Staff members will greet you at the emergency department entrance at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System here in Reno.

Hospital employees will get a sticker, and not have to go through the process again for the day.

There are a limited amount of entrances opened at the facility and the signs cannot be missed.

Veterans who believe they may have COVID 19 don't come here straightaway. They are screened by phone and other means before ever being directed to the emergency department for testing.

For patients who have other business here, the hospital and clinics are using telemedicine

“Now more than ever we are trying to use telephone and video connect so we have a great options for follow-up and routine appointment,” says Dr. Amy Sanquinetti, chief of staff with the VA Hospital. “Our elective procedures however, we are reaching out to veterans and explaining that our goal is to keep them healthy and keep them safe, as well as our staff.”

The hospital has already looked at ways to re-configure the facility.

The local Veterans Hospital sees patient from a big geographical area, from Susanville, Winnemucca, Douglas County and Bishop, California. It means about 34,000 Veterans depend upon the care they receive at the hospital and surrounding clinics.

Because their patient population is highly susceptible to COVID 19, their focus has been on intensive care. Coincidentally, that unit has just undergone renovating.

“The new unit is equipped for 12 beds,” says Lisa Howard, VA Hospital administrator. “But the rooms are spacious enough that we could double that capacity. We are looking at the O2 and additional supports that are needed for those beds. I expect to be fully operational by next week,” she says.

So far, 83 Veterans nationwide have tested positive to COVID 19. Foster says while they are a federal facility catering to veterans, if directed by the vice president to open up to the general community with resources, staff or accommodations they will do so.

That is the situation at the Veterans Hospital as of today. The situation is fluid and can change at any time; In terms of mission of configuration.

As the hospital likes to say, “They stand ready.”