Orlando Lake Nona VA hospital opening delayed to mid-2013

VA hospital opening delayed to mid-2013
By Marni Jameson and Mark K. Matthews, Orlando Sentinel
9:13 p.m. EST, January 31, 2012

Thousands of veterans who have been waiting years for a VA Medical Center to open in Central Florida will have to wait even longer.

Construction delays and design errors have pushed the opening of the new $665 million medical center from October to the summer of 2013 — at the earliest, VA officials told the Sentinel on Tuesday.

"I was really sorry to hear there's a delay because we need that hospital so badly for the veterans in all the six counties," said Earle Denton, an Orlando veteran and member of the Orange County Veterans' Council. "We had sort of planned for that whole thing to be ready in October."

Hospital officials blamed several factors, including mistakes in the original plans, changes in medical equipment and issues with the contractor. Others familiar with the project say roof leaks are also a concern.

Though no official date for completion has been agreed upon, the VA is "working collaboratively with the prime contractor to get construction completed as soon as practicable," said the statement.

Brasfield & GorrieÖ is the main contractor on the VA hospital, the largest player in the emerging Lake Nona Medical City complex. With 1.2 million square feet, the hospital is one of the biggest government projects ever built in Central Florida. Principals from the firm did not return repeated requests for comment.

When completed, the 300-bed facility will serve Central Florida's 400,000 veterans, who comprise the nation's most active VA system but have no hospital.
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ORLANDO VA MEDICAL CENTER for 90,000 veterans

ORLANDO VA MEDICAL CENTER: For Those Who Served
June 28, 2011 · By ANN STRAUB

The Orlando VA Medical Center, serving an area of nearly 90,000 veteran patients in Central Florida, is one of seven members of the VISN 8 Healthcare System.

The Orlando VA Medical Center includes the Orlando VA Medical Center, the Community Living Center, the Residential Rehabilitation Program, the Viera Outpatient Clinic, the Daytona Outpatient Clinic, and four Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Clermont, Kissimmee, Leesburg, and Orange City.

The East Central Florida veteran population is slated for a new hospital to be built in 2012. This much needed facility will make it easier for East Central Florida veterans to access VA’s world-class medical center and relieve the burden of traveling long distances for their inpatient care.

In addition to the main facility in Orlando, the VA offers services in several outpatient clinics in their six county patient service area. These clinics are located in Daytona Beach and Viera.

Community-based outpatient clinics include Clermont, Kissimmee, Leesburg, Orange City, Crossroads Annex and Lake Nona Annex.
read more here
ORLANDO VA MEDICAL CENTER

'Topping out' ceremony marks halfway point in VA hospital construction

'Topping out' ceremony marks halfway point in VA hospital construction

By Jeff Kunerth, Orlando Sentinel
6:02 p.m. EST, February 27, 2011

Orlando's VA hospital, with 134 in-patient beds, will shorten the trip for 90,000 veterans in Central Florida who now go to VA hospitals in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Gainesville.

Veterans and elected officials marked the halfway point Sunday in the construction of the $665 million Orlando VA Medical Center with a "topping out" ceremony.

A 20-foot, 1,100-pound I-beam was lowered into place 140 feet above the ground, completing the steel framework.

The hospital, with 134 in-patient beds, will shorten the trip for 90,000 veterans in Central Florida who now go to VA hospitals in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Gainesville.

"We've been waiting for this for a long time," said Vietnam veteran Eustace L. Horne, 66, of Longwood.

read more here
Topping out ceremony marks halfway point in VA hospital construction

Florida investigates contractors of Lake Nona VA Hospital

State investigates VA Center contractors


By Mary Shanklin, Orlando Sentinel
4:14 p.m. EST, February 9, 2011
Contractors for the VA Medical Center's new $665 million complex at Lake Nona are being investigated by state and federal agencies for employment practices, according to the state Department of Financial Services.

"It is an ongoing investigation involving multiple state and federal agencies into the employment practices of some contractors," said Nina Ashley, a spokeswoman for the Financial Services Department.

Officials with the Department of Veteran Affairs offices in Orlando would not comment on the investigation and referred inquiries to the state agency. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has agents at the site assisting in the investigation, which is being conducted by the Financial Services' Division of Insurance Fraud.

With a 134-bed hospital, community living center and 60-bed nursing home, the VA project represents possibly the largest construction project in the region. It's slated for completion in 2012.

No one would disclose what companies were being investigated.
State investigates VA Center contractors

Orlando's VA Medical Center taking shape

Orlando's VA Medical Center taking shape

By Mary Shanklin, Orlando Sentinel
10:29 p.m. EST, January 24, 2011

The Orlando VA Medical Center slated to open next year in Lake Nona will offer some nationwide firsts for the more than 100,000 Central Florida military veterans expected to seek treatment there.

