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38 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, January 20, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend December 9, 2003 VA meeting gives Walden hope for dom He emphasizes the dom’s quality, local support in his talk with a key deputy By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune If Greg Walden was a betting man, chances are he would put his money on inpatient services continuing at the former domiciliary in White City. U.S. Rep. Walden, R-Ore., met Monday with Gordon Mansfield, assistant secretary for congressional and legislative affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, in Washington, D.C. "Nothing is certain in this business until the final recommendations have been released, but I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re making progress in our effort to maintain the current level of services at the Dom," he said following the meeting. Walden, who was accompanied by Sue Kupillas, a member of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, had been scheduled to meet with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi. However, Principi canceled because of illness. During the session, Walden noted the facility, now known as the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC), is a nationally recognized leader of inpatient as well as outpatient services for veterans. Advertisement Kupillas agreed, and also stressed the facility’s economic impact on the region. SORCC’s annual budget is some $41 million, with about 70 percent of that covering staff salaries. The VA announced in July of this year that SORCC is one of 30 VA facilities under consideration for closure or reduced services. The former domiciliary currently houses slightly more than 500 inpatients while serving more than 8,000 outpatients. However, while it is considering terminating inpatient services, the federal agency is also contemplating expanding outpatient services at the SORCC. Walden, who represents Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District, was joined by U.S. Sens. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in opposing the proposed action. At the urging of Walden and others, Principi held a public hearing in Medford in October to gather public input on the proposal. The session drew some 900 residents with all the testimony in opposition to the proposal. Walden reminded Mansfield on Monday that in a third-quarter survey by the VA of the more than 400 of its facilities and community-based clinics across the country, SORCC rated best in the nation in overall quality care. That survey reported that 86.2 percent of patients felt overall quality at the center was very good or excellent. SORCC also scored first in continuity of care (92.3 percent), emotional support (89.5 percent) and overall coordination of care (82.7 percent). The domiciliary was the only facility in the nation to score in the top 10 in 10 of the 13 categories. "Veterans ranked it at the top of any VA facility in the country," Walden said. "My argument was that you (VA) have a very successful program in White City here." Closing the inpatient services at the domiciliary would be a disservice to the veterans, he said. "We’re trying to tell them not to be penny-wise and pound foolish," he said. "We don’t want them to destroy one of the most efficient programs in the VA." A VA commission gathering information on the 30 facilities being studied is supposed to give its final recommendation to Principi by Dec. 18 but probably won’t meet that deadline, Walden said. As a result, Principi, who will have 30 days to make a final determination on the future of the facilities, is expected to make his decision in mid- to late January, he said. Reach reporter Paul Fattig 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times