NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Operating rooms for the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) will temporarily close from Nov. 12 to Dec. 22 as construction and upgrades are made to the facilities.
VASNHS said the changes are necessary as operating room equipment is nearing the end of its service life. To minimize impacts on veteran patients, VASNHS said the November-December timeframe was intentional as, historically, this is the slowest time of the year for routine and elective surgical cases.
Special procedures that do not need operating rooms will be expanded, VASNHS said. During the closure timeframe, clinic schedules will also be expanded to allow for more appointments and pre-surgery consultations.
How does this affect patients who had scheduled surgeries?
VASNHS said there were scheduled surgeries during the closure timeframe, but now they have to be moved. Affected veterans have been contacted, according to VASNHS, to either move up their surgery or reschedule once the operating rooms reopen.
According to VASNHS' acting executive director Michael Kiefer:
“VA is committed to updating and modernizing its infrastructure whenever possible to ensure we have the latest technology and equipment available to meet the needs of Veterans who seek care locally. As part of this commitment, there are times we need to make short-term adjustments to our day-to-day operations to support long range goals and outcomes. We have worked diligently to mitigate the impact to our Veterans and apologize for any inconvenience this temporary closure may cause.”
If you are a veteran and have questions or concerns about how this temporary closure might affect you, VASNHS said you should contact your surgical team.
