FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 26, 2007

Isakson Announces Veterans' Affairs Committee Hearing in Augusta

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), who serves on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, today announced he will hold a field hearing in Augusta, Ga., to examine the collaboration between the Augusta VA Medical Center and the Eisenhower Army Medical Center to care for service members who have sustained combat injuries.

The hearing will be chaired by Isakson and will take place on Tuesday, August 28, 2007. Additional details concerning the hearing will be available closer to the date.

"The work of the Augusta VA Medical Center and Eisenhower Army Medical Center is a great story about how collaboration and this idea of a seamless transition from the Department of Defense to Veterans' Affairs can work," said Isakson. "I am very pleased to bring attention to the phenomenal job Dr. Hollins and his staff have done."

The Augusta VA Medical Center operates the nation's only medical rehabilitation unit within the VA system for active duty military personnel. Dr. Dennis Hollins, who works for the VA, heads the unit, and active duty medical personnel are stationed in the unit working alongside VA doctors and nurses.  

As of January 2007, more than 430 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines have received rehabilitation services at the unit, and 26 percent of those treated have been able to return to active duty.

The medical staff from Augusta VA Medical Center and the Eisenhower Army Medical Center meets weekly to discuss future patient cases for the Active Duty Rehabilitation Unit.

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