Yes, Tucson has a VA Hospital.  It is called the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System.

   This is the answer to the question posed by many people thinking about relocating to Tucson.  With 283 beds, the VA Hospital is a teaching hospital which provides both primary care and specialty care in surgery, medicine, neurology, and mental health.

    The Southern Arizona VA facility began as many Tucson hospital did, as a hospital to treat respiratory disorders and tuberculosis.  The facility, located on South 6th Avenue, opened in 1928 after moving from Pastime Park.

     One of 21 facilities in the country, the Tucson hospital provides polytrauma treatment (see resources) accomodating veterans with amputations, brain trauma, burns, and visual impairment. The center has a blind rehabilitation center.

    A Women Veterans Health Care Program for female veterans provides all types of women’s medical services.  The program is staffed by an all female medical team.

     Community based outpatient clinics are located in Northwest Tucson and Southeast Tucson, as well as Green Valley.  They are also located in other areas of the state:  Casa Grande, Safford, Sierra Vista, and Yuma.

    Information about eligibility requirements for VA medical benefits are available on line at the primary Southern Arizona VA Health Care System website.  This site also provides information on prescription renewals.  

Resources:

Website of Southern Arizona VA

http://www.tucson.va.gov/

Polytrauma:

http://www.polytrauma.va.gov/index.asp

Map of Southern Arizona VA Facility

http://www.tucson.va.gov/about/Facility_Map.asp

Outpatient Clinics and Locations:

http://www.tucson.va.gov/index.asp

Services:

http://www.tucson.va.gov/services/index.asp

    “We exist to prevent and cure cancer,” is the mission of the Arizona Cancer Center, a designated comprehensive care center at the Unversity of Arizona Health Sciences Center.  The National Cancer Insitute has awarded this designation and people come from throughout the world for treatment.

    The Peter and Paul Fasseas Cancer Center, which opened in 2007, provides clinical trials, research, and treatment for cancer patients.  The state of the art facility is a part of University Medical Center and operates in conjunction with the National Cancer Institute.  The center also runs the Native American Cancer Research Partnership with Northern Arizona University.

    Patients can find clinical trials at the website listed below.  Information about various types of cancer is also available on the website: 

 http://www.azcc.arizona.edu/cpc/index.html

    Appointments can be made at the Cancer Center for either oncology or radiology.  Appointment days are scheduled dependent upon the type of cancer: a breast cancer patient and a patient with prostate cancer or lymphoma may be given different appointment days. 

    The Cancer Center, a remodel of the old Tuccson General Hospital, was designed by CO Architects of Los Angeles, CA and won a citation of merit award for the design of the ambulatory cancer facility.  Photographs of the facility:

http://www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/Media/DocumentLibrary/001.pdf

Resources:

Arizona Cancer Center:

http://www.umcarizona.org/body.cfm?id=14

http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/azcc.html

http://uanews.org/node/21482

http://uanews.org/node/19808

Native American Cancer Research Program:

http://nacrp.web.arizona.edu/education/index.htm

Mission- Arizona Cancer Center

http://www.azcc.arizona.edu/atc/mission.htm

    Tucson Heart Hospital, located at 4888 North Stone Avenue, near the intersection of Stone and River Road, is also a part of the Carondelet Network of Hospitals.  Tucson Heart is a specialized facility,  concentrating on disease management, prevention and information about heart and vascular disease.  Public outreach programs are given in nutrition, exercise and stress management.

   The 58 bed facility has private rooms which are specifically designed for every stage of “heart” care.  The staff is cross trained and a team follows the patient throughtout the stay.  The hospital performs both   diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the state of the art catheterization laboratory including:    

Diagnostic:
Aortagram
Cardiac Output
Carotid Angiogram
Coronary Angiogram
Electrophysiological Studies
Left Heart Catheterization
Myocardial Biopsy
Oximetry Recordings
Peripheral Angiogram
Pulmonary Angiogram
Renal Angiogram
Right Heart Catheterization

Therapeutic/Coronary:
Atherectomy (Rotational)
Balloon Angioplasty (Arterial/Venous)
Balloon Angioplasty-Peripheral
Stents
Thrombolysis

Therapeutic/Other:
Ablation (Atria/Ventricular)
Cardioversion
ICD Insertion
IntroAortic Balloon Pump
Percutaneous Vena Cava Filter
Pericardiocentesis
Permanent Pacemaker Insertion
Temporary Pacemaker Insertion

according to the website.

    Tucson Heart Hospital also offers the Heartsaver CT to the general public which is a non-invasive, easy procedure that can be done within an hour at the hospital for a cost of $99.00.  This procedure images calcium buildup around the heart which can be a precursor to severe heart disease.  People often have the procedure as a preventative measure as a “heart healthy” measure.

    The hospital employs about 365 full time staff.  Employment information can be found at the Carondelet career page listed below.   The hospital serves all of Southern Arizona and is dedicated to heart patients.

Resources: 
Tucson Heart Hospital Web Page:   http://www.tucsonhearthospital.com/

Career Information:

http://www.tucsonhearthospital.com/

Other Resources:

http://www.hospital-data.com/hospitals/TUCSON-HEART-HOSPITAL-TUCSON.html

http://www.ucomparehealthcare.com/hospital/Arizona/Tucson_Heart_Hospital.html 

Introduction:

    Some of the discovery of Tucson by people from throughout the United States is tied to Tucson’s medical history.  With it’s clean air and dry climate which bodes wells for “outdoor” living, Tucson was an ideal location for tuberculosis recovery facilities.  

    In the early 1900’s, people came to Tucson to experience the fresh air which aided in healing respiratory illnesses, especially tuberculosis.  These facilities, some of which were the foundation of today’s hospitals, at the time were situated on the outskirts of town.  Today they are in the center of the hub-bub of activity.  

    As a retirement destination, medical facilities are an important consideration for people thinking about relocating.  And for people working within the medical profession, job opportunities abound.  The Tucson area has ten acute care hospitals and plans are on the books for several more facilities:   one in Rita Ranch, one at Passages of Tucson,  and one in Sahuarita. 

   Tucson is  home to the University of Arizona’s School of Medicine which has extensive research facilities including world class cancer research.  U of A also boasts one of the best Schools of Nursing in the United States as well as a School of Pharmacology.   Because of the medical facilities, Tucson is the choice for many biomedical start up firms.

     Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine is situated in Tucson.  “The mission of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine is to lead the transformation of healthcare by creating, educating & actively supporting a community of professionals who embody the philosophy & practice of Integrative Medicine,” according to the website.  Spurred by Dr. Andrew Weil, the Center combines the best of western medicine with eastern medicine and concentrates on healing rather than treating disease.

   Over the next few days, I will highlight the various medical facilities which include the Carondolet network of hospitals:  St. Mary’s, St. Joseph’s, and Tucson Heart Hospital;  University Medical Center; Northwest Hospital Oro Valley and  Northwest Hospital Tucson; Tucson Medical Center;  Southern Arizona VA Health Care System; and University Physicians Healthcare at Kino.    There will be links to job opportunities also for readers in the medical field considering relocation to Tucson.

Resources:  History

http://www.arizona.edu/home/tucson-history.php

http://www.tucson.va.gov/about/History.asp 

University of Arizona School of Nursing, School of Medicine, and School of Pharmacology 

http://www.medicine.arizona.edu/college.cfm

 http://www.pharmacy.arizona.edu/

http://www.azcc.arizona.edu/

Unversity of Arizona School of Integrative Medicine

http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/index.html