Tomah VA Medical Center Closing Inpatient Psychiatric Unit

Tomah VA Shutting Psych Unit, Offering Top Dollar for Psychiatrists
La Crosse Tribune
by Chris Hubbuch
Aug 28, 2015

In an effort to recruit psychiatrists, Tomah has increased the starting salary to $240,000, the maximum allowed for a staff physician under the VA's pay scale.

Citing staff shortages, the beleaguered Tomah VA Medical Center is closing its inpatient psychiatric unit, halting psychiatric admissions to a residential treatment center and permanently curtailing urgent care hours.

The hospital stopped admitting new psych patients Wednesday and will temporarily close the 11-bed unit next week, the VA announced Wednesday.

There were two patients in the unit, Tomah VA spokesman Matthew Gowan said. Both would likely be discharged before the Sept. 4 closure, as inpatient stays typically last only a couple of days. Veterans requiring psychiatric treatment will be transferred to VA facilities in Madison andMilwaukee, or to non-VA hospitals if necessary.

The VA will also suspend psychiatric admissions to its Community Living Center, a residential long-term care facility, until more staff are added.

Gowan stressed that the nursing home would continue accepting veterans with non-psychiatric needs.

In a news release, Interim Director John Rohrer said the moves were necessary to ensure the "safe, high-quality care" that veterans deserve and that the unit would not reopen until "we have the necessary psychiatric staff to do so safely."
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