Leaders from Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital and the Alexandria VA Health Care System met July 18 to explore opportunities for collaboration aimed at improving access to care for veterans and active duty service members across Central Louisiana.

The preliminary engagement brought together clinical and administrative leaders from both facilities to discuss shared goals, exchange capabilities and lay the foundation for future partnerships that support medical readiness and high-quality patient care.

Topics discussed included shared staffing and training opportunities, inpatient mental health and outpatient care collaboration, potential surgical and dental resource sharing agreements, and support for high-risk behavioral health patients transitioning from active duty to the VA system. Active-duty service members, veterans, and their families can benefit from expanded access, reduced wait times, and more coordinated care through joint-use facilities.

“This partnership is about more than facilities and resources — it’s about ensuring our Soldiers and Veterans receive the best care possible, when and where they need it,” said Col. Patrick Miller, commander of Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital. “By working together, we’re not only improving access to care across Central Louisiana, but also reinforcing the foundation of medical readiness that supports the entire force.”

The Department of Defense is committed to working with the Department of Veterans Affairs through resource sharing and Joint Incentive Fund programs. Sharing resources improves access to the healthcare for service members, veterans, and their families.

The collaboration aligns with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ broader priorities outlined by Secretary Denis McDonough and Veterans Health Administration leadership, including improving the transition from active duty to veteran status, creating stronger marketing strategies for a new generation of veterans, and increasing memorandums of understanding between the VA and the Department of Defense.

“Our common mission is to care for those who have served and those who continue to serve,” said Peter C. Dancy Jr., medical center director of the Alexandria VA Health Care System. “We are excited to pursue partnership opportunities with Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital that further our ability to become the health care provider of choice for veterans — and by extension, support a seamless transition for active duty Soldiers.”

The leadership teams agreed to reconvene in 30 days at Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital to further refine potential areas of cooperation, assess feasibility and begin laying the groundwork for formal agreements.

Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital is located on the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk and supports the medical readiness of Soldiers, Families and beneficiaries throughout the region. The Alexandria VA Health Care System provides a full range of services to veterans through its central campus and affiliated community-based outpatient clinics.

Editors note: Jean Graves, Bayne-Jones Public Affairs Officer, and Tammie Arnold, Alexandria VA Health System Public Affairs Officer, collaborated on this story.