Alexandria Veterans Affairs Medical Center

The Veterans Affairs Medical Center Alexandria categorized as a primary and secondary care facility. It is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of primary care services with state-of-the-art technology and education. Comprehensive acute and extended health care is provided on a primary and secondary basis in areas of medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, oncology, dentistry, geriatrics, and extended care. The Medical Center serves a potential veteran population of over 100,000 veterans and an active patient roster of over 37,000. The Alexandria, Louisiana VAMC is a part of VA Network 16, South Central VA Health Care Network, which includes facilities in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Southeast Texas, and Northwest Florida.

Ambulatory Care services are provided in-house and through community-based clinics in Jennings and Lafayette, Louisiana. Surgical (in-patient and ambulatory) and medical services are provided through two wards, 5 operating rooms, a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, and ICU. Tertiary care services are provided through referrals primarily to VAMC's Shreveport, Jackson, and Houston. The extended care program includes two Nursing Home Care Units, including an 18 bed Alzheimer's Unit with enclosed walking yard. Alexandria is one of three Specialty Referral Facilities in the VISN for acute and intermediate psychiatric care. VAMC Alexandria receives long-term psychiatry referrals from network facilities and VA facilities in bordering states.

http://www.va.gov/502alexandria/index.htm

Rich in history, the Alexandria area is second to New Orleans for the number of places listed on the National Historic Register. Before and during World War II, The Hotel Bentley (c.1908) in Alexandria, because of its proximity to Fort Polk (then Camp Polk), Camp Beauregard, Camp Livingston and Camp Claiborne, served as host for military strategists such as Major General George Patton, Lieutenant Colonel Omar Bradley, Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Lieutenant Henry Kissinger. Surrounded by the Kisatchie National Forest, bikers, hikers, hunters and nature observers find themselves in heaven. Numerous lakes and bayous such as Cane River Lake, in Natchitoches Parish, Iatt and Nantachie Lakes in Grant Parish, and Kincaid and Cotile Lakes in Rapides Parish offer a wide variety of boating and fishing opportunities. Central Louisiana has become known as "The Crossroads", a place where all of Louisiana comes together - from culture to food to music.

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