Serving Those Who Served

LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine Dean Dr. Steve Nelson was invited to help launch a new resource for those who have given so much. He joined Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Bob McDonald, Fernando O. Rivera, director of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, Senator Bill Cassidy, Governor John Bel Edwards, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and a host of other elected officials and dignitaries to cut the ribbon of the New Orleans Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

"This start-of-the-art facility will enable our physicians to provide the absolute best care to our veterans throughout Louisiana and the region who have given so much to all of us," said Nelson. "At this special time of the year, we all have so much to be thankful for. We look forward to working hand in hand with our VA and University Medical Center partners to fulfill our mission to train the future doctors for Louisiana while conducting cutting edge research to return hope to our patients and their families who await the next medical breakthrough."

LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing Dean Dr. Demetrius Porche also attended the ceremony, along with nursing faculty Drs. Jean Cefalu and Kendra Barrier.

LSU Health New Orleans medical, nursing, dental and allied health faculty, residents and students will help care for up to 70,000 veterans in the Gulf Coast region. The VA is anticipating about half a million outpatient visits a year.

The new center will welcome patients beginning December 5.