Richmond VAMC announced $4.8 billion infrastructure upgrade

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Richmond VA Medical Center (VAMC) announced it will begin upgrades to its health care infrastructure to help with patient care.

The Richmond VAMC announced that it will begin its $4.8 billion nationwide Virginia spending to improve health care infrastructure by modernizing, repairing and improving facilities. These upgrades will be done during fiscal year 2026 from the Veterans Health Administration Non-Recurring Maintenance program.

For the first quarter of the fiscal year, the Richmond VAMC improvement project will work on the following:

• Expanding the steam distribution system
• The second floor operating rooms modifications for laser installation
• Upgrade air handling systems and distribution
• Recapitalization of infrastructure in Richmond

“Improved facilities, equipment and infrastructure mean better care for Veterans, and these funds will enable Richmond VA Medical Center to achieve that goal,” said J. Ronald Johnson, the executive director, in a press release. “Better care for Veterans is our goal, and these projects will enable us to achieve just that.”

These infrastructure investments have been crucial in improving Virginia. Since Jan. 20, 2025, the Commonwealth has done the following, according to the release:

• Reduced by 60% the backlog of Virginian veterans waiting for benefits.
• Eliminated the backlog of Virginian veteran families that were waiting for health care.
• On Sept. 20, processed record numbers of three million claims for disability claims, reaching an all-time high for the fiscal year.
• Twenty-five new health care clinics opened across the country, which expanded access for veterans.
• Offered veterans over 1.9 million appointments outside of the normal operating hours. Early-morning, evening and weekend appointments allow veterans more timely and convenient options to receive care.

For more information, visit the U.S. Virginia Department of Veterans Affairs website here.