Greater Regional asks, again, about a VA clinic in Creston

Greater Regional Health Chief Executive Officer Monte Neitzel told his board Monday he has met with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst’s staff about adding a Veterans Affairs clinic in Creston.

But how far the idea will go, let alone approval, is uncertain.

“Don’t get too excited,” Neitzel said. “We’ve been at this six times.” Previous attempts have reached a certain point and stalled.

Neitzel said he still appreciates the interest from Ernst’s staff about the idea.

“With the amount of veterans we serve in our area, do the math, they will see the amount leaving going to Des Moines,” he said.

Des Moines has a VA medical clinic and medical center. According to the VA, centers provide traditional hospital-based services—like surgery, critical care, mental health, and physical therapy. Most centers provide medical and surgical specialty services—like oncology (cancer care), geriatrics (elder care), and neurology (care for conditions of the brain and nervous system). Some medical centers also offer advanced services—like organ transplants and plastic surgery (reconstructing or repairing parts of the body in the treatment of traumatic injury).

Clinics provide the most common outpatient services (like health and wellness visits) so people can take care of routine appointments in a more convenient location. Shenandoah has a clinic, the only VA facility in southwest Iowa that is south of Interstate 80 and west of Interstate 35. A new, bigger clinic opened in 2021 in Shenandoah.

Neitzel claimed Greater Regional treats as many veterans as Shenandoah’s clinic.

“We think it would be a wonderful addition,” Neitzel said.

Other VA health care facilities are in eastern and northern Iowa.

In other facility and service news, Neitzel said there is consideration of expanding of behavioral health with counseling

“We think there is a need,” he said.

Neitzel added Greater Regional’s lab expansion project is on time and on budget.

“Things are going well and we expect to finish April 2025,” he said. The construction work will also give time for administration to review location of services based on available space.

UnityPoint Health Director of Rural Health Resources Teresa Newman said various health-care organizations are lobbying for protection and support of health-care facilities in rural parts of the country. Some rural facilities are transitioning to emergency-care only as other places have closed across the country. Greater Regional is affiliated with UnityPoint.

“Iowa Hospital Association is lobbying for the federal government to increase sources and funding for rural hospitals to continue to provide emergency care services,” she said.

Newman said a number of critical care access hospitals have also been facing low inpatient numbers. The association is also looking for increased funding and initiatives for these facilities. Congress has also been requested to review the critical access hospital designation. A critical access hospital has to be at least 35 miles from another hospital, unless it was grandfathered in by 2006. There are other requirements. Congress has been asked to decrease the mileage.