IRON MOUNTAIN - The Iron Mountain Veterans Administration Medical Center will launch its new Veterans Transportation Service Jan. 4. This free service is designed to improve the quality of life for veterans by overcoming transportation barriers and increasing their access to health care through efficient transportation assistance to the VA Medical Center and its community based outpatient clinics.
VTS will start with one route to transport veterans round trip from the Escanaba area to the Iron Mountain VA Medical Center, with several stops along the way. The program will then expand to add more routes across the Upper Peninsula and into Wisconsin.
All veterans qualify for this service, and the VTS will strive to accommodate any veteran who needs transportation to and from their scheduled appointments.
Presently, this service is only available to ambulatory patients without special needs. However, this spring the VA Medical Center will be receiving two 16-passenger, wheelchair accessible buses and VTS will expand to accommodate nearly all patients, to include those using wheelchairs, oxygen tanks and walkers. In addition, nursing assistant escorts will be available to assist patients during transport.
VTS does not replace the Disabled American Veterans vans currently being used throughout the U.P. and northern Wisconsin.
Rather, it adds another transportation option, especially for those with disabilities or in remote areas, and improves efficiency of all transportation resources by using ride-sharing software and GPS units.
For more information or for transportation assistance, call Isaac Armstrong 800-215-8262, ext. 33849, or email him isaac.armstrong@va.gov.