The $600 million-plus facility, which includes a hospital, clinic, nursing home and rehabilitation center, will be the only such center in the country in which all of the rooms are private. Each one will be equipped with a hoist and railings for lifting patients, and they will accommodate all but intensive care so patients don't have to move to new rooms as they recover. Each room will also have a view of a lake, conservation area or garden, and offer Internet access.

"It's very much different than anything else you'd see around here," said Joe Battle, who oversees construction of the center for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. "It's very much about making this as home-like of an environment as possible."

Everything from colors to textures have been chosen to create a more comfortable feel than that of the typical hospital, he added. Window glass, for instance, is 3 inches thick to keep out noise from nearby Orlando International Airport.
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Orlando's VA Medical Center taking shape

Jacksonville Kennel Club owner sues Allied Veterans of the World

Before you read this, first know what Allied Veterans are about

Allied Veterans of the World donates $30,000 to Orlando VA Medical Center
posted by Darryl E. Owens on Jan 17, 2008 5:00:17 PM
The Orlando VA Medical Center received a $30,000 donation today from the Allied Veterans of the World to support diverse veteran programs locally and in Viera.

A portion of the donation will enhance care of the center's nursing home and domiciliary residents. A portion of the donation will help fund the Welcome Home Celebration at the Orlando VA Medical Center Feb. 23 for veterans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, which will provide information on housing, education, jobs, financial assistance, VA claims, and healtchare.

The Allied Veterans of the World is a nonprofit veteran service organization that provides succor to veterans.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_military/2008/01/allied-veterans.html

There are a lot of groups here in Florida without a clue the VA clinic has a Dom. That is for homeless veterans. There are over 60 there in a great program, but no one seems to know about it. Looks like Allied Veterans does! It also looks like they are doing a lot of good for the veterans too.

Jacksonville Kennel Club owner sues internet cafes, alleging illegal gambling
Allied Veterans of the World Internet Cafes claims to be conducting game promotions or sweepstakes
By Kevin Turner
Story updated at 5:02 PM on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009
An attorney for Allied Veterans of the World rejected a claim in a lawsuit filed by Jacksonville Racing Inc. Tuesday that the organization’s Internet cafes are fronts for illegal gambling.

Jacksonville Greyhound Racing Inc. charged in a suit filed in the Fourth Circuit Court that it has “overwhelming evidence” that seven area Allied Veterans of the World facilities are “masquerading as legitimate businesses,” and wants them closed.

“Allied Veterans of the World Internet Cafes claim to be conducting game promotions or sweepstakes. In reality, they are engaged in illegal gambling as defined by Florida law,” the company said of the lawsuit in a release.

According to its Web site, Allied Veterans of the World is a nonprofit organization that formed in 1979 and has 36 affiliates in Florida. Jacksonville attorney Kelly Mathis, who represents the organization statewide, said Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford is aware that the organization sells Internet access time and home dial-up service and enters customers into a sweepstakes for prizes on a prize table.

“In Florida, you can give away free prizes based on chance in connection with a product or service, so long as you don’t charge for entry,” Mathis said.

read more here
Jacksonville Kennel Club owner sues

Orlando VA hospital needs lawmakers' backing and no more yakking!

The groundbreaking was a big event around here last year. I went to it, listened to the speeches and walked away scratching my head. The groundbreaking came before the election, no big surprise there but what stunned me was how obvious it was. This is not about what veterans need in Florida or it wouldn't have taken this long to get this hospital built. We have over 400,000 veterans in this state and the veterans of central Florida have to rely on a clinic. While it is the size of a hospital, it is far from being large enough or staffed enough to take care of all of the veterans here, especially when the snow birds come swooping in and getting in line for care.

A few months ago I posted how I had taken my husband to one of his appointments because parking was a huge issue. It was so bad there were security guards directing traffic behind the building. There were over 3,000 cars! We needed a hospital years ago and the veterans deserved a lot more than lip service about getting one when it seems the rest of the country is still waiting as well. When do we get any of this right? When the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan all come home and need help? Why will it take until 2012 to get this hospital up and running?

VA hospital needs lawmakers' backing
Mark Schlueb Sentinel Staff Writer
April 22, 2009
With construction of a veterans hospital under way in east Orlando, congressional lawmakers pledged Tuesday to secure the money needed to finish the job. U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, hosted a meeting in Orlando to talk about the Lake Nona hospital. Filner, of San Diego, brought the committee to Florida at the behest of fellow Democrat and committee member Corrine Brown of Jacksonville. It was a chance for members of Florida's delegation to sit in and talk about the hospital. The hospital is scheduled for completion in 2012. It needs another $371 million appropriation, and Filner has grown accustomed to hearing freshman Democrats Alan Grayson of Orlando and Suzanne Kosmas of New Smyrna Beach mouth the number "371" in the halls.
VA hospital needs lawmakers' backing

Veterans Break Ground On New Orlando Hospital

I was at this ceremony this morning. It was very impressive with all the politicians there. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Gov. Crist, Congressmen Feeney, Mica, Keller, Weldon along with Congresswoman Brown. Senator Mel Martinez was there but Nelson wasn't. We even had Secretary of Veteran's Affairs James Peake there. All in all, they made short speeches talking about what the veterans deserved from this nation and they came together across party lines, which was great. What was missing was any kind of explanation why they had the ground breaking today when the hospital will not be finished until 4 years from now. The rumor was that they wanted to make sure it was done before the election.

