Veterans Affairs Med Center James J. Peters

Description

The VA Medical Center in the Bronx is the oldest VA facility in New York City celebrating over 75 years service to veterans The Medical Center is situated on a historic site in the borough of the Bronx Located on the highest point in New York City it served as a strategic vantage point during the Revolutionary War In 1847 Frederick Bailey bought several acres of land where the hospital now stands After his death In 1889 Baileys heirs sold the estate to the Sisters of Charity of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York The Sisters of Charity constructed and operated an orphanage on the site until 1920 The Boys Chapel built in the 1800s remains on the campus and is used daily

In 1921 the Treasury Department purchased the property from the Archdiocese of New York for use by the US Public Health Service as a hospital for exservice patients suffering from mental and nervous disorders The purchase was turned over to the newly formed US Veterans Bureau by Executive Order on April 20 1922

By adding several buildings throughout the years the Bureau made the Bronx hospital the second largest VA facility in the nation and the first veterans hospital in New York City More recently a 9floor replacement facility was built through the late 70s and dedicated in 1981 The modern replacement hospital includes an adjoining 2floor nursing home and a 5floor Research Building

In November of 2004 the President signed Public Law 108422 officially renaming the Bronx VA Medical Center after longtime veterans advocate James J Peters who served over 30 years as Executive Director of the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association now United Spinal Association On September 26th 2005 the medical center was officially renamed in honor of James J Peters

The James J Peters VAMC is a tertiary care facility classified as a Clinical Referral Level 1 Facility It is a teaching hospital providing a full range of patient care services with stateoftheart technology as well as education and research Comprehensive health care is provided through primary care tertiary care and longterm care in areas of medicine surgery psychiatry physical medicine and rehabilitation neurology oncology dentistry geriatrics and extended care The James J Peters VAMC is a part of VA Network 3 which includes facilities in Brooklyn Castle Point Manhattan Montrose Northport St Albans Queens New York and East Orange and Lyons New Jersey

Today the James J Peters VAMC has 311 authorized hospital beds and 120 nursing home beds and operates several regional referral points including Spinal Cord Injury SCI and VISN referrals for MedicalSurgical subspecialties For example the James J Peters VAMC SCI Patient Care Center is the referral point for VISNs 2 3 and 4 as well as Department of Defense DOD new SCI patients

Additionally the James J Peters VAMC serves as home to the Network 3 Telephone Triage service This system staffed by Registered Nurses and available 24hours a day provides telephone helpline service for veteran patients of 36 VA medical centers in VISNs 3 4 6 19 and 8 for emergency back up only This is the only VA telephone care program that is nationally accredited