Tampa VA hospital helping veterans rebuild their lives with custom prosthetic limbs
TAMPA, Fla. - A specialized team at the James A. Haley VA in Tampa is helping veterans from across the Southeast rebuild their lives through custom-built prosthetics and intensive rehabilitation.
Tampa VA prosthetic care
What we know:
The Regional Amputation Center at the James A. Haley VA operates like a high-tech workshop to build new limbs for veterans.
Medical director Dr. Jeffrey Heckman said patients travel from Georgia, Arkansas and Puerto Rico to access the facility's specialized services.
Prosthetists like Bill Conroy use power tools, sanders and drills to shape and mold every limb from scratch. The center focuses on a team approach, pairing veterans with physicians and therapists to create personalized plans for functional independence.
Kristina meets with her personalized care team, which can include physicians and therapists, at the Regional Amputation Center.
Veteran recovery journey
The backstory:
Army veteran Kristina, who asked that her last name not be used, served nearly 14 years as a military police officer before a service-related injury led to a leg amputation. Doctors decided the amputation was the best course of action to improve her quality-of-life following surgery complications.
Kristina traveled from Arkansas to Tampa for treatment. After only three days of working with her new prosthetic leg, she was already up and walking.
The focus of the Tampa program is to help veterans regain independence and get back to living on their own terms.
Future veteran goals
What we don't know:
The VA does not have a set timeline for how long a veteran stays at the center. Patients remain in the program for as long as it takes to reach their specific mobility and health goals.
A prosthetist at the center molds a new limb by hand; every device is built from scratch to meet the veteran's specific needs.
Amputation center resources
Dig deeper:
The facility is designed to help veterans get back to living on their own terms rather than just providing a medical device. You can learn more about the James A. Haley VA's regional impact on veteran healthcare through their official medical briefings.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the James A. Haley VA, where medical director Dr. Jeffrey Heckman and prosthetist Bill Conroy explained the facility's operations, and from an interview with Army veteran Kristina regarding her recovery.