VA Health Care in Central Iowa is undergoing a major change in order to provide better access to care for veterans.

Group Practice Manager Peter Choi tells KNIA/KRLS News the new initiative emphasizes same day access to patients with urgent needs. Mental health crises are an area of special concern. Choi says that when veterans reach out for care involving an immediate need they will receive assistance as quickly as possible. Central Iowa VA health care already sees patients as much as one day sooner than the national average, but Choi says improving access and patient satisfaction are a constant concern for the system. Leadership in Des Moines is always looking for ways to improve the experience patients have in the system. Knoxville’s Community Based Outpatient Clinic, which will be operating near the beginning of 2017 is striving to provide same-day care as much as possible using efficient clinic operations, tele-health strategies, and veteran-centric care.