Colorado VA Center Earns ALS Association’s Treatment Center of Excellence Status

TL/DR –

The Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center of the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System has been designated as an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association Certified Treatment Center of Excellence. The VA has recognized ALS as a service-connected disease, and provides financial and medical support to veterans with 90 continuous days of active duty. There are about 30,000 people in the U.S. living with ALS, a nervous system disease that leads to muscle weakness, and veterans are twice as likely to develop the disease as the civilian population.

RMR VAMC Earns ALS Association Certification for Treatment Excellence

The Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (RMR VAMC), under the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (VA ECHCS), recently gained recognition as an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association Certified Treatment Center of Excellence.

As per the Mayo Clinic, ALS – a nervous system disease causing muscle weakness and other issues – affects 30,000 Americans. Each year, an additional 5,000 to 6,000 are diagnosed, with the severity leading to eventual death. This is particularly significant as ALS is twice as common in veterans compared to the general populace.

The VA has identified ALS as a service-connected disease, providing financial and medical aid to veterans with a minimum of 90 days of active duty. This support comes in partnership with the ALS Association.

VA ECHCS ALS coordinator Lauren Holiway commented on their center’s accomplishment, highlighting the top-quality, multidisciplinary care they offer. “Our ALS team within the Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Center is consistently delivering remarkable work. Veterans can trust that our ALS care services meet the highest standards both in the VA and the wider community.”

VA ECHCS’s ALS team’s designation reiterates the VA’s commitment to ensuring top-notch care to veterans, their families, and caregivers. The full story can be read on the VA ECHCS webpage.

Veterans seeking ALS care at VA ECHCS can contact Holiway at lauren.holiway@va.gov or visit the VA ECHCS’ ALS webpage for more details on treatment and resources.

For additional information, contact VA ECHCS Public Affairs Officer, Nickolas Sanchez, at vhaechpao@va.gov.

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