Federal government recommends plan to replace Durham, Fayetteville VA medical centers with new facility

The federal government is recommending to shut down the VA medical centers in both Durham and Fayetteville and open a new Raleigh-Durham VA medical center.

Posted 9:55 p.m. Mar 16, 2022 — Updated 11:03 p.m. Mar 16, 2022

Joe Fisher

, WRAL reporter

DURHAM, N.C. — The federal government is recommending a plan to shut down the VA medical centers in both Durham and Fayetteville and open a new Raleigh-Durham VA medical center in a location not yet identified in the Triangle.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released its Asset and Infrastructure review on Monday, stressing that the Durham VA Medical center is in need of repair and unable to expand due to its location. It will be more cost effective to build a new facility instead of repairing the old one, according to the review.

The Durham facility was built in 1952, was last renovated more than 30 years ago and currently has $191 million in structural deficiencies, or put simply, the facility is not up to "modern health care standards," the report says.

The Fayetteville VA Medical Center was built even earlier, in 1939, and hasn't been renovated since 1988. That facility, as the federal government describes, is "outdated and does not conform to modern environment of care standards.”

Over the next seven years, the VA's southeast market — which covers the eastern half of North Carolina — is is expected to see a 20% increase in the number of patients and see demand for long-term care rise by 68%.

The Durham VA is also surrounded by facilities owned by Duke University, including Duke University Hospital, and is not able to expand, the federal report says.

The report also notes that the Fayetteville VA center has been seeing a downward trend in the number of patients. The federal government hopes to move surgical procedures to the Womack Army Medical Center on post at Fort Bragg.

Some veterans have to drive for hours for treatment

Thomas Holliday, an Army veteran, said he has to drive two and half hours from his home in Martin County to Durham.

"There’s always been a lot of headache about VA care, but I’m 100% satisfied," he said. "More beds, making it larger, that's a good thing."

The last time he came to the Durham VA medical center for surgery, he said he had to wait a day before he could have a bed for his recovery.

Another veteran told WRAL News he relies on public transportation to take him to the Durham VA medical center. Robert Reeder-Bey both works at and is a patient at the VA. He anticipates having to find another means of transportation if the new hospital moves outside of Durham County.

"More veterans are coming from the wars that are happening right now," he said. "They are going to need to be taken care of.”

A spokesperson from the Durham VA told WRAL News that right now, the federal government report does not have any impact on its facilities and staff:

"It's too early to know exactly what or where those impacts might be. Durham VA will maintain transparency, provide updates on the AIR Commission process, and ensure our Veterans and our staff have ample opportunity for their voices to be heard as the AIR Commission work continues through the next year."

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