We can talk all we want about what we owe the veterans but when you get right down to it, that is all talk considering that veterans have only really been issues when some politician wants their votes. It's amazing how fast things happen when there is a vote coming up. This time though, it was different. They have been at this for a very long time. Building a VA hospital in Central Florida is long overdue. Up until now all we've had is the clinic and veterans had to drive to Tampa or someplace else for the medical care they need. The really wonderful thing is that it also showed what people can do when they work together instead of only sticking with the party they belong to. In the short speeches these people gave, they all gave credit to the veterans who fought for it and kept the pressure on to get this done.

Veterans are not Republican or Democrat, or Independent. They are Americans. They owe their loyalty and their heart to the nation as a whole, served the nation as a whole and ended up being veterans for the rest of their lives. The lessons they have to teach all of us is that we are all stronger when we work together.

I had a conversation with the woman sitting in front of me before the speeches began. Her husband is a Vietnam vet as well. We began to talk about Iraq and I told her that one of the greatest lessons to come from Vietnam is that no one takes their feelings out on the troops. Both sides come together for their sake. It will be a wonderful day when we can carry that bond into every part of this nation and see each other as part of the greater "us" instead of separating them from us.

All that has been accomplished in PTSD research and treatment began with the Vietnam veterans even though this wound of war has been documented throughout history. The Vietnam veterans came together for the sake of the greater good and it didn't matter to any of them what party anyone belonged to because they were all part of the "brotherhood of the warrior" and that was all that mattered. It's all that still matters when actions are needed to take care of their brothers and sisters.

I told the woman that I don't care what party a person belongs to if they do not take care of the veterans, they don't deserve my vote. I just wish that all the people who do really care about the troops and the veterans would take the same attitude. No party has deserved the support of the veterans. Politicians are terrible on both sides when they are allowed to be afforded the support they do not return. Politicians are the ones who also feed the division in this nation while it's the veterans who fought for this nation. They showed us that this nation is worth fighting for and works better when we all work together. Too bad that this cannot be remembered all the time and really bad that our veterans cannot be really shown the appreciation ceremonies like today offered.

What are you doing for Veteran's Day this year? Think about it. I'm sure you can come up with something you can do for them.

Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
http://www.namguardianangel.org/
http://www.woundedtimes.blogspot.com/
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

This is the way I sign all my emails. Congresswoman Brown quoted Washington's words and Peake mentioned his words as well. Amazing.

Veterans Break Ground On New Orlando Hospital
Central Florida News 13 - Orlando,FL,USA
ORLANDO -- Thousands of Central Florida veterans are one step closer to getting a veterans' hospital in Orlando. On Friday, veterans, politicians and others will break ground on the new VA Medical Center located at Lake Nona.

Presently, area veterans rely on the Daytona Beach and Jacksonville Veterans Affairs outpatient clinics and the VA hospital in Gainesville for treatment.

Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. kicks off the $656 million project, which will include a hospital, community living center and outpatient clinic in the Lake Nona area.

The VA Medical Center will eventually join the University of Central Florida’s new medical school and the Burnham Institute.

Orlando VA groundbreaking at Lake Nona set for Oct 24

From Congressman Tom Feeney

ORLANDO VA HOSPITAL GROUNDBREAKING

(Washington, DC) – Tom Feeney (R-Oviedo) today announced a date for the Orlando VA Hospital Groundbreaking Ceremony. Tom Feeney will welcome VA Secretary Peake to Central Florida for the groundbreaking and Tom Feeney will invite veterans, business leaders from the future medical city and local elected officials to participate in this exciting day.

An Orlando VA Hospital has been Tom Feeney's top priority in Congress as he has fought and secured federal funds for this critical hospital to bring the resources to service this ever growing population to Central Florida.

"I look forward to joining Secretary Peake, Central Florida veterans and local officials this October to celebrate the construction of a long-overdue hospital to serve Central Florida's large veterans population. This new facility will provide veterans with a better quality of life and cut down on the cost to service organizations, said Feeney.

