Tester discusses long process for new VA clinics across Montana

In the past two years, seven new VA clinics have opened their doors across Montana.

Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, who is chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, played a key role in getting the projects off the ground.

Overall, the new VA clinics cost close to $44 million, but now Montana has state-of-the-art VA clinics across the state.

“If you don't have a good infrastructure, it's pretty tough to be efficient and meet the needs of our veterans,” said Tester.

Tester set out to get Montana veterans what they need for their health care. He says it took a lot of phone calls and building relationships throughout the long process of securing funding.

“Back here we worked with the agencies to get it built. I worked with my fellow senators in a bipartisan way to get these things done,” said Tester. “It didn't happen overnight, it didn't happen over one year, it happened over multiple years with many, many phone calls and in-person meetings and bringing secretaries to Montana to take a look at what we had and what we needed.”

Tester told us a story about bringing Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peak from the Bush administration to tour the old Billings Veterans Clinic.

The experience opened his eyes to the state's need for better VA clinics.

The seven new facilities offer state-of-the-art health care to veterans and a competitive workplace for staff.

“When it comes to recruitment of staff, the facilities are very, very important, and we are in competition with everyone else, with everybody out there when it comes to hiring good nurses, good docs, custodians, clerical persons, everybody,” said Tester. “If you don't have a good facility, you are not going to get those folks.”

Montana VA staff credit the new facilities with improving recruitment and retainment of staff.

“Being in this new clinic, this beautiful setting, it helps improve staff morale, it keeps everyone motivated to continue to do the best they can for our patients,” said Montana VA Northeast Region nurse manager Ray Tierney. “On top of that, I think it's really improved relationships in the community from a recruitment perspective.”

Tierney says one of the most popular changes is the new wireless capabilities at Missoula's David J. Thatcher Clinic.

Devices are totally mobile and can travel from room to room with each patient or provider.