NEW VA center chief: Can’t rest on our laurels.
New MRI, mental health clinic noted
FAYETTEVILLE — Sitting in his corner office Friday, the new Veterans Affairs medical center director in Fayetteville seemed proud of the hospital’s service but determined to find ways to improve it.
By most accounts, patients of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks are pleased with the service they receive. Trust hasn’t eroded like at many VA hospitals across the country, and the Fayetteville-based VA’s patient access numbers are some of the best in the country.
But Bryan Matthews, 53, isn’t any less vigilant. The 22-year veteran of the Air Force discussed his vision, using words like “accountability” and “transparency.” He formed his management philosophy around the distinctive columned fronts of the many sprawling buildings on campus. The four pillars of that philosophy are accountable health care, veteran engagement, employee engagement and community engagement.
“Too many times with the VA today, accountability
has a negative connotation,” Matthews said. “But in the military, accountability has a much different, positive connotation. That’s what we want here.”
This is Matthews’ fifth stop on the VA hospital circuit. He was in leadership roles at hospitals in Washington, D.C., Oklahoma, Baltimore and Detroit before his move to the Natural State, which he said has been a “culture shock in a good way.” The self-described Army brat is still acclimating to Southern congeniality, like the waves from his neighbors each morning.
The new director, who is quick to deflect any credit to his employees, announced Friday the transformation of the Leroy Pond Army Reserve Center into an inpatient mental health treatment facility. The 20-bed facility, located at the northwest end of the Fayetteville VA campus, will treat veterans with substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health problems.
“Mental health care services is the number one issue we deal with when it comes to vets,” Matthews said, recalling a Thursday ceremony for graduates of the local veterans court, a court diversion program for veterans who commit minor offenses. “Veterans have unique things they have to cope with that lead to substance abuse and mental health care issues.”
The hospital also recently added an open MRI machine. What may seem minor to many has helped claustrophobic veterans and those with other handicaps preventing them from fitting into traditional MRI machines, said Eddie Landreth, lead MRI technologist.
“We see Vietnam veterans here who were given a flashlight and a .45 and told to go down in a hole,” Landreth said. “And some, just seeing [a standard MRI machine] makes them anxious.”
Another service, which Matthews credited to community engagement, is Operation Reboot, a cooperation between the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks and an area American Legion chapter. The VA can help veterans find housing through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, but they often can’t afford furniture, dishes and other necessities. The American Legion pledged to help.
In addition to the changes in Fayetteville, the VA’s Fort Smith location, which falls under Matthews, is expanding, and construction plans for two outpatient clinics in Missouri are underway. The Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks covers much of Northwest Arkansas and portions of Missouri and Oklahoma.
Military medals and decorations line the walls in the director’s office. A light-blue hard hat rests beneath them. Matthews likes to visit the hospital’s construction zones to survey active projects. Tired of borrowing hard hats, he bought his own in “the closest thing to Air Force blue I could find.”
Near the hat is a cluster of family photos. Matthews’ grandfather served in World War II. His father served in Vietnam. His oldest son followed him into the Air Force, and his youngest is on active duty in the Army. Those ties weigh on every decision he makes.
“Each decision has potential to affect my family or the family of my loved ones,” he said.
For that reason, he implemented several policies to direct his decision making. Chiefly, he wants veterans to have a forum to directly express their concerns. To that end, he plans to hold quarterly town-hall style meetings. He’ll host one in Fayetteville in several weeks.
The first, about a month ago in Mount Vernon, Mo., went well, he said. Veterans there were upset about losing their VA facility, but Matthews and other officials were able to alleviate concerns by explaining that two new locations in Joplin and Springfield would be “state of the art” and be more accessible for a larger number of former armed service members.
VA leaders must engage veterans and those who serve them to keep improving, Matthews said. Whether it’s walking through the halls shaking veterans’ hands, attending community meetings or visiting construction sites, the Fayetteville VA’s new director doesn’t mind leaving that corner office and putting on a hard hat — so long as it’s Air Force blue.