State-Of-The-Art Emergency Room Unveiled At Dallas VA Medical Center

DALLAS (CBSDFW) – Emergency medical care for military veterans in North Texas is getting a major upgrade.

On Thursday Veteran's Affairs leaders, along with community members, and Congress woman Eddie Bernice Johnson unveiled a brand new state-of-the art emergency room at the VA North Texas off of Lancaster Road in South Dallas.

"Our veterans have rendered us a great service by serving this nation and we owe to them our promise and our commitment that we will be beside them when they needed us," said Johnson.

Director of VA North Texas System, Dr. Stephen Holt said the upgrade was much needed since they were previously using a much smaller cramped ER that was about 10 years past due for an upgrade.

He added, "Incredible increase in the privacy, the comfort of the patient, and the ability for the patient to rest," about the new ER.

Holt said the old emergency room held a maximum of 13 beds separated by curtains.

By comparison he said the new ER holds 26 private rooms, and they even have the capacity to treat trauma patients.

VA officials said the Dallas location is the 2nd largest in the VA system across the country.

Last year they treated more than 37,000 patients most of which came to the hospital through the ER.

"You want that service to be the best most efficient and most modern in order to get those patients stabilized and ready for a good transfer upstairs."

VA Leaders said the new ER sends a strong message to the veteran community in their commitment to caring for them and providing them medical services.