Riverside Health System joins Hampton VA as a Choice Provider

HAMPTON –Riverside Health System has joined forces with the Hampton VA Medical Center through signing of a Provider Agreement with the Veterans Choice Program. This agreement will ensure that Veterans receive access to timely and high quality care within our community.

"It is not only our duty to care for our Veterans in need of health care; it is a privilege to serve those who have served us," said W. William Austin Jr., Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer for Riverside Health System.

"Riverside Health System continues to be a strong supporter of Hampton Roads Veterans by providing access to a high quality health care system," said Alan Lombardo, Interim Director at Hampton VA Medical Center. "This agreement is a formal acknowledgement of their continued commitment to improving access to the care our Veterans earned and deserve. This partnership directly supports two of VA's top priorities, to provide greater choice for Veterans and to improve timeliness of services."

Hampton Roads boasts one of the fastest growing Veteran populations in the nation. Hampton VA Medical Center has seen Veteran growth of 21.5 percent over the past five years, which is more than three times the national average.

The Veterans Choice Program allows Veterans to use community providers when VA services are unavailable in a timely manner or are more than 40 miles from the Veteran. In an effort to expand the network of providers, Hampton VA is collaborating with local community health care systems to enhance the network available to local Veterans. The use of Provider Agreements is essential to improve the reimbursement process for community providers and to the delivery of seamless care to Veterans.

Hampton VA Medical Center (VAMC), a 438-bed facility, provides comprehensive health care through primary care, acute inpatient, acute psychiatric, chronic spinal cord, long-term, hospice palliative care and domiciliary rehabilitative residential care.