City: Shreveport, LA

Category: Health Care

Telephone: (318) 221-8411

Address: 510 East Stoner Ave.

Description: The United States Congress authorized the construction of this facility in 1947; the hospital admitted its first patient in 1950. When it first started, its primary focus was on inpatient care, so it had approximately 450 beds and little focus on outpatient treatment. Over the decades, the trend has reversed: now Overton Brooks has only 100 staffed beds and places a strong focus on outpatient care. The Medical Center serves a population of over 131,000 veterans residing within its primary service area that encompasses 15 northeast Texas counties, five southwestern Arkansas counties, and 12 northwest Louisiana parishes. Current inpatient services include medicine, surgery, neurology, and psychiatric care. An on-site pharmacy serves both patients and outpatient veterans. Two other off-site clinics also are available to provide medical services: Buckner Square Clinic, 1800 Buckner Sq. (Shreveport), (318) 221-8411, and the Knight Street Eye Clinic, 3000 Knight St., Building 5 (Shreveport); (318) 221-8411, ext. 7411.