Gov. Chris Sununu has made it easier for veterans to get medical care outside the Manchester VA hospital, something made necessary because of ongoing damages from a recent pipe burst at the facility.
Sununu signed an Executive Order Monday evening that will speed the process that lets physicians and physician assistants who are licensed thru the VA to provide care for veterans at any hospital in the state.
That licensing process normally takes more than two months – now it will take just two weeks. According to the head of the Manchester VA, the flooding from last month’s pipe burst made it impossible for the hospital to provide some necessary care such as same day surgeries like colonoscopies and endoscopies.
“The message is very clear – we are not going to let bureaucracy get in the way of quality care for veterans – we are just not going to do that," Sununu told reporters after he signed the order. "It’s happened too many times before and in New Hampshire we can be nimble, we can be innovative, we can push the limits a little bit and that’s exactly what we are going to do to make sure we get the best quality care that we can provide.”
This special licensing will be effective for 240 days and will apply to roughly 100 VA physicians and PA’s in the state. The Manchester VA serves about 25,000 veterans in New Hampshire.
