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VA, MUSC explore sharing high-cost medical equipment
By Shelia Watson
Contributing Writer
The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Medical University of South Carolina have agreed in concept to a sharing agreement proposal that would bring some of the latest medical technology to the Charleston area.
The proposal would include the VA purchasing equipment, such as an angiography, interventional radiology and radiation therapy, for placement in MUSC’s facilities. In return, the veterans served by the VA medical facilities would receive access to the most advanced technology and treatments in these areas. MUSC’s patients would also benefit from the equipment.
The proposal is one of the first opportunities for sharing services resulting from the recently completed VA/MUSC collaboration feasibility study. Both organizations have worked together to complete an analysis of potential mutually beneficial sharing options.
The analysis was presented to Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, Under Secretary for Health, Department of Veterans Affairs; House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind.; and Health Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., during a joint meeting held at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Dec. 12.
“The VA and MUSC are both enthusiastic about the possibility of offering the latest technology by working together to better serve both veterans and civilian patients in the Lowcountry,” said William A. Mountcastle, director of the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.
The facility could provide a model for the federal government to consider when replacing aging VA hospitals.
“I am confident that this report will provide the needed impetus for additional collaboration here in Charleston and around the nation, while improving the care for those who faithfully served our nation,” Buyer said. “We must preserve a veterans’ preference and an environment where veterans can be around their comrades.”
The process has also changed the way the VA and MUSC view each other. They can now see they have a mutual interest in leveraging their existing relationship and improving the quality of care, Brown said.
“The agreement between the VA and MUSC to share medical equipment signifies great progress toward maximizing both federal and state health care dollars to improve the quality of care for everyone who seeks care in these facilities.”
The meeting also revealed that, in the short term, the two hospitals have agreed to share nearly $7 million in medical equipment to improve care for cancer patients and those with coronary disease.
Since August, the two entities have worked on a feasibility study, with representatives from the VA and MUSC forming the Collaborative Opportunities Steering Group to conduct the examination. The COSG reviewed both short-term and long-term ideas for better collaboration between the two entities, such as sharing expensive medical equipment unique to South Carolina and construction of new, joint facilities.
A congressional hearing was held Sept. 26 to receive testimony on a collaborative opportunity between the two organizations. Testimony included findings from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which referenced a recent study from the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services Commission.
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