Former Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and current Ranking Member Steve Buyer (R-Ind) said this of Tom Feeney's efforts to bring the hospital to fruition:

"Rep. Feeney's persistent efforts in Congress have helped secure the funding that has spurred the project on thus far. With Rep. Feeney’s dedication to completion of this project, the Orlando VA medical center at Lake Nona will soon be a reality," Congressman Buyer.
Media Advisory
What: Orlando VA Hospital Groundbreaking
Who: Secretary Peake, Tom Feeney, Central Florida veterans, local elected officials, members of the medical city community
When: October 24, 2008
Where: VA Hospital site at Lake Nona
Time: TBA

Land acquired for new VA hospital for 'medical city' at Lake Nona

Land acquired for new VA hospital for 'medical city' at Lake Nona
By Darryl E. Owens Sentinel Staff Writer
5:16 PM EDT, September 11, 2008
Land for the long-anticipated hospital for Central Florida veterans was acquired Thursday by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The 65-acre parcel in southeast Orlando will house the $656 million, 314-bed VA facility, one of the crown jewels in a 600-acre "medical city" at Lake Nona being pieced together by the Tavistock Group. The purchase price for the property was about $39 million, said Barry Stanley, spokesman for the Orlando VA Medical Center.

Construction is set to begin next year, and the state-of-the art facility would open its doors to Central Florida's 400,000 veterans in 2012.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/health/
orl-veterans-hospital-land-story,0,6288583.story

$220M OK'd For Orlando Veterans Hospital

$220M OK'd For Orlando Veterans Hospital
Money Part Of Massive Spending Bill

POSTED: 12:47 pm EDT August 1, 2008
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House has approved $220 million in funding for the first veterans hospital to be built in Central Florida.

The money was part of a massive spending bill that will pay for various military construction and Veterans Administration projects. The House overwhelming passed the bill, 407-4, on Friday morning after spending hours late Thursday night debating numerous amendments to the measure, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.

The new facility will be built in the Orlando community of Lake Nona. Orlando is the largest metropolitan area in the country without a veterans hospital.

The new VA hospital will provide relief to more than 75,000 veterans living in Brevard County since the closest in-patient care facility is more than a two-hour drive away.
http://www.local6.com/health/17063565/detail.html

Orlando Area finally getting a VA Hospital

Veterans hospital comes to Lake Nona
An agreement brings the $553 million facility to Orlando's new medical campus.
Harry Wessel Sentinel Staff Writer
December 19, 2007
The two-decadelong dream of a VA hospital in Central Florida took a big step toward reality Tuesday when the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Tavistock Group signed an agreement to bring the long-awaited facility to a planned "medical city" in the southeast corner of Orlando.

"Finally, the largest metropolitan area not serviced by a VA medical center will now have a facility at Lake Nona," said U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, who said he would push for full funding of the VA hospital in the federal government's fiscal 2008 budget.

Congress has previously authorized money for the Orlando VA hospital, including $35 million to purchase the property. Terms of the agreement Tuesday were not disclosed, though Feeney's office noted the authorization amount had not changed and that the total amount for the VA hospital "will be over $377 million."


It should be well over that. The total bill for the VA-hospital project will be an estimated $553 million, according to a letter sent Tuesday from U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez to Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. James Peake.

In a separate press release, Martinez pledged to work for full funding of the VA hospital now that "all major aspects of the negotiation have been agreed upon."
click post title for the rest

Up until then Orlando has the VA Clinic

About Orlando VAMC
The Orlando VA Medical Center includes the Orlando VA Medical Center, Nursing Home Care Unit, the Domiciliary and Rehabilitation Program, Viera OPC, Daytona OPC, and the 3 Community Based Outpatient Clinics which are located in Leesburg, Kissimmee, and Sanford. Learn more about Orlando VAMC.

About this Facility
The Orlando VA Medical Center, serving an area of more than 90,000 veteran patients in East Central Florida, is one of seven members of the VISN 8 Healthcare System. The Orlando VA Medical Center includes the Orlando VA Medical Center, Nursing Home Care Unit, the Domiciliary and Rehabilitation Program, Viera OPC, Daytona OPC, and the 3 Community Based Outpatient Clinics which are located in Leesburg, Kissimmee, and Sanford.

The East Central Florida veteran population is slated for a new hospital to be built in 2012 to serve nearly 400,000 veterans. This much needed facility will make it easier for east central Florida veterans to access VA’s world-class medical center and relieve the burden of traveling long distances for their inpatient care.

In addition to our main facility in Orlando, we offer services in several outpatient clinics in our 6 county patient service area. These clinics are located in —
Daytona Beach
Kissimmee
Leesburg
Sanford
Viera




Suicide Prevention Awareness
Together, Vet Centers and VA Medical Centers stand ready to reach out and help veterans at risk for suicide. Seek professional help. Learn more about Suicide Prevention.

Not that the news has paid much attention to what is going on with Orlando area veterans.