Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic Expands Care for Veterans Through VA Community Care Network

ELLINWOOD, Kan. — After years of searching for ways to better serve the nearly 9,000 veterans living throughout Central Kansas, Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic has officially been approved as a provider in the VA Community Care Network (VACCN), giving eligible veterans greater access to healthcare closer to home.

The approval is the culmination of a journey that began nearly three years ago when members of the Fort Zarah Veterans Advisory Council approached hospital leadership with a shared vision of improving healthcare access for local veterans.

Initially, the group hoped to transform the former hospital building into a veterans clinic and transitional housing facility. While funding for that vision ultimately was not available, the collaboration sparked a broader search for solutions that would better meet the healthcare needs of veterans across Central Kansas.

Today, many veterans must travel to Hays, Dodge City or the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita for care. Becoming part of the VA Community Care Network allows eligible veterans to receive many healthcare services at Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic, significantly reducing travel while increasing access to timely, high-quality medical care.

“Our goal has always been to find meaningful ways to serve our community,” said Troy Moore, Chief Executive Officer of Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic. “When we learned about the VA Community Care Network, we recognized an opportunity to fulfill that commitment by making healthcare more accessible for the men and women who have served our country.”

The hospital’s modern Critical Access Hospital offers advanced diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, surgical capabilities, physical therapy, family medicine, emergency care, and additional outpatient services—all under one roof.

Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, who has long championed veterans’ healthcare access, praised the approval.

“No veteran in Kansas should have to wait a long time or travel great distances to receive the care they have earned and deserve from the Department of Veterans Affairs. With this approval, Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic will be able to serve veterans in central Kansas and increase access to care. I am grateful to EHC’s Board and Senior Management, along with VA and OptumServe, for making this possible.”

Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic encourages veterans, family members, healthcare providers, case managers and referral partners to learn more about services available through the VA Community Care Network. Eligibility and authorization requirements vary, and the hospital’s team is available to assist patients and referral partners throughout the process.

“This approval represents more than just another service we offer,” Moore said. “It’s another way we’re fulfilling our mission of caring for the communities we serve. We are honored to welcome our nation’s veterans and provide the compassionate, high-quality care they have earned.”

For more information about VA Community Care Network services or to discuss veteran eligibility and referrals, contact Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic at 620-564-2548 or visit www.ellinwooddistricthospital.org.