A long-standing partnership between Irwin Army Community Hospital, Fort Riley, Kansas, and the VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System is expanding specialty services and access to care for veterans and service members.
On Jan. 14, leaders from both met to discuss strengthening their partnership, in place since 2017, through a new resource-sharing agreement aligning staff, equipment, and specialties to close gaps in access, and advance medical care for warfighters, veterans, and their families. Through their agreement, the health systems align capabilities and specialties for enhanced care to veterans and active duty members, said Col. Laudino Castillo, commander of Irwin Army Community Hospital.
He noted the importance of the partnership given nationwide health care challenges with staffing, available capabilities, and access to specialty care. The key partnership allows them to “align those capabilities (and) align those specialties,” he said, which provides “enhanced care, not only to the veterans, but also to our active duty population — which is required in order to get ready to fight the nation’s wars.”
In 2017, the partnership provided care for more than 3,000 veterans. In 2026, the agreement is expanding access to radiology, optometry, and women’s health. Veterans who once drove to Topeka for imaging or specialty services can now receive many of those services at Fort Riley, saving hours on the road.
Rudy Klopfer, executive director of VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System, noted that female veterans previously accessed mammography services in the community since medical clinics did not have that capability.
“Our faster-growing population in this area, as well as within the VA, is our female veterans,” Klopfer said. “What a great opportunity for those who have served in the military and now our veterans to come here and receive that service.”
The agreement works both ways. If one system lacks a specialty, the other can help fill the gap. Services such as pulmonology, cardiology, rheumatology, and sleep medicine may be available sooner through shared coordination — providing care for all “who have fought for our freedoms,” Klopfer said.
“Why not capitalize on what this hospital and staff can do for our veterans?” asked Castillo. “At some point, today’s active duty soldiers will be our veterans. Building that relationship now is so valuable for the care we give.”
Leaders emphasized that partnership also sharpen and sustain clinical skills. As providers treat more complex cases, they strengthen readiness and improve care for service members, veterans, and families.
“For me, a partnership is figuring out what we can offer and what they can offer, so we can actually enhance care,” Castillo said. “The bottom line is enhancing care.”