Biloxi VA Center holds first town hall since pandemic, providing resources for Coastal veterans

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - Veterans helping other veterans was a theme that filled one hall at the Biloxi VA Center where resources were provided for those looking for help.

Stephanie Repasky is the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System director. She along with her team invited medical experts to provide information on things like female veteran health care and virtual treatments for veterans.

“We’re focused more on high-quality safe health care in a way that’s convenient for them and we know there are things we’re doing well, things we can improve on and part of that is making sure we hear directly from our patients,” Repasky said.

“We want to offer care the way our patients want it. It might be face-to-face for some, telephone for some, and others it might be virtually,” Repasky said. “So, it’s trying to meet veterans on where their needs are and making sure they know about those options.”

Veteran John Hills who served in the Marine Corps for four years has been a patient of the Biloxi VA Center for five years and says it’s his favorite center.

“I feel cared about,” Hills said. “These doctors take more time out of their schedule to ask questions about my personal life, my kids, my family, and what I’m doing in my life and how to actually progress in my healthcare.”

Hills says while he enjoys the care he receives at the center, he is thankful the center put on the town hall to hear straight from veterans like himself, something that Repasky plans to continue in the future.

“It’s important to have your leadership to come out and to take questions and criticism, comments and all the above in front of the general public,” Hills said.

“Communication is two ways we need to hear from them,” Repasky said. “We have different ways of doing that by doing employee focus groups which are small groups, but this is just another way we can make sure we’re hearing our patients’ voices.”

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