,” Director and CEO Mr. Rudy Klopfer said.

The increase by percentage will allow EKHCS to remain flexible in scaling back or continuing to move forward in future weeks and months ahead.

To date EKHCS has completed approximately 1200 COVID-19 tests and have had a total of 8 COVID-positive staff members and 25 total for Veterans with the majority having recovered and the rest expected to recover within the month. The organization has over 2000 total staff members and over 45,000 Veteran beneficiaries. “To keep the number of positive cases at this low rate is simply outstanding and a sign of the dedication and commitment of the entire staff,” says Klopfer.

During the month of June, EKHCS will continue current practice for screening processes, limiting building entry points, universal masking, testing strategy and visitor policy.

Moving forward, providers are assessing their appointments two weeks in advance allowing enough time for a clinical review and for the subsequent scheduling activities to occur. Providers are determining which patients need to be seen in-person and which can continue to be seen virtually. For more information about VA’s Connected Care technologies visit connectedcare.va.gov.

For questions about care at VA Eastern Kansas please contact your primary care team.

If you’re experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 , call us at (785) 350-3111 ext. 54555 before your visit or send a secure message through My HealtheVet Secure Messaging—even if you have an appointment. You may be able to get diagnosed and receive care through VA telehealth without having to leave home. To find out more about care being offered in your VA community based clinics contact them before visiting at: https://www.topeka.va.gov/ and use the Locations & Directions link.

Veteran Service Officers (VSO) within the medical centers will also begin seeing Veterans for disability claims on a limited schedule. Please check with your VSO for details. Visits are by appointment only. To locate a local Veteran Service Officer, visit: Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) Representatives.