Chicago is home to several hospitals but only one is dedicated to serving the needs of veterans and that’s the Jesse Brown Veteran Affairs Medical Center.
Chicago is home to several hospitals but only one is dedicated to serving the needs of veterans and that’s the Jesse Brown Veteran Affairs Medical Center.
It was just seven years ago that the facility received its current name.
In 2003 President George W. Bush signed legislation to change the name of the VA Chicago Health Care System to honor the first Black Veterans Affairs Secretary Jesse Brown, a Chicagoan who headed the agency from 1993 to 1997.
Brown died in 2002 after a long battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Like other public hospitals, the federally funded hospital, at 820 S. Damen Ave., provides medical care to veterans even if they do not have insurance or are unable to pay.
“We treat all veterans regardless of insurance or ability to pay,” James Jones, director of the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, told the Defender. “People need to realize that vets already paid for their medical treatment through their service to our country.”
One trend Jones said he is beginning to see is the growing amount of female veterans coming to the medical center for services. On average, the West Side facility receives about 525,000 visits from veterans per year from throughout Cook County and northwest Indiana.
Jesse Brown VA center is a 200-bed facility with four community-based outpatient clinics. In 2009, the medical center had 7,535 inpatient admissions and 510,498 outpatient visits. A budget of $300 million supports a staff of 1,800 including 180 physicians and 590 nurses.
Two years ago, the Jesse Brown VA opened its new inpatient bed tower pavilion, which includes seven surgical suites, cystology, intensive care, inpatient dialysis, an outpatient surgical center, and a chapel. The four outpatient clinics are located in Chicago at 211 E. Erie St. and 7731 S. Halsted St., 30 E. 15th St. in south suburban Chicago Heights, and 9330 S. Broadway in Crown Point, Ind. When a veteran visits the medical center Jones said patients could expect to receive a full examination and the best medical care possible.
“We do what we needs to be done to accurately diagnose a patient no matter what their illness may be,” he said. “It could be cancer, mental issues or physical impairment. What ever it is we will treat them until they are well.”
Copyright 2010 Chicago Defender.
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