PITTSBURGH — The VA Pittsburgh Health Care System received funding for ongoing infrastructure improvements.
This funding follows earlier allocations in the first and second quarters of the year.
The funding is part of a nationwide Veterans Health Administration’s Non-recurring Maintenance program, which has committed a record $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 to modernize, repair and improve health care facilities across the country.
Of the total $4.8 billion committed for fiscal year 2026, the VA has obligated a total of $2.2 billion.
The funds for the VA Pittsburgh Health care System will be used to upgrade infrastructure at the University Drive and H.J. Heinz III campuses. These upgrades will accommodate Electronic Health Record Modernization, which provides a seamless and paperless transition for veterans moving from active duty care to VA care.
Additional projects at the University Drive campus include renovating three floors as part of an ongoing plan to move patient-facing areas to lower levels. This aims to reduce wait times and elevator trips for veterans.
Specific repairs and replacements at University Drive include repairing fire and smoke dampers. The facility will also replace sanitizing, coil ultraviolet lighting systems in its heating, ventilating and air conditioning system.
The funding will also cover repairs to concrete and expansion joints at the University Drive parking garage. Additionally, piping that carries clean, pressurized water from the city’s lines to Primary Care at University Drive will be replaced.
The sterile-processing service’s medical-instrument cleaning and water-filtration systems at University Drive will be modernized for cleaning, disinfecting and packaging medical and surgical tools.
Derek Coughenour, interim executive director of the VA Pittsburgh Health care System, stated the significance of the allocation.
“This funding allows VA Pittsburgh to continue modernizing and improving, so our facility remains safe, efficient and equipped to provide high-quality care for our veterans in Pittsburgh,” Coughenour said.
The obligation of funds in the third quarter from the national program includes $915 million dedicated to repairing and upgrading outdated infrastructure systems in medical facilities. Another $229 million is allocated for maintenance and modernization of facility infrastructure to support future electronic health record system updates.
Additionally, $11 million from the obligated funds will go toward major building upgrades. These upgrades include improvements to elevators, electrical systems and boiler plants